Harold Sprent Nicholas
{{Short description|Australian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox judge
| honorific-prefix = the Honourable Chief Justice
| name = Harold Sprent Nicholas
| honorific-suffix = MLC
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| office1 = Chief Judge in Equity of the Supreme Court of New South Wales
| term_start1 = 1939
| term_end1 = 1948
| office2 = Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales
| term_start2 = 1935
| term_end2 = 1948
| office3 = Legislative Council of New South Wales
| term_start3 = 1932
| term_end3 = 1935
| birth_date = 8 January 1877
| death_date = 11 June 1953
| nationality = Australian
| party = United Australia Party
| alma_mater = Corpus Christi College, Oxford
| profession = Politician, judge, lawyer, journalist
}}
Early life
Harold Sprent Nicholas (1877–1953) was an Australian judge, journalist and politician. He was born in Hobart, Tasmania in 1877 to William and Alice (née Sprent) Nicholas, daughter of James Sprent. Harold spent his childhood in Bothwell at the family property Nant, and was educated at The Hutchins School, before earning his degree at Corpus Christi College, Oxford.{{Australian Dictionary of Biography |last1=Ward |first1=John |title=Nicholas, Harold Sprent (1877–1953) |id2=nicholas-harold-sprent-7838 |volume= 11 |year=1988 |accessdate=1 February 2015}}
Legal career
Nicholas was admitted to the bar of the Inner Temple in 1901 and returned to Australia in the same year, where he became a successful journalist writing for the Sydney Morning Herald and Daily Telegraph. From 1929-34 he was founding editor of the Australian Quarterly.
He was counsel advising the Royal Commission on the Constitution (1927–1929) and in December 1932 became a member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales as a member of the United Australia Party, remaining a member until 1934.{{Cite NSW Parliament |id=1307 |name=Mr Harold Sprent Nicholas (1877-1953) |former=Yes |access-date=1 July 2020}} In 1933-1935 he was the commissioner in a New South Wales Royal Commission into the creation of new states, of which no results came.{{cite web |title=Royal Commission of Inquiry Respecting Areas in the State of New South Wales Suitable for Self-government as States in the Commonwealth of Australia |url=https://records-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/1e5kcq1/ORGANISATIONS1004656 |website=search.records.nsw.gov.au |accessdate=1 July 2020}} He was appointed to the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 1935, and become Chief Judge in Equity in 1939, remaining so until 1948.
Later life
Nicholas was Australian representative to the fourth meeting of UNESCO in 1949.
He died of coronary vascular disease on 11 June 1953.{{cite web|title=Hon. Mr Justice Harold Sprent Nicholas (MA (Oxon) |url=https://search.records.nsw.gov.au/permalink/f/1ebnd1l/ORGANISATIONS1006537 |website=search.records.nsw.gov.au |publisher=NSW Government State Records Department |accessdate=1 July 2020}} His ashes are interred in Bothwell with his parents and first wife. The altar at St Michael and All Angels Church in Bothwell commemorates him.{{cite web |title=Nicholas, Harold Sprent |url=http://www.gravesoftas.com.au/municipalities/Bothwell/Images/Bothwell%20Municipal%20General%20Cemetery/4/Nicholas%20Harold%20Sprent%20A9%2012%2016.jpg |website=Gravesites of Tasmania |access-date=29 January 2022}}{{cite web |title=Harold Sprent Nicholas |url=https://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/people/legal/display/101454-harold-sprent-nicholas |website=Monument Australia |access-date=29 January 2022}}
References
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Category:United Australia Party members of the Parliament of New South Wales
Category:Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council
Category:Alumni of Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Category:Members of the Inner Temple
Category:Australian barristers
Category:Australian journalists