This page is dedicated to information about my great aunt Dorcas Mitchell, sister of my great grandfater David Forrest Mitchell. Dorcas was a significant figure in the eastablshment of schooling for children with hearing impairment in New Zealand, leading to the establishment of the Van Asch School in Christchurch. The late Steve Hooker did a significant amount of research into the life of Dorcas before he and I connected online following my trip to Scotland in 2008. I visited the Van Asch School (now merged into Ko Taku Reo) in Christchurch in 2016 and also visited Dorcas’ grave. Information collected by Steve Hooker is included below.
This history of Dorcas and the Bradley familey was compiled by Steve Hooker – Dorcas Mitchell and the Bradley Family (PDF 7.5mb)
Dorcas Geils Mitchell was born on 26 February 1836 in Wallacetown, Ayr, Scotland, the daughter of James Mitchell and Jane Adams (my great great grandparents). James was a stone quarrier. Dorcas was the oldest of the five children – James, Elizabeth, David Forrest and John. The Mitchells lived in the area of Dundonald and Shewalton for four generations.
It is important to know that the Mitchell family has a genetic condition causing hearing loss, and this is sometimes passed on to children. My grandfather and my father’s three brothers had this condition. My father did not have it and hence did not pass it on. We assume that David Forrest Mitchell had the condition. While we do not know about Dorcas, we assume that she grew up in a family whose members had hearing difficulties.
In the 1851 Census, there is an Elizabeth Mitchell aged 11 from Dundonald resident at a school for deaf and dumb children (signified as deaf).
According to the 1861 census, at that time Dorcas was living in Eastbourne, England as a servant in the home of John and Elisabeth Spencer. Did she undertake studies to learn to teach at this time?
It is not clear when Dorcas came to New Zealand. She may have first travelled to Australia to visit her brother David Forrest. David and his wife Jane McDowall had travelled to Queensland in 1875. David was a Church of Scotland minister who met Jane in his first parish in Kirkcowan, Ayrshire. They settled in Brisbane where he became the ministef of the Park Presbyterian Church.
Howwever Dorcas is noted as being the tutor of the chilldren of Rev Reginald and Frances Bradley, whose four children had hearing loss. Some reports say that she travelled from England to New Zealand with them. According to Steve Hooker, she was a witness to their marriage.
Steve says (personal correspondence):
“She came to New Zealand in 1866 or 1867 after being a matron at an institution for the deaf in London (I am hoping to get this confirmed soon as there were several institutions and Asylums around during the 1850’s). She arrived in Hawkes Bay in colonial Napier. There she was a superintendent for East Spit school in 1867, which changed it’s name to Port School. She was only there for a short time as in 1868 she came to Canterbury. The school that she was the superintendant for is still going and is now known as Port Ahuriri School in Napier. She was the first principal/ Superintendent of the school so she did leave a legacy in New Zealand. What is exciting is that the school she supported to establish is older than van Asch!
Dorcas relocated to Canterbury, and I know that she travelled frequently between New Zealand and Australia. In 1879, she was in contention to help establish a school for the Deaf in New Zealand. I have attached a PDF involving communication (which I hope will be of interest to you both) to do with the establishment of the Institution.In 1880, she was unsuccessful in obtaining the position, and it went to a gentleman named Gerrit van Asch.”
Dorcas lobbied the New Zealand government for the establishment of a school for deaf and dumb children. Here is some of the corrspondence.
Dorcas married Dietrich Papen in the Chatham Islands on 4 June 1881. Steve Hooker’s history contains a colourful history of Papen.
Dorcas and Dietrich lived on the Chatham Islands until Dietrich’s death. Here is some information from the Chatham Island Biographies.
More information from personal correwspondence from Steve Hooker:
“In 1880, Dorcas relocated to the Chatham Islands to work for the Hay family. There she met Mr. Papen, a farmer, and before long, they got married. There was a mention in the Lyttleton Times (local newspaper) that some Mitchells arrived to the Port and went on another ship to the Chatham’s. I suspect that the passengers may have been your great grandfather. Dorcas married Deiderich and lived on the Islands for nearly 26 years, until Mr. Papen became unwell. He had to sell the farm and unfortunately it appears that he did not get much for it. In 1906, they arrived back to Christchurch, New Zealand. Mr. Papen died in Christchurch Hospital not long after.
I think the next 5 years after her husband died, I think she had a rented lodging, and spent a bit of time with the Bradleys. In 1908, she applied to reside at the McLean’s Institute = a place called ‘Quamby;’ for “destitute women” who were “refined and educated.” At that time they had a waiting list, and it was not until 1913, she was accepted in.”
My visit to the Van Asch School for Deaf Children in 2016.
Dietrich Papn died in 1906.
Dorcas died on 9 June 1924 aged 88 and is buried in the Christchurch cemetery. When I visited her grave, I wondered whether I was the first Mitchell to do so.
