These records relate mostly to the estates of the Mitchison family and their relations in Middlesex, London, Northumberland, Surrey and elsewhere, which were managed by William Anthony Mitchison, the elder, on behalf of his father John Mitchison, the elder, his brother John Mitchison, the younger, and himself in the mid and late nineteenth century. The remainder of the accession is composed of private papers of members of the Mitchison family. These are generally draft marriage settlements, drafts wills, and draft executors' papers. There are also some papers relating to trusts and shares. The private papers of John Mitchison the younger include, besides papers relating to the inquiry into his state of mind, transcripts of accounts of his estate from 1856-99, and records relating to his establishment in Brighton.
This accession was originally composed of forty bundles, bearing solicitors' numbering on the wrapper, where these remained. Most also bore labels giving a rough summary of the contents-not always correct-the sectors' number and a title assigning it to a member of the Mitchison, Maw or Sturges family (ref: ACC/1156/154). These have been used as sectional headings in the catalogue, and where the label does not survive, or is defective, the bundle has been assigned to the member of the family who from the contents, seems likely to have been the original assignee. In a few cases, new titles have had to be substituted, as in 178, 191-3. Inside each bundle was one or more bundles which form the basic unit of this list. A corresponding list of the original larger bundles with the new numbering of the inner bundles is appended. Bundles 807, 813 and 868 appear to be incomplete. The contents of the bundles are largely draft deeds, mostly leases and affidavits, and correspondence. As solicitors' drafts, the information given in the draft affidavits is on occasions contradictory or misleading. There are a few original deeds, inducing a small number of conveyances. In several bundles, stamps are missing from correspondence.
