Alvin E. Mitchell Papers

Textile chemist, Warwick, R.I.

Papers, 1949-1957

Size: 1 linear foot

Catalog number: MSS 1035

Processed by: Rick Stattler, July 1999

©Rhode Island Historical Society

Manuscripts Division

Historical note:

Alvin E. Mitchell (1921-1997) was born in Warwick, R.I., served in the U.S. Army during World War II, graduated from the Lowell Technical Institute in 1949, and began a long career as a textile dye chemist. He apparently worked at the Glenlyon Print Works in Phillipsdale, R.I. in the mid-1950s, and possibly at other print works, and ended his career at the Bradford Dyeing Association from 1962 to 1987. He died in Warwick on April 3, 1997. His obituary can be found in the Warwick Beacon, 4/8/1997.

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Scope and content:

This collection contains dyeing notes, formulae, test results and samples from 1949 to 1957. There is no personal material in this collection. Mitchell signed many of his notes as A.E. Mitchell or Al Mitchell, but few of the records indicate which firm he was actually working for. The Becco Chemical reports are made out specifically to the Glenlyon Print Works, and a few of Mitchell's notes refer to sending material out to Saylesville for tests. The Glenlyon Print Works was a subsidiary of the Sayles Finishing Plant, based in Saylesville, so it seems reasonable to suppose that most of these records and samples were generated at Glenlyon. On the other hand, there is no firm evidence. Mitchell's obituary does not specify where he worked in the mid-1950s, and the Warwick directories from the period are not available. One of the volumes, the Aridye Printing Paste sample book from 1949, was addressed to Interlaken Mills, an unrelated plant in Arkwright, R.I. Mitchell may have worked at Interlaken, or been given the volume by a colleague.

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Provenance:

Mildred Longo, a collector and dealer, donated this collection in July of 1997. She presumably acquired it directly from the estate of Alvin E. Mitchell.

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Processing note:

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Inventory:

Folder 1. Aridye Printing Paste sample book, compiled for Interlaken Mills, 1949

Folder 2. Formula and sample books, 1953, 1954-1955

Folder 3. Laboratory reports on "trouble jobs", 1954

Folder 4. Notes and samples, 1954

Folder 5. Notes and samples, 1954

Folder 6. Notes and samples, 1955

Folder 7. Notes and samples, 1955

Folder 8. Notes and samples, 1956-1957 and undated