Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Mitchell, William Henry Fancourt
MITCHELL, Sir WILLIAM HENRY FANCOURT (1811–1884), Australian politician, born in England in 1811, was son of George Berkley Mitchell, vicar of St. Mary's from 1813, and of All Saints' from 1820, both parishes of the town of Leicester. At an early age William was sent out to Tasmania, where on 2 April 1833 he was appointed writer in the colonial secretary's office, becoming on 1 Aug. 1839 assistant colonial secretary. In 1840 he went over to Port Phillip district (afterwards Victoria), and entered on an active squatter's life near Kyneton and Mount Macedon. On 1 Jan. 1853, when the discovery of gold in Port Phillip threw the whole district into disorder, he was specially invited by the lieutenant-governor to take the supreme command of the police. In this capacity, receiving almost unlimited powers, he reorganised the force on a new basis, restored order in the gold districts, and stamped out bush-ranging. In 1855 private affairs took him back to England.
On his return to Victoria in September 1856 he was elected to the legislative council as one of the five original members for the North-Western Province, and joined the Haines ministry—the first under responsible government—representing it for six months in the upper chamber without portfolio. In Haines's next administration he was postmaster-general from April 1857 to March 1858, and is credited with a complete reform of the post-office. In 1858 he was defeated at the polls and was out of parliament for a short time, but in 1860 he was again elected to the council for the North- Western Province, and in December 1861 became commissioner of railways in O'Shanassy's administration, which lasted till June 1863. Throughout the sessions of 1866-8 he devoted special attention to the bill respecting the constitution of the legislative council, which became law September 1868. In 1869 he was elected chairman of committees in the legislative council, and in 1870 the president of the council. In this capacity he served till his death, through a period of considerable anxiety, leading the opposition of the council to the assembly in the disputes with the government of Sir James McCulloch [q. v.] as to the protective tariff and the Darling grant, and again respecting payment of members. As president he distinguished himself by the vigour of his ruling.
In 1875 Mitchell was knighted. During his last years he used crutches. He died at his residence, Barfold, near Kyneton, on 24 Nov. 1884. The house of assembly as well as the council adjourned as a mark of respect—the first time that it had ever adjourned in consequence of the death of a member of the other chamber.
He was at the time of his death a large landed proprietor near Kyneton and the chairman of R. Goldsborough & Co.
[Melbourne Argus, 25 Nov. 1884; Mennell's Dict. Austral. Biog.; Victorian Parliamentary Debates.]