Harry Mitchell (brewer)

Captain Henry Mitchell Junior
Born	11 September 1862 Smethwick, Staffordshire, England
Died	1894 (aged 32)
Cause of death	Typhoid
Monuments	Harry Mitchell Park
Occupation	Managing Director
Parent(s)	Henry Mitchell (father)

Captain Henry Mitchell Junior, known as Harry Mitchell (1862-1894), was managing director of a brewery company co-founded by his father Henry Mitchell.^[1][2] He was also superintendent of the fire brigade at the company's Cape Hill brewery,^[1][3] and a Captain in the Smethwick Rifle Volunteers.^[1]

He founded a brewery football team, Mitchells St George's, later Birmingham St George's F.C..^[4]

Harry was born on 11 September 1862, in Smethwick (then part of Staffordshire), and died from typhoid at the age of just 32.^[1]

Memorials

In 1897 Henry Mitchell purchased 14 acres (5.7 ha) of land, and in 1899 presented this to Smethwick Corporation to form what was named in his son's memory "Harry's Park" (now known as "Harry Mitchell Park").^[1]

Henry also built and donated Smethwick Drill Hall and the accompanying Sergeant Instructor's house.^[1] A plaque from the drill hall, now in the Harry Mitchell Leisure Centre which replaced it, reads:^[1]

This drill hall
for use of the Smethwick Volunteers
and the surrounding recreation grounds
called 'Harry's Park' were presented to
the inhabitants of Smethwick in memory of
Captain Henry Mitchell
of the Smethwick Rifle Volunteers and
Cape Hill Brewery Fire Brigade
born at Smethwick September
11th 1862

References

1. "Harry Mitchell" (PDF). Sandwell Leisure Trust. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
2. In 1898, the company merged with another, to become Mitchells & Butlers
3. Shaw, Dan (21 June 2012). "The story of Mitchells & Butlers very own Cape Hill fire brigade". Black Country Bugle. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
4. Bradbury, Mike (2013-10-22). Lost Teams of the Midlands. Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 978-1-4836-9531-0.