NICOL, John. b. Tain, Rossshire 1846; with Strahan & Co.; manager for Isbister & Co. London, and exercising a literary supervision over their publications; sub-editor of Contemporary Review; while staying at Shandon homœopathic establishment found drowned in the Gaerloch, Clyde river 11 Feb. 1891.
NICOL, William (eld. son of James Nicol, collector of customs, Banff, Scotland). b. 1790; educ. Aberdeen; served in medical service of H.E.I.C. 1810–16; a merchant at Bombay 1816; contested Youghal 8 Aug. 1837; M.P. Dover 1859–65. d. 10 Ashley place, Victoria st. Westminster 28 July 1879.
NICOLAS, John Toup (eld. child of John Harris Nicolas 1758–1844, lieutenant in the navy). b. Withen, near Helston, Cornwall 22 Feb. 1788; entered navy 1799; commander of the Pilot, brig in the Mediterranean 1810–16, where he captured or destroyed many of the enemy’s vessels; captain 26 Aug. 1815; C.B. 4 June 1815; commanded the Egeria, frigate on the Newfoundland station 1820–2, the Hercules, 74 guns on the Lisbon station 1837–9, the Belle-Isle in the Channel and Mediterranean 1839–41, and the Vindictive on the East India station 1841–4; R.A. 30 Dec. 1850; superintendent of victualling yard Plymouth 1 Sept. 1847 to 5 Feb. 1850; received cross of St. Ferdinand and Merit from King of Naples Oct. 1815, knight commander of the order April 1816; K.H. 1 Jany. 1834; author of An inquiry into the causes which have led to our late naval disasters 1814; A letter to rear admiral Du Petit Thouars on the late events at Otaheite, Papeete 1843. d. Plymouth 1 April 1851. bur. St. Martin’s ch. by Looe 4 April. James’s Naval history v 257–8, 341–2 (1859); Marshall’s Royal naval biog. viii 53; G.M. xxxv 665–6 (1851).
Note.—His son Granville Toup Nicolas b. 15 Aug. 1832, entered the navy 1848, commanded the gunboat Insolent on the China station during the Tae-ping insurrection, retired as captain 15 April 1882. d. Edinburgh 21 April 1894.
NICOLL, Donald. b. 25 April 1820; cloth manufacturer and a tailor at 114 Regent st. London with his brother Henry John Nicoll 1843–69, also at 22 Cornhill 1846–69, and at Liverpool and Manchester; wholesale clothier 1869–74; parliamentary agent 1876–85; civil engineer 1885 to death; sheriff of London and Middlesex 1849–50; contested Frome 24 Oct. 1854; M.P. Frome 1857–59; contested Frome 3 May 1859; capt. 29 North Middlesex volunteers 1864; the pioneer of underground telegraphy 1866; took out English and foreign patents for electric and telegraphic conductors, awarded medals at Great Exhibition 1851, Moscow exhibition 1872, and Vienna exhibition 1873; chairman of Poor law amendment society; president of Engineering and sanitary association; A.I C.E. 2 Dec. 1844; author of Election, a dramatic piece in two acts 1880; Publicity, an essay on advertising 1878; Health and appliances 1885; Man’s revenge: personal reminiscences with quotations from causes célèbre 1890, with portrait; resided at 14 Buckland crescent, Fitzjohn’s avenue, London. d. Folkestone 6 Sept. 1891. bur. Kensal Green cemet. 9 Sept. I.L.N. xxx 478 (1857) portrait; City Press 9 Sept. 1891 p. 5; Min. of proc. of Instit. of C.E. cviii 411–2 (1892).
NICOLL, William. b. Little Tullybeltane 1817; in a situation at Glasgow on £40 a year; a poet, his fugitive pieces are printed in Drummond’s Perthshire. d. Edinburgh 1855. bur. North Leith churchyard. P. R. Drummond’s Perthshire (1879) 333–83.
Note.—His brother Robert Nicoll b. Little Tullybeltane 7 Jany. 1814 d. 1837, was also a well known poet.
NICOLLS, Sir Edward (son of Jonathan Nicolls, surveyor of excise, Coleraine). b. Coleraine 1779; 2 lieut. R.M. 24 March 1795, with 13 volunteers captured a French armed cutter off St. Domingo 1803; at the passage of the Dardenelles 1807; at reduction of Anholt 1809; at attack on Fort Bowyer 1814; awarded a pension of £250 a year 28 Dec. 1815; major 8 May 1828, placed on h.p. 1829; major retired on full pay 15 May 1835 to death; governor of island of Ascension; commander of island of Fernando Po; awarded good service pension of £150 a year 30 June 1842; general 28 Nov. 1854; K.C.B. 5 July 1855. d. 3 Woodland’s terrace, Shooter’s hill road, Blackheath, Kent 5 Feb. 1865. G.M. xviii 644 (1865).
Note.—During his services abroad he had his left leg broken and right leg severely wounded, was shot through the body and right arm, received a severe sabre cut in the head, was bayoneted in the chest, and lost an eye in his 107th action, having received altogether 24 wounds.
NICOLLS, Gustavus. b. 1780 or 1781; 2 lieut. R.E. 4 Jany. 1795, colonel 29 July 1825; colonel commandant 28 Jany. 1851 to death; general 20 June 1854. d. at his residence, near Southampton 1 Aug. 1860.