James Robert Mitford Mitchell (1843–1914) was a Scottish minister. He served as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1907. He was Chaplain in Ordinary in Scotland to both

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previo ...

and King

Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria and ...

Life

Plaque to Rev Mitford Mitchell, Kirk of St Nicholas, Aberdeen

He was born on 20 February 1843 in Inverness the son of the civil engineer, Joseph Mitchell and educated at Inverness Academy and Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh. He studied divinity at

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...

and

Cambridge University The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209 and granted a royal charter by Henry III of England, Henry III in 1231, Cambridge is the world' ...

. He was ordained as a

Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland ( sco, The Kirk o Scotland; gd, Eaglais na h-Alba) is the national church in Scotland. The Church of Scotland was principally shaped by John Knox, in the Reformation of 1560, when it split from the Catholic Church ...

minister at Kirkmichael in August 1868. He was translated to Paisley Abbey in September 1875. He was further translated to the West

Kirk of St Nicholas The Kirk of St Nicholas is a historic church located in the city centre of Aberdeen, Scotland. Up until the dissolution of the congregation on 31 December 2020, it was known as the ''"Kirk of St Nicholas Uniting"''. It is also known as ''"The Mit ...

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...

in February 1878. In September 1888 he took on the additional role as Chaplain to Queen Victoria in Scotland and on her death he became Chaplain to King Edward VII. He was awarded a Doctor of Divinity by Aberdeen University in February 1892. In 1883 he presented a marble bust of his father, by Alexander Munro to Inverness Town Hall. From 1898 until 1909 he was Convenor of the Church of Scotland's Colonial Committee. He retired to

living at 39 Palmerston Place. He died on 26 September 1914. He is buried in the churchyard of the

in Aberdeen.

Recognition

A plaque to his memory was erected in the

around 1920.

Family

In November 1876 he married Agnes Jane Dobbie of Gyleburn. They had one daughter: Christian Elisabeth Mitchell born 1878.

References

1843 births 1914 deaths People educated at Merchiston Castle School People from Inverness 19th-century Ministers of the Church of Scotland Moderators of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland 20th-century Ministers of the Church of Scotland {{Scotland-reli-bio-stub