Mr F.W. Mitchell, who died on June 27, 1890, at his residence Vaucluse, Hobart, Tasmania, was born in Cornwall, England. As a young man he was articled to a firm of lawyers in London, with a view to adopting the legal profession. Later on, however, seeing that his interests would be more advanced by going abroad, he applied for a vacancy, and cancelling his articles to the legal firm, proceeded to Hong Kong where his career of usefulness fairly commenced.
In March 1857, he was appointed Deputy Registrar of the Supreme Court, and in the same year became Chief Clerk in the Imperial Post Office, and in the following year, Acting Postmaster. In 1859 Mr. Mitchell was appointed Auditor-General of the Colony of Hong Kong and of the Consular and Diplomatic accounts of China and Japan. On the transfer of the Imperial Post Office to the colony on May 1, 1860, Mr Mitchell was appointed Assistant Postmaster-General and became head of the department in November of the year 1862. In April, 1862, he was chosen a member of a committee to investigate defalcations at the Government Civil Hospital, and received the thanks of the Government for his services on that occasion.
He was created a J.P. in December, 1864 and acted as Police Magistrate for some months in 1866. In 1867 he was appointed to make a tour of inspection of the various postal agencie in China and Japan. He acted as Police Magistrate from July 13 to September 9 of 1867. He was appointed Collector of Stamp Revenue on September 10, 1867. In May 1868, he was appointed atrustee of St John’s Cathedral on behalf of the Government and on his departure the trustees of the Cathedral acknowledgedthe care and efficiency with which he, as one of their body, performed the duties of treasurer. He was appointed a Commissioner under the seal of the colony to make inquiries and investigation into the state of the Police Force, in December 1871 and received the thanks of the Government Appointed Acting Police Magistrate in April, 1872 and remained so until June, 1874. In June, 1872 he was appointed member of a committee to inquire into the expediency of establishing a Savings Bank. In September, 1873 he was delagated (sic) to investigate a dispute between the Medical and Gaol Departments, and again received the thanks of the Government.
He rendered the Spanish Government in Manila valuable services in facilitating the regular conveyance of their mails, which services were recognized by the King of Spain (Amadeus) who conferred upon him the honour of a Knighthood of the Distinguished Order of Carlos III, in the year 1871. The Merchant Communities of Manila and Shanghai also tendered him their thanks for his services.
Privately he was always ready to counsel and befriend the distressed and unfortunate. Before leaving Hong Kong in April, 1875, a public dinner was given to him in recognition of the many services he had rendered the colony, and regret was expressed at his departure, with earnest wishes for his welfare. In Hobart his career was eminently useful as a public man, and many were the regrets at his death.
He was interred on the 1st July, in the Queensborough Cemetary, Sandy Bay, near Hobart.