The obituary notice of Terence Croft MITCHELL

I knew Terence for the last few years as a fellow Council Member for Faith & Thought (The Victoria Institute). He was indeed a true gentleman, a fine Christian and the embodiment of a youthful curiosity and enthusiasm. I am preparing a short Obituary for the journal and would like to use the tribute from John Curtis as a part of this. If you should happen to read this notification, please could you contact me on admin@faithandthought.org With sincere condolences and many thanks. Alan

I was sad to hear that Terence has gone, he was seemingly such a permanent fixture within the British Museum and the Middle East Department wont be the same without him. During his curatorial career he was always extremely kind and helpful to young scholars. He was always happy to hear your views and listen to the latest field research being carried out. Never critical, always happy to discuss every aspect of such work.

It is with much regret that I will not be able to join you all to celebrate his long and accomplished life on Friday. Terence was one of the true gentlemen in the field of Near Eastern studies.

Reading in the garden in Wadhurst

We met 40 years ago when he visited America to reconnect with the family he came to stay with during the war when Dngkand sent children here for safety. He became my Mentor with each visit I made to see him. A literary education was his gift to me... we shared the books we found mostly on the Middle East, or the classic authors, Henry James, Jane Austin, etc. we delved one visit into the world of the Bloomsbury Group visiting all their houses, in London, at Charleston, Knole, etc. we walked the downs near his loved Wadhurst, and visited the British Museum (his home away from home)!and the Portrait Gallery so that I coukd “see” the authors of the books I loved to read! He was a true English gentleman, with a love of God, and his family, he was the most selfless person I ever known. I have so much admiration for him, and will relive my memories of my Septembers each year I spent with him.

Terence told me a great deal about his family and childhood during our frequent lunches together. He took me to the Athenaeum and I took him to the RAC and we would walk briskly down to Pall Mall from the British Museum, rain or shine. His was a fascinating life: an almost Edwardian childhood, spent partly in Mallord Street with his parents and partly with loving but fierce aunts at Wadhurst. They would pack Terence and his brother off on their bicycles with a sustaining picnic to amuse themselves until tea time, when they were allowed back in!
Terence was evacuated to Goring-on-Thames during the War to a house called Cleevebank where the dormitories were in the old squash courts of the house. Then his parents decided he and his brother would be safer in the USA. Terence maintained a fond relationship with his friends in the USA and until quite recently regularly crossed the Atlantic to visit them, driving himself in a hired car.
He and I tackled the archive left to the British Museum by Donald Wiseman and often drove down to see Donald before he died. Then we bundled up all his papers and brought them to be stored at the British Museum. Terence was particularly helpful in identifying the books from his Library which should be kept.
Terence had a deep faith in Christianity and in its relation with other religions. He was a fount of knowledge about the Old Testament. He was also a delightful companion, full of fascinating reminiscences which evoked the values and standards of an earlier time. I shall miss him very much.
Henrietta McCall, British Museum, WC2

Terence was much liked and greatly respected in the British Museum where he worked for his whole career and even during his long retirement. His book The Bible in the British Museum is a bestseller and he will be long remembered for that. He will be missed by friends and colleagues. May he rest in peace. John Curtis (Keeper of Middle East Department, British Museum, 1989 - 2011).