Mitchell, David Scott (1836-1907), was a wealthy Australian collector of books, paintings, and other Australian artifacts. He left his collection, together with a substantial endowment, to the Public Library of New South Wales in 1907. The collection has been greatly enlarged by subsequent purchases and gifts. It is now housed in the Mitchell Wing of the State Library of New South Wales.
Mitchell was born in Sydney on March 19, 1836. He was one of the first 24 students to enter the University of Sydney, from which he graduated in 1855. He studied law but never practiced, preferring instead to manage his family’s estates in the Hunter Valley. Mitchell died on July 24, 1907.
