Dad and I concluded that John must have been descended from slaves
Social media can reveal enthralling tales of family history. In October 2021 Clare Patrick (née Mitchell), a family historian from Northleach, Gloucestershire, shared an emotive post with the members of the WDYTYA? Magazine Facebook Group. The story focuses on her black theatrical great grandfather John Robert Mitchell, and his resilient descendants.
Clare’s father Kenneth Mitchell has always longed to find out more about his grandfather. “All Dad knew was that John was born in 1870, and that he became a musician and an actor,” Clare explains. “Tragically, John died young at the age of 35.
“Four years ago, Dad felt that he could no longer continue the search and asked me to take up the mantle.” Initially, Clare and Kenneth assumed that John must have been born in the USA. However, he appeared in the British 1901 census listed as an actor in
