Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Early Life

Jonathan Kingsley Nicholls (registered as Jonathon Kingsley) was born in 1892 at Wilmington, South Australia, the son of Jonathon Jobe Nicholls and Celia Phillips Hodge (SA Birth Registration 496/412). Jonathan’s father was a Methodist Minister.

Schooling

Jonathan attended school at Unley where he passed his Primary Examinations in 1906. He then attended Prince Alfred College where he passed his Junior Examinations in 1908. He also passed Public Examinations in History and Art Examinations in First Grade Plain Geometry in 1908. Jonathan played B Grade district cricket for PAC in the 1907/08 and 1908/09 seasons.

In 1909, wanting to pursue a teaching career, Jonathan moved to Adelaide High School as a pupil teacher. He played for the school in the Past versus Present Football marches in 1909 and 1910 and the Cricket March in March 1910. He passed his Senior Examinations in 1909. From the 1st of January 1910, Jonathan received a Public Teacher promotion from Second Grade to Third Grade at the High School and he passed Intermediate Perspective in the School of Arts exams in June 1910. While at AHS Jonathan spent two years in the Cadets.

Adelaide University

In 1912, while attending the University (Teacher) Training College, Jonathan commenced studying at Adelaide University, passing subjects toward his B.A. in 1912, 1913 and 1914. He also passed First Grade Free Hand in the School of Arts Exams in 1913. The SA State Records Office holds Student Teacher Agreements for Jonathan for 1913 and 1914. His residence was at Norwood in 1913 and Walkerville in 1914.

University Sport

Jonathan played A grade cricket for the University in the 1914/15 and 1915-16 (unofficial competition) seasons. He was a pace bowler and lower order batsman.

Early Career

In February 1915, Jonathan was appointed as an Assistant Teacher at Petersburg (later to be renamed Peterborough) and in September 1915, he was appointed Assistant in Charge (Strathalbyn DH). It is unclear whether Jonathan took up the position at Strathalbyn as he appears on the Peterborough School Honour Roll, which suggests he may have been at the school until Dec 1915.

World War I

On the 6th of January 1916, Jonathan enlisted in the 11th Field Ambulance. He was 23 years and 11 months old, 5’ 8¾“, 146 lbs, with a fresh complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. He embarked from Adelaide on the 31st of March 1916, before heading to Southampton. On 24th of November 1916, he proceeded to France and on 30th of May 1917, he was appointed a Lance Corporal. Jonathan was ill in hospital on a number of occasions. On the 26th of May 1918, Jonathan was gassed, however he was well enough to return to duty and then had a period as Acting Sergeant.

Jonathan left England on 10th of April 1919, onboard the HMAT A7 Medic, arriving in Adelaide on the 26th of May 1919. He was discharged on the 24th of July 1919.

Post War Life

Jonathan returned to teaching after the War and in December 1920 he was appointed Temporary Senior Master at Kadina High School.

In 1921 Jonathan married Mary Millicent Revell (sometimes referred to as Millicent Mary) and on the 8th of April 1922, their daughter, Winifred Mary, was born at Nurse Walsh’s Private Hospital, Rose Park, SA.

Jonathan resumed his studies at Adelaide University in 1920, passing subjects toward his Bachelor of Arts. He was awarded his BA on the 2nd of June 1924.

By June 1924, Jonathan was a Senior Master at Kadina, a position he held until December 1935.

His other pastimes at Kadina, included tennis, golf (winning the B Grade competition in 1926) and the RSL. He was a Vice-President of the newly formed Soccer Club (1926) and a Lawn Bowler (1926 onward). Jonathan was also the Sports Master at Kadina High School, President of the Old Scholars Association and a part-time instructor in geometrical drawing at the Kadina Technical School. He played Bridge and was a member of the Kadina Ramblers Cricket team in the YP Association. Jonathan assisted in setting up the N.Y.P. Boy Scouts Association. In September 1928 Jonathan attended a RSL reunion at Gladstone. In 1929 the family spent the summer holidays at Port Elliot.

When Jonathan was transferred from Kadina at the end of 1935, he was made an Honorary Member of the Old Scholars Association in appreciation of his work for that organisation. In December 1935, Jonathan was appointed Senior Master at the Woodville High School, a position he held until December 1938. He played Pennant Bowls while in the city and in 1937, he competed in the State Fours and Singles Bowling Championships.

On the 11th of November 1938 he laid one of the wreaths at the Woodville Armistice Day commemorations.

In December 1938, Jonathan was promoted to the position of Head Master at Peterborough where he continued to play both golf and bowls. In April 1940, Jonathan returned to Kadina High School, this time as Head Master.
In April 1941 Jonathan competed in the A.I.F Golf Day at Kooyonga.

He was involved in the digging of Air Raid trenches at Kadina in Match 1942. Both Jonathan and Millicent were heavily involved in the local church at Kadina.

In December 1943, Jonathan was appointed to be Head Master at Port Lincoln. By July 1944 Jonathon was a member of the Port Lincoln Institute (Town Hall) committee, a role he had filled at both Kadina and Woodville. While Jonathan and Millicent’s daughter Winifred Mary (Mary) had accompanied them to Port Lincoln in January 1944, she then moved to the city and commenced training as a Nurse at the Wakefield Street Private Hospital.

In November 1944 Jonathon was appointed Head Master of the Gawler High School. He was at the school in August 1945 when news was received regarding the end of WWII. His address to the School was printed in the local ‘Bunyip’ paper (see document).

In November 1947, Jonathan and Millicent’s daughter, Mary, married Peter Heywood Bright, at Gartrell Methodist Church. Peter had been a Lieutenant in the B Coy, 2/33 Battalion, 2nd AIF in WWII. Mary and Peter spent four years overseas, returning to Australian in October 1954.

Jonathan continued to play Bowls and by August 1947, he was President of the Gawler Bowling Club. In February 1952, Jonathan won a singles championship at Port Elliott.

In his report on the school in December 1954, Jonathan was expecting a record attendance at Gawler High School in 1955. At the end of first Term in 1955, Jonathan finished at the Gawler High School. He was 63 years of age and may have retired at this stage.

Peter and Mary Bright moved to Canberra to enable Peter to peruse a career in the Public Service. By 1961 Jonathan had retired and he and Millicent were living at 9 Elouera Flats, Braddon, Canberra, ACT.

Death

Jonathan passed away on the 3rd of August 1967 aged 75 years. Millicent passed away on the 21st of May 1970, aged 83.

Author EE (Beth) Filmer

For the complete profile including photographs, newspaper articles, documents and sources prepared for the AUFC/AUCC WWI Memorial Project (in the period 2015-2019) please see the document attached.