Early life

Harold Sprent Nicholas (1877–1953) was an Australian judge, journalist and politician. He was born in

Hobart Hobart ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, it is the southernmost capital city in Australia. Despite containing nearly hal ...

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

in 1877 to William and Alice (née Sprent) Nicholas, daughter of James Sprent. Harold spent his childhood in

Bothwell Bothwell () is a Protected area, conservation village in the South Lanarkshire council area of Scotland and part of the Greater Glasgow area. It lies on the north bank of the River Clyde, adjacent to Uddingston and Hamilton, Scotland, Hamilton, ...

at the family property ''Nant'', and was educated at

The Hutchins School The Hutchins School is an Anglican, day and boarding school for boys from pre-kindergarten to Year 12 in Hobart, Tasmania. Established in 1846, Hutchins is one of the oldest continually operating schools in Australia. Hutchins is a founding-m ...

, before earning his degree at

Corpus Christi College, Oxford Corpus Christi College (formally, Corpus Christi College in the University of Oxford; informally abbreviated as Corpus or CCC) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1517 by Richard Fo ...

Legal career

Nicholas was admitted to the bar of the

Inner Temple The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional association for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practice as a barrister in England and Wa ...

in 1901 and returned to Australia in the same year, where he became a successful journalist writing for the

Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily tabloid newspaper published in Sydney, Australia, and owned by Nine Entertainment. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper in ...

and

Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was foun ...

. From 1929-34 he was founding editor of the

Australian Quarterly ''Australian Quarterly'' is Australia's longest running political science journal, established in 1929. Its original focus on science policy quickly broadened to encompass a wide range of political, economic, and social issues. From 1929 to mid-1 ...

. He was counsel advising the Royal Commission on the Constitution (1927–1929) and in December 1932 became a member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales as a member of the

United Australia Party The United Australia Party (UAP) was an Australian political party that was founded in 1931 and dissolved in 1945. The party won four Elections in Australia, federal elections in that time, usually governing Coalition (Australia), in coalition ...

, remaining a member until 1934. In 1933-1935 he was the commissioner in a New South Wales Royal Commission into the creation of new states, of which no results came. He was appointed to the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 1935, and become Chief Judge in Equity in 1939, remaining so until 1948.

Later life

Nicholas was Australian representative to the fourth meeting of

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

in 1949. He died of coronary vascular disease on 11 June 1953. His ashes are interred in Bothwell with his parents and first wife. The altar at St Michael and All Angels Church in Bothwell commemorates him.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nicholas, Harold Sprent 1877 births 1953 deaths United Australia Party members of the Parliament of New South Wales Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council Alumni of Corpus Christi College, Oxford Members of the Inner Temple Australian barristers Australian journalists Judges of the Supreme Court of New South Wales People educated at The Hutchins School