Godfrey Way Mitchell Explained

Sir Godfrey Way Mitchell (31 October 1891 – 9 December 1982) was a construction engineer and entrepreneur who built up George Wimpey into a thriving business.

Career

Born in Peckham and educated at Haberdashers' Aske's School at Hatcham, Godfrey Mitchell joined Rowe & Mitchell, his father's quarrying business on Alderney on leaving school.[1] He was given a temporary commission in the Royal Engineers in 1916 and served in France.[1]

On demobilisation he returned to England and acquired George Wimpey turning it from a small construction company into a thriving business that exploited the need for new housing after World War I.[1] He was Chairman of the Company from 1930 to 1973 and Life President from 1973 until his death.[1]

A keen amateur cricketer, he also served as Master of the Worshipful Company of Paviors in 1948.[1]

Godfrey Mitchell was knighted in 1948.[2] In 1957 he became a member of the Restrictive Practices Court.

He died in Beaconsfield in 1982.[1]

Family

In 1929 he married Doreen Lilian and together they went on to have two daughters.[1]

He was the uncle of Nobel Prize winner Peter D. Mitchell.[3]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/31446 Godfrey Way Mitchell at Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
  2. http://www.makers.org.uk/place/cornbank Cornbank
  3. 770310. Peter Dennis Mitchell. 29 September 1920-10 April 1992. E. C. . Slater. Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society. 40 . 1 November 1994. 282–305. 10.1098/rsbm.1994.0040 . 72791163 .