Thomas Nicholls

Bank: National Provincial Bank of England

Place of work: Southampton branch

Died: 26 September 1917

Thomas Rocliffe Nicholls was born in Guisborough on 24 August 1876, the son of Thomas Henry Nicholls, a bank manager, and his wife Annie Elizabeth. He was educated at Newcastle High School in Staffordshire.

In January 1894, when Nicholls was 17 years old, he went to work for National Provincial Bank of England as an apprentice at its branch in Newcastle, Staffordshire. He was transferred to Manchester branch in August 1898 and to Torrington branch in August 1902. In October 1907 he was promoted pro accountant at Torrington. In April 1913 he became assistant accountant at the larger Southampton branch.

In 1907 Nicholls married Hilda Emma Culverhouse. They had four sons together: Thomas, born 1908; Cecil, born 1911; Richard, born 1913; and John, born 1915.

Nicholls was a territorial soldier in the Hampshire Regiment, and from June 1917 he served with his regiment in France and Flanders. He was killed in action at the Battle of Gheluvelt on 26 September 1917. He was 41 years old.