The Nicholas Family
Landmarks serve as a symbol of the Nicholas family’s legacy.
The Nicholas family name lives on today in the Nicholas Pavilion at Melbourne Showgrounds and other prominent landmarks across Melbourne.
Owner of a prize-winning Jersey herd, Melbourne industrialist Alfred Nicholas provided £8,000 in 1933 for a building where all Jersey cattle exhibited at Melbourne Royal Show could be accommodated under one roof. He also donated funds for a special judging ring for Jersey cattle, complete with fencing and three-tiered seating. Alfred was later made a life governor of The Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria.
The Nicholas Pavilion was enjoyed by the 224,479 people who walked through the gates of the Centenary Royal Show in 1934. All previous entry records were broken and the show was praised as the best ever conducted by the society. Today, we still continue with the Alfred Nicholas Memorial Award to the Best in Show Jersey cow at the Melbourne Royal Show. Alfred died on 26 February, 1937.
Family member L.G.C (Lindsay) Nicholas joined the Society in 1957 and was made a life councillor in 1977. His contribution to trotting in Victoria as an RASV representative on the old Trotting Control Board, and later the Harness Racing Victoria body, did much to give the sport more respectability in the eyes of the public. Mr Nicholas died on 19 March, 1997.
Caption: Alfred Nicholas and his family. Credit: nicholashealth.com.au