Bessie Mitchell founded The Viking Press, a Sydney-based book publishing house that published 'poetry, short stories and plays in the interests of cultural and intellectual liberty, including the works of several authors who would later become well-known in Australian literary culture'. She studied art and design at East Sydney Technical College, specialising in industrial and interior design. She illustrated and designed all the Viking Press books. After the collapse of the publishing venture Mitchell became head draughtswoman at De Haviland Aircraft experimental gliders factory. In 1950 she married Communist Party member Clive Guthrie. She was active in left-wing political and feminist movements and was a member of the collective of the feminist newspaper Mejane (1971-1974).
(Source: Louise Poland, 'Out of Type : Bessie Mitchell (Guthrie) and Viking Press,' Hecate 29.1 (2003): 23.)
