Chronology | 1820 to 1879

1822

James Mitchell, son of William and Ann Mitchell (nee Fraser) was born at Forfar Scotland. He was the eldest brother of David Mitchell. (Vestey, David Mitchell p 5 and 21.)

1829

February 16
David Mitchell was born at Forfar (now Angus) Scotland to William and Ann Mitchell. He was the father of Nellie Melba. (Hetherington, Melba, p 16, Family Bible, Vestey, David Mitchell.)

1833

October 12
Isabella Ann Dow, daughter of James and Jane Dow was born at Dundee, Scotland. (Vestey, David Mitchell p22.)

1843

James Foote Dow of Dundee arrived in Melbourne. (Vestey, David Mitchell p7.)

1847

Jane Foote (nee Taylor) Dow and daughters Isabella, Ann, Margaret, Helen and Alice arrived in Melbourne on the barque Anne Milne. (Vestey, David Mitchell p7.)

1848

May 1
Janet Fraser (nee McQuattie), David Mitchell’s maternal grandmother, died at Forfar Scotland. (Vestey, David Mitchell p21.)

1849

May 1
William Mitchell aged 58 years died at Forfar Scotland. (Vestey, David Mitchell p21.)

1850

September 15
Hugh Fraser, David Mitchell’s maternal grandfather died at Forfar Scotland. (Vestey, David Mitchell p21.)

1851

James Mitchell married Susan McFarland. (Radic, Melba p193.)

1852

James Mitchell and his wife Susan went to England. (Vestey,David Mitchell p5.)

April 6
At Liverpool David Mitchell set sail for Australia on board the barque Anna. (Vestey, David Mitchell p6.)

July 21
David Mitchell on board the Anna arrived at Adelaide. (Vestey, Mitchell p6.)

July 24
David Mitchell on board the Anna arrived at Melbourne. (Radic Melba, p 7.)

1854

James and Susan Mitchell left England and settled in Canada. (Vestey, David Mitchell p5.)

1857

June 11
David Mitchell married Isabella Dow at the Dow home in Bourke St Melbourne and they moved into the home he had built called Doonside in Burnley St, Richmond. (Vestey, David Mitchell p8.)

Family
1858

March 28
Margaret Walker Mitchell, the eldest daughter of David and Isabella Mitchell was born. (Vestey, David Mitchell p23.)

1859

March 24
Margaret Walker Mitchell, the eldest daughter of David and Isabella Mitchell, died. (Vestey, David Mitchell p23.)

July 29
William James Mitchell, the eldest son of David and Isabella Mitchell was born. (Vestey, David Mitchell p22.)

1860

June 29
William James Mitchell, the eldest son of David and Isabella Mitchell, died. (Vestey, David Mitchell p23.)

1861

May 19
Helen Porter Mitchell (later known as Dame Nellie Melba) the daughter of David Mitchell and Isabella Dow Mitchell was born at Doonside, Richmond Victoria. (Vestey Melba A Family Memoir p8.)

1863

November 6
Ann Fraser Mitchell, the daughter of David and Isabella Mitchell was born. (Vestey, David Mitchell p22.)

1864

April 11
Ann Mitchell (nee Fraser), aged 60 years, died at Forfar Scotland. Ann was David Mitchell’s mother. (Vestey, David Mitchell p21.)

1866

Nellie Mitchell boarded at the private school Leigh House in Richmond. (Hetherington, Melba p20.)

September 4
Isabella Mitchell, daughter of David and Isabella Mitchell was born. (Vestey, David Mitchell p22.)

1867

Nellie Mitchell sang in a concert at a Richmond hall to raise funds for the local school. She sang ‘Shells of ocean’ and ‘Comin thro the Rye’. (Vestey, Melba p10.)

1869

January 18
Francis David, son of David and Isabella Mitchell was born. (Vestey, David Mitchell p22.)

December 6
Nellie Mitchell sang at the Grand Opening Concert held at the Richmond Town Hall to celebrate the opening of the Richmond Presbyterian Church. The Australian in its Saturday, December 11 edition published Nellie’s first official performance review. (Vestey, Melba p12.)

1870

David Mitchell formed the Evelyn Tunnel Gold Mining Company with a capital of £16,000 to build a 639ft tunnel at Pound Bend, Warrandyte to divert the Yarra River and allow gold mining. (Vestey, David Mitchell p10.)

1871

March 19
Charles John Mitchell, son of David and Isabella Mitchell was born. (Vestey, David Mitchell p22.)

1872

September
The Evelyn Tunnel Gold Mining Company was voluntarily wound up. (Vestey, David Mitchell p10.)

1873

May 20
Dora Elizabeth Octavia Mitchell, daughter of David and Isabella Mitchell was born. (Vestey, David Mitchell p22.)

1875

February 11
Ellen Armstrong was pupil No. 166 on the roll for the first year of the newly opened Presbyterian Ladies’ College, East Melbourne. Her father David Mitchell built the school. (Reid, The Ladies Came to Stay p105.)

July 20
William Henry Ernest Mitchell, son of David and Isabella Mitchell was born. (Vestey, David Mitchell p22.)

1877

August 8
Florence Maude Vere Mitchell, daughter of David and Isabella Mitchell was born. (Vestey, David Mitchell p22.)

1878

David Mitchell purchased the Cave Hill property at Lilydale from John Nicholson, son of Victoria’s former premier William Nicholson. (Vestey, David Mitchell p10.)

The barque Anna that bought David Mitchell to Australia was wrecked off King Island. (Vestey, David Mitchell p6.)

April 2
The official opening of the Marble and Limestone Quarries at Cave Hill Farm, Lilydale. (Vestey, David Mitchell p10.)

1879

December
Nellie left Presbyterian Ladies’ College. (Vestey, Melba p16.)

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Our home is the Old Lilydale Court House:
61 Castella Street, Lilydale 3140
Hours of opening:
By appointment only:
Fridays 1 to 4pm and Saturdays to Mondays 11am to 4pm.
Sundays are preferred.
Closed Public Holidays

Nellie Melba Museum

Contact Details:
Sue Thompson: 0475 219 884
Email: [email protected]

Share your info with us:
[email protected]

Our home is the Old Lilydale Court House:
61 Castella Street, Lilydale 3140
Hours of opening:
By Appointment only:
Fridays 1 to 4pm and Saturdays to Mondays 11am to 4pm.
Sundays are preferred.
Closed Public Holidays

Nellie Melba Museum

Contact Details:
Sue Thompson: 0475 219 884
[email protected]

Nellie Melba Museum

Contact Details:
Sue Thompson: 0475 219 884
[email protected]

Our home is the Old Lilydale Court House:
61 Castella Street, Lilydale 3140
Hours of opening:
By appointment only:
Fridays 1 to 4pm and Saturdays to Mondays 11am to 4pm.
Sundays are preferred.
Closed Public Holidays

Share Your Information
with Nellie Melba Museum!

Sue Thompson: 0475 219 884
[email protected]