Mitchell's Minstrel Memories

George Mitchell, who fronted television’s most popular light entertainment show of the 1960’s, The Black and White Minstrel Show, owned the number plate GM 16 for over 50 years. George sadly died in August 2002, aged 85. His wife Dorothy says that the time has come to sell his beloved plate and Nottingham Green Rolls Royce Corniche.

“Being a Scotsman, George decided to apply to the local Scottish Council and was told that the Provost had GM 1 but was offered any other number - he decided to pick GM 16 because at that time he had 16 singers in his choir. George so loved his Rolls that it was only ever used for high days and holidays.

He was a car enthusiast throughout his life and in the early days of his success bought several cars, which he always said he should have hung on to as they became very valuable. Each car carried GM 16, making them very individual to him,” said his wife Dorothy.

Mitchell was an unlikely entertainer - an accountant by trade, he was assigned to the Pay Corps when war broke out. But it was during his time there that Mitchell created an army choir, an interest that stemmed from his Grandfather’s involvement in choral singing.

Although he wasn’t a singer himself, Mitchell quickly showed a talent for composing, conducting and arranging music. This first ensemble known as The Swing Group became so popular that it was booked for the BBC’s Variety Bandbox.

continued »

1 | 2