John Henry Nicholson (21 September 1889 – 9 August 1972) was the second Principal of University College Hull, and the first Vice-Chancellor of the

University of Hull The University of Hull is a public research university in Kingston upon Hull, a city in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It was founded in 1927 as University College Hull. The main university campus is located in Hull and is home to the Hu ...

. Dr John H Nicholson was educated at the

University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...

, where he gained a 'double first' in theology. His scholarly interests centred on 'extra-mural education'. He taught at the

University of Bristol The University of Bristol is a public university, public research university in Bristol, England. It received its royal charter in 1909, although it can trace its roots to a Merchant Venturers' school founded in 1595 and University College, Br ...

and later was made a professor at what was to become

Newcastle University Newcastle University (legally the University of Newcastle upon Tyne) is a public research university based in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It has overseas campuses in Singapore and Malaysia. The university is a red brick university and a mem ...

(then part of the

University of Durham Durham University (legally the University of Durham) is a collegiate public research university in Durham, England, founded by an Act of Parliament in 1832 and incorporated by royal charter in 1837. It was the first recognised university to ...

). Nicholson was the second Principal of University College Hull, from 1935 to 1954. He guided the college through the difficult years of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, and oversaw the transition of the university college to the status of a fully independent university, becoming the new university's first vice-chancellor (1954–1956). He had a slight and rather hunched appearance and a heavy smoking habit, even smoking through committee meetings. Nicholson was a bachelor throughout his career, on leaving the university he retired to the city of

York York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...

.Hoggart, pp. 106–107

References

Bibliography

*Bamford, T. W. (1978) ''The University of Hull: the First Fifty Years'', Published for the University of Hull by Oxford University Press. *Hoggart, R. (1994) ''A Measured Life: The Times and Places of an Orphaned Intellectual'', Transaction Publishers. 1889 births 1972 deaths Vice-chancellors of the University of Hull {{England-academic-bio-stub