Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Mitchell, Thomas (fl.1735-1790)
MITCHELL, THOMAS (fl. 1735–1790), marine-painter and naval official, was a shipwright by profession who also practised with some success as a painter of marine subjects. He first exhibited at the Free Society of Artists in 1763, when he was residing on Tower Hill. He exhibited there again in 1768 and the following years, when he was employed as assistant shipbuilder at Chatham dockyard. In 1774 he appears as builder's assistant at Deptford dockyard, and was afterwards employed in the navy office, becoming eventually assistant surveyor of the navy. He exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1774 to 1789. A number of drawings by Mitchell are in the print room at the British Museum, the earliest dated being a view of Westminster Bridge in 1735. Some of his drawings were engraved.
[Redgrave's Dict. of Artists; Graves's Dict. of Artists, 1760-1880; Catalogues of the Free Society of Artists and the Royal Academy.]