Charles Nicholson

Obituary

AUSTRALIAN EXPLORER DEATH OF Eureka VETERAN

The "Otago Witness" Dunedin, N.Z., records the death recently, at the great age of 91. of a fine old Highlander, Charles Nicholson (known as Sgiathanach), who in his time proved himself a representative British Colonist, and whose life was full of moving incidents; of dangers and difficulties passed and overcome. He was born in Skye in 1828. On his mother's side he was closely connected with the family of Flora MacDonald doing to Edinburgh University in his teens as a medical student, he, unfortunately, took a leading part in a town and gown riot, in which, the doors of the town hall were smashed and burnt. The ringleaders fled from the town, and Nicholson passed on to Guy's. Hospital, whence, after further wild pranks, he drifted to Ceylon.

The discovery of gold in Australia was a trumpet call to all roving spirits like Nicholson, and he made his way to Victoria, where he followed many of the most notable rashes in the fifties of last century. When the Ballarat diggers rose in rebellion,"Nicholson," the stormy petrel, was once more in the forefront, and he was in the Eureka Stockade when rushed and captured by the soldiers. As editor of the "Diggers' Newspaper" at Ballarat, he was prosecuted by the authorities, but the charge failed. Nicholson then joined the mounted police of Victoria, a magnificent body of men, and was in charge of some very large escorts bearing gold from the diggings to Melbourne. In this capacity he had some thrilling experiences with bush rangers in one instance his escort was attacked by a well-Known outlaw, nicknamed '"The Jewboy and the leader; and Nicholson -exchanged shots at short range. "Jewboy"' was driven off but Nicholson carried the robber's bullet in his leg to the grave latter. By special appointment, he was in charge of a squad of backtrackers searching for bushrangers and they succeeded in capturing the notorious "Jewboy". ...

Further Reading

Corfield, J.,Wickham, D., & Gervasoni, C. The Eureka Encyclopaedia, Ballarat Heritage Services, 2004.

External links

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