ROBERT
MACFARLANE-MITCHELLEX-PRECEPTOR MITCHELL is a son of the late Colin Gillespie Mitchell, writer in Glasgow, whose firm, still existing, is the second oldest legal firm in the city. His elder brother is senior member of the firm. His mother was a daughter of the late Robert Macfarlane, distiller, Port Dundas, Glasgow.
Mr. Mitchell was born in Glasgow in 1845; educated at the old Glasgow Academy and at the Universities of St. Andrews and Glasgow. He carried on an extensive and successful business as a coalmaster, and is still a director of the colliery-owning firm of James Nimmo & Company, Limited.
He entered the Town Council of Glasgow in 1884; was Senior Magistrate, 1889-90; Chairman of the Gas Committee for ten years; Assessor to the University Court of the University of Glasgow for six years; Preceptor of Hutchesons' Hospital for three years (1902 to 1905), and, in addition, has been a member of almost every important committee of the Corporation of the City of Glasgow, besides taking an active interest in nearly all the principal charitable and philanthropic institutions connected with the city and neighbourhood. In particular he was Chairman of the Parks and Galleries Committee and of the Glasgow Cancer Free Hospital, and a Commissioner under the Juvenile Delinquency Acts. As representative of the city in the University Court at the time he took a notable part in promoting the celebration of the ninth jubilee in 1900, and was a candidate for the Lord Provostship in 1905. For reasons of health he resigned his seat in the Town Council in April, 1908.
He is a J.P. for the County of Lanark, and a J.P. and D.L. for the County of the City of Glasgow.
Mr. Mitchell resides at Auchengray, Kelvinside, Glasgow, during winter, and at Lindsaylands, Biggar, for the greater part of the year.
His grandfather was minister of Wellington United Presbyterian Church, Glasgow, and also one of the professors in the Theological Hall of the Secession Church. His great-grandfather was minister of the Secession Church in Beith for over fifty years. Some of his relatives occupy distinguished positions in the College of Justice in Edinburgh. By marriage he is related to the President of the Admiralty and Divorce Courts of the High Court of England. He is married to a daughter of the late Andrew M'Morland, Esq., of Glasgow, and has a family of two sons and one daughter. The elder son, Colin Gillespie Mitchell, is one of the rising young Glasgowartists, whose work has been favourably criticised by members of the Royal Academy, London. The younger son is engaged in commercial pursuits in Glasgow, and the daughter is married and resident in London.