Robert Balfour Nicholson (1863 – 22 July 1917) was an Australian businessman, best known as general manager of Ivanhoe Gold Mine,

Kalgoorlie, Western Australia Kalgoorlie-Boulder (or just Kalgoorlie) is a city in the Goldfields–Esperance region of Western Australia, located east-northeast of Perth at the end of the Great Eastern Highway. It is referred to as Kalgoorlie–Boulder as the surrounding ...

History

Nicholson was born in

Essendon, Victoria Essendon () is an Inner suburb in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, north-west of Melbourne's Melbourne central business district, central business district, located within the City of Moonee Valley Local government areas o ...

, the second son of C. H. Nicholson, Superintendent of Police. He was educated at

Hawthorn Grammar School Hawthorn or Hawthorns may refer to: Plants * ''Crataegus'' (hawthorn), a large genus of shrubs and trees in the family Rosaceae * ''Rhaphiolepis'' (hawthorn), a genus of about 15 species of evergreen shrubs and small trees in the family Rosacea ...

under E. H. Irving, later editor of the ''

Kalgoorlie Miner ''The Kalgoorlie Miner'' (commonly known as ''The Miner'') is a daily newspaper circulating in the City of Kalgoorlie–Boulder and the Goldfields–Esperance region, in Western Australia. It is published Monday to Saturday by Hocking & Co. ...

''. In his early years he was employed in business houses and on pastoral properties. He was a prominent oarsman, being captain of the Victorian eight for some years. He left for Western Australia in 1893, managing mines at Menzies, Broad Arrow, and Paddington, where he was in charge of the Consols. In 1900 he took control of the Ivanhoe, where he was extremely popular with the mine-workers, being generally recognised as a decent and considerate employer. He was for several years vice-president of the Chamber of Mines.

Last days and death

On 9 July Nicholson was thrown out of his trap, resulting in a badly broken arm. His doctor advised against setting the limb owing to his declining health, and he died a fortnight later. The funeral procession was led by 400 miners and the hearse was not able to carry the mass of floral tributes to this popular and respected employer.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nicholson, Robert 1863 births 1917 deaths Australian mine managers 19th-century Australian businesspeople Businesspeople from Melbourne People from Essendon, Victoria Gold mining in Western Australia 20th-century Australian businesspeople