Richard Mitchell

Richard Arthur Henry Mitchell (22 January 1843 - 19 April 1905), widely known as Mike Mitchell, Between 1866 and 1897 he was the principal adviser and coach of the school's cricket team. He was a member of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) Committee from 1902 until his death three years later. A later Eton master, G. W. Lyttleton, who as a schoolboy had played under Mitchell's supervision, called him a "philistine housemaster" and said: "Unless you were a dab (hand) at some game you cut no ice". Among Mitchell's Etonian protégés was George Harris, who as Lord Harris became one of the most influential of cricket administrators.

Mitchell married Mary Henrietta Ley, the second daughter of Henry Ley, Clerk of the House of Commons. Mitchell was the father of the courtier and cricketer Sir Frank Mitchell.

Career Mitchell was a right-handed batsman, occasional wicket-keeper and right arm medium pace roundarm bowler. Mainly associated with the Eton Ramblers, Oxford University and Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), he made 57 known appearances. He played for the Gentlemen in the Gentlemen v Players series. He was regarded by Haygarth as one of the leading players of his era. After leaving Oxford, he usually was only seen in important cricket at the Canterbury Festival where he made 21 appearances up to 1883.