Mitchell Brother´s Tattooing

HI LEE I BELIEVE WE ARE DISTANTLY RELATED I AM CURRENTLY RESEARCHING MY FAMILY TREE AND MY GRANDFATHER WAS A WILLIAM WILLIAMS AND HIS FATHER WAS A LUKE WILLIAMS WHO WAS MARRIED TO A JEANETTE MITCHELL. THEY RESIDED AT 9 ROW 78 IN 1890 AND MY GRANDFATHER WILLIAM USED TO WORK FOR THE MICHELLS WHEN I BELIEVE THEY WERE POSSIBLY TATTOING IN ONE OF THE YARMOUTH ROWS. AND BY A BIT OF A COINCIDENCE I TO HAD A TATTOO OF A SWALLOW IN THE 1970'S NOT REALISING IT TO BE FROM A DISTANT RELATIVE. I WILL BE IN TOUCH WITH ANY MORE INFORMATION I REMEMBER OR FIND. REGARDS NIGEL

HI LEE WE MAY BE DISTANT RELATIVES. MY GREAT GRANDFATHER WAS A LUKE WILLIAMS WHO MARRIED A JEANETTE MITCHELL. THEY RESIDED AT NO 9 ROW 78 IN 1890 WITH SEVERAL CHILDREN AND ONE OF THE CHILDREN WAS A WILLIAM WILLIAMS ( MY FATHERS FATHER ) AND HE WOULD SIT IN A TATTOIST SHOP WHICH I BELIEVE WAS IN ONE OF THE ROWS. AS SOMETIMES DRUNKEN SAILORS ECT MAY COME IN FOR A TATTOO AND MAY NOT WANT TO PAY FOR IT MY GRANDFATHER WOULD EXTRACT THE MONEY FOR THE WORK WITH SOME PERSUATION AS HE WAS OCCASIONALY IN THE CORN EXCHANGE OR FAIR GROUNDS BOXING TRYING TO EARN SOME EXTRA MONEY TO FEED QUITE A LARGE FAMILY. BY COINCIDENCE I HAD A TATTOO ON GREAT YARMOUTH PIER IN AROUND 1971-2 NOT REALISING AT THE TIME OF FAMILY CONNECTION. I WILL BE IN TOUCH WITH ANY MORE INFO FOR YOUR RESEARCH. GOOD LUCK NIGEL

Hi Nigel, thanks for your reply however I believe my Grandfather and all his family lived and grew up in Cobhom so I dont think there would be any conection there, but if you do find out anymore information please get back to me. Lee

Hi Lee,  we are not related but I have been trying to find out who tattooed me on the pier in 1974. There was a booth on top of the pier and the artist would have been in his 50s or 60s. I went back some years later to find them under the pier. The artist was old and he had a minder. Any more info would be good. Gary

Hi Lee, I have a few stories of the Mitchell Brothers shop when it was ON the Britannia pier in Great Yarmouth - one of my biggest regrets is that I never took a camera to the shop - it may well have been very taboo to have done so at the time. I and a couple of my friends had Union Jack tattoos with either England or as in my case, Leicester inked into a scroll/ribbon under the image- this was Leicester fortnight, July 1977. The shop was incredibly busy, full of English and Scottish boys, who mainly had Thistle or St Andrew flags tattoos, waiting respectfully seated along benches that looked like they had been church pews at some time. At the end of the wooden hut would sit the Mitchell brothers tattooing alongside each other, they really did seem quite old by then, grey white hair and long white ink splattered work coats. I remember they constantly sent out for large cups of tea using their own white enamel mugs - I can still sense the steam coming off the mugs mingling with the smell of green soap and sweat even now. As an inquisitive youngster I asked a few questions . Of course the guys would have avoided any Tattoo related questions as was the order of the day - but -and I don't know which of the brothers tattooed me -the friendly old guy that did Tattoo me talked quite openly of spending the winters fish packing . I think he may have said in Norwich- he certainly did speak of Norwich. I hope this has been of interest. I am actively searching for photos / information of the famous old shop which is still billed in Tattoo circles as being the oldest in the UK at the time and would be willing to share any such information that I can aquire- regards, Martin

