Basic Biographical Details

Name: Nicol & Nicol
Designation:  
Born: Before 1914
Died:  
Bio Notes: John Coulson Nicol was born in Aberdeen in 1848 and articled to Alexander Ellis for six years from 1867, thereafter obtaining a place as assistant in the office of George Beattie & Sons in Edinburgh, working under William Hamilton Beattie. In 1876 he emigrated to New Zealand, where he worked in Dunedin as an assistant to Robert Arthur Lawson and then to David Ross, before spending some time travelling in the United States and working in unidentified offices in San Francisco and Chicago. On his return to Britain in 1880 he entered the office of Alexander Marshall Peebles, District Surveyor of North St Marylebone in London, where he passed the District Surveyor's exam. In 1881 he became managing assistant first to Thomson Plevins of Birmingham, and then to Osborn & Reading, also of Birmingham.

Nicol commenced practice as a principal in London in 1883, although he did not pass the qualifying exam until 1886. He was admitted ARIBA on 18 August 1887, his proposers being Frank Barlow Osborn of Osborn & Reading, Andrew Baird Phipson and Julius Alfred Chatwin, all of Birmingham. In the same year he took over from Peebles as district surveyor of Marylebone. In 1887 he formed a partnership with Oliver Essex, born in Birmingham in 1855, who had been a pupil and subsequently assistant of William Henry Ward from 1874 to 1877 until 1883 when he had commenced practice on his own account.

The partnership of Essex & Nicol was joined in 1900 by John Goodman and became Essex, Nicol & Goodman. This partnership was dissolved in 1905, the partners continuing to practise separately thereafter.

Nicol's son George Salway Nicol, born 1878, had become an apprentice in the firm in 1892 and been placed in John McKean Brydon's office for experience 1900-02. At some point before he was admitted ARIBA on 2 March 1903 he had travelled in Spain, France and Italy. He won the Tite Prize in 1907 and by 1914, the partnership with Essex and Goodman having been dissolved in 1905, he was a partner in Birmingham, the firm now being Nicol & Nicol. Despite the Marleybone surveyorship the practice became predominantly based in Birmingham where it was responsible for the Birmingham Municipal Technical School, the Meat Market and Newbury & Lunt's building.

George Salway Nicol died in 1930; his father John Coulson Nicol on 14 March 1933 at Elmdon Lodge, Acocks Green. The practice was continued by T Wynne Thomas.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 1Birmingham, EnglandBusiness   

Employment and Training

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 2John Coulson Nicolc. 1914 Partner 
Item 2 of 2George Salway Nicolc. 1914 Partner 

References

Currently, there are no references for this . The information has been derived from: the British Architectural Library / RIBA Directory of British Architects 1834-1914; Post Office Directories; and/or any sources listed under this individual's works.