Hi Lee, I'm Jackie and I think I'm the person who you may be looking for, as my late Grandad (George Mitchell) was the tattooist in Yarmouth on the pier.  He was doing it with his brother Jimmy, who passed away years before, then my Dad, George's son Billy, (William) went in it with my Grandad, but he sadly passed away in October 2002  Hope you see this message as I was so pleased to read all the lovely comments of my late Grandad.  Hope to hear from you soon...Jackie

Hi guys thanks for the comments, it was really nice to read it all.  Jackie I guess we are cousins in some way; I don't really know how the family tree thing works lol. I heard from someone a while ago that a relative still works in the shop, I actually walked past it with my boys at the weekend but it was closed.  I will pop in there one day and add to my collection of tats.  Do you live in the Yarmouth area then Jackie?  And Martin your comments are very interesting thanks.  It's always nice to hear people still remember my grandad, if you do find any photos I would be very happy if you were to share them with us.

Hi Lee, just read your reply to me, can't really say how we're related, unless I knew who your parents are?  Sorry to say but the tattooing is no longer there under the pier, as I recall it shut down as that when my dad died, then about 5 years later my Grandad died, (my dad’s dad George William Mitchell).  I no longer live in Great Yarmouth moved from there only last year and now in Surrey but I am the person who is related to the Mitchell tattooing on the Britannia Pier. Like I said in my last comment they where were Grandad and father.

Hi had my first tattoo done, oold style swallow, in 1990 by one of the old boys. My dad made me wait a year until I was 18 to be sure and had to have it done by a good tattooist. Aftr the year we made our annual trip to Yarmouth where dad took me to the place where he had all of his, under the pier. As I left home, married, had kids we have now returned with the annual visits and have discovered there is still a tatooist under the pier. The old boys were legends, I have been told elsewhere who did my tattoo and where they were from, works recognisable.

Hi cuz! Hope all well, lee I've got a tattoo booked in for next month with bobby swallows and he knew grandad I'm looking for a picture of a swallow design that he did, can you help?!??? Also I had a tattoo done in Gibraltar and he knew him too half way through my tat he stopped to go get pictures of grandad and nan! Said he was a lovely bloke and well respected. Hope you can help with my tattoo Nathan Diddams

Hi lee..i am jackies brother and therefore Georges grandson, i now reside in Ipswich but still work in the Yarmouth area and got several pieces of my grandfathers work, if you like to contact me to share any more information then please do

Jimmy Mitchell was my father and his  father (my grandfather) was also Jimmy Mitchell who was tattooing in the 1st world war so he was doing it 100 years ago.

Hello, I knew your grandfather, he lived over Cobholm, Elsie Road. I went to school with his son John Mitchell at the hospital school.  I believe John worked on the ferry at Gorleston. I was tattooed by your grand father.

Hi Lee,

Many of my mates and I were tattoed by the Mitchell Brothers, and there work really has stood the test of time, the colours are still holding up well. So good were they that we would get the train up from Chelmsford to get work done by them, spending the weekend in Yarmouth, the priority being to get a Tattoo. Fond memories.

Hi, I used to go and get tattooed by these guys when I was 14. It was the late 1970s on holiday with my mum and dad. Still have a peacock on my arm.

My nanny was one of the Mitchells, there was 13 brothers and sisters... They originated in Newtown, a family member still lives in the house they grew up in! Theres lots of memorabilia somewhere within the family. I did speak to Susan once as her dad had it all when the shop closed! Hope you find what you're looking for 

Lived in the same street,Chaucer rd Great Yarmouth 5 doors down ,although did not know them personally have 5 great tats that they did for me on Britannia pier

Hi Lee

i had a few tattoos done by the guys under Yarmouth pier when I was about 18/19 which was in 1974/75. I am pretty sure the name Mitchell appeared on the kiosk. 

I had forgotten this until recently I made FB friends with a London tattooist and he reminded me of their names. 

I would be glad to send you pictures of the tattoos to see if you think it was your relatives. 

Hi, I had a tattoo done by these guys in the early 80s of a peacock with my 3 sisters names round it. Just had it covered up after 35 yrs but still have photos I could send.

Hi  James and George Mitchell's father also James Mitchell (Jim), tattooed during the first world war. I've been trying to find any information for my museum archive on all of the Mitchel brothers - any help would be extremely grateful.  Please feel free to get in touch to email to bristoltattooclub@lice.co.uk