nilis11 Posted 9 August , 2006 Share Posted 9 August , 2006 Does anyone has information on Colonel Joseph Cowie Nichols, CBE, NZEF. Any photographs of him available? What I know is that he lived well into his nineties (died 1957 or about) and has founded an estate which is still ownedby the family. Especcially interested in his wartime activities. Thanks Nilis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 9 August , 2006 Share Posted 9 August , 2006 I can only help with his C.B.E. from the London Gazette LG 4-10-1918 CENTRAL CHANCERY OF THE ORDERS OF KNIGHTHOOD. St. James's Palace, S.W., 4h October, 1918. The KING has been graciously pleased to give orders for the following promotions in and appointments to the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for services in or for the Oversea Dominions, Colonies and Protectorates, in connection with the War. The appointments to date from the 3rd June, 1918: — DOMINION OF NEW ZEALAND. To be Commanders of the said Most Excellent Order. Colonel Joseph Cowie Nichols, Officer Commanding Otago Military District. http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...;selHonourType= Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Nelson Posted 9 August , 2006 Share Posted 9 August , 2006 Hi, Some info re Joseph Cowie Nichols. He had a son who was killed in the first world war details of his son are. His sons name was also Joseph Cowie Nichols, Regimental service number was 13082, this places him in the 11th or 12th reinforecments to the NZEF. He was posted to the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, which was the 3rd brigade to the NZEF . His rank on enlisted was Riflemen (Private). He was then transfered to the 2nd Canterbury battalion. He (son) would have left New Zealand either on the 1st or April or early May 1916. He would have arrived in France in time for the Somme battle of September 1916. Prior to that, the NZ Division was at Armentiries familarising themselves with trench warfare. He was killed on the 4th of October 1916. His son did not last long, killed in his first action. His Father was J. C. Nichols of Maheno North Otago. This is the man you are referring to who died in the 1950s. Your JC Nichols did not serve overseas. He administered the Otago district during the times of war. His son was a surveyors assistant as a civilian. Thats all I have at present, will let you know if I find out more. Best regards Aaron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alliekiwi Posted 9 August , 2006 Share Posted 9 August , 2006 He was born in Tasmania. He played cricket for Otago, although it looks like he only played 2 innings. Cricket info This is a cached article about the family homestead 'Kuriheka'. The Antipodean connection started through Charles arriving in Adelaide Australia on the ship Glenelg in 1842. He flourished as a trader and accountant forming a partnership with Frederick Dalgety in Tasmania, where his first 6 children were born.The eldest being Joseph Cowie Nichols the founder of Kuriheka as it is today. When his parents moved to Dunedin New Zealand in 1869 Joseph attended Otago High School and later Christ’s College in Christchurch.During this period, Mary his mother had 3 more children. A coaching accident claimed his father in 1878 and the whole family moved to Europe. On completion of his education at Cambridge he returned to New Zealand in 1881 and bought Kuriheka estate in 1885. Kuriheka included 31,000 acres of farmland and was a busy settlement in the 19th and early 20th century. In 1890 he married Helen Hunter Ayre and together they had six children. Accidents and war took their toll leaving them with only two children, Arthur and Violet. Arthur married further expanding the family tree with five children. Todays Kuriheka has grown through seven generations of the Nichols family. Colonel JC Nichols took a keen interest in military life and during World War 1 was the Commander of the Otago Mounted Rifle Brigade and Otago Military District. He died in 1954 at his beloved Kuriheka. I'm betting there would be a photo of him at the Hocken Library, but they don't seem to have an online searchable catelogue of photographs, just of births, deaths and marriages, and shipping records etc. Allie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Nelson Posted 10 August , 2006 Share Posted 10 August , 2006 Hi, And some further additional info about Colonel Joseph Nichols. The Colonel was appointed Commander of the Otago Mounted rifles on March 17th 1911. He then became Commader of the Otago Military District on August 18th 1914. His name is listed in 1916 as Colonel J.C.Nichols vd A.D.C. Im sorry, I dont know what those letters stand for, please excuse my ignorance. !!! Further info on the son, he died of wounds on the 4th Octoer 1916, not killed in action. Hope all that proves helpful. regards Aaron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alliekiwi Posted 10 August , 2006 Share Posted 10 August , 2006 They're letters you can put after your name. Not quite up there with 'O.B.E' or 'VC', however. VD = Volunteer Officer's Decoration (although there seem to have been several different ones: Recipient of the Volunteer Officers' Decoration. Recipient of the Indian Volunteer Forces Officers' Decoration. Recipient of the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration. Recipient of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Officers' Decoration (1902-1948).) A.D.C = Aide-de-camp (honestly, Aaron, don't you speak French? The state of the education system today... ) I think the VD comes before the A.D.C after your name because it's a higher decoration, whereas the A.D.C is an appointment to the monarch (it comes after 'privy counsellor'). Allie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Nelson Posted 10 August , 2006 Share Posted 10 August , 2006 Hi, And some more info It appears Colonel Joseph Nichols lost two sons in the first world war, according to CWGC. The other son was lieutenant C.R Nichols who served with the 3rd Battalion East Surrey Regiment. He was killed on the 23rd of September 1918, approx 6 weeks prior to the war ending. He also served with the 5th Trench Mortar Battery. Yet another family to lose more than one son/brother........ I think thats all the info I can dig up. Best regards Aaron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alliekiwi Posted 10 August , 2006 Share Posted 10 August , 2006 Ahhh, the other son was in the British Army. No wonder he's not showing up on the Auckland Museum cenotaph. Allie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alliekiwi Posted 10 August , 2006 Share Posted 10 August , 2006 According to the New Zealand Herald Joseph attended Cambridge University and, after returning to New Zealand via Egypt and India, went to Australia to learn farming. Wonder what he did in India? His middle name, Cowie, was his mother's maiden name - Mary Cowie. This is as good as I can do for a photo - sorry about how tiny it is. It's from the now-defunct site for the Kuriheka Homestead. I found it cached on google. Allie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christine liava'a Posted 10 August , 2006 Share Posted 10 August , 2006 Surname NICHOLS Given Name Arthur Cowie Category First Reserves Last NZ Address Fairplace Riversdale Occupation Manager Recruiting District Southland Surname NICHOLS Given Name Arthur Cowie Category Nominal Roll Vol. 3 Regimental Number 49305 Rank Corporal Next of Kin Title J C Next of Kin Surname NICHOLS Next of Kin Relationship Father Next of Kin Address Kareheka Maheno Roll 75 Page 49 Occupation Cadet Surname NICHOLS Given Name Joseph Cowie Category Nominal Roll Vol. 2 Regimental Number 13082 Rank Rifleman Next of Kin Title J C Next of Kin Surname NICHOLS Next of Kin Relationship Father Next of Kin Address Maheno North Otago Roll 31 Page 24 Occupation Surveyors Assist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christine liava'a Posted 10 August , 2006 Share Posted 10 August , 2006 Arthur Cowie Nichols attended Christ's College, Christchurch.no 514, also Arthur Cowie Nichols no 576- probably his son He married Phyllis Mary Hargreaves in 1920 and died in 1971, as a sheepfarmer of Kuriheka. His will is at Archives NZ, Dunedin Joseph Cowie Nichols also attended Christ's College, no 127 Also Joseph Cowie Nichols no 301= Colonel Nichols Joseph Cowie Nichols married Helen Hunter Ayre 1890 Joseph Cowie Nichols, a surveyor's apprentice died at Rouen in WW1. His will is held at Archives NZ Wellington Joseph Cowie Nichols, a sheep farmer , born in Tasmania, aged 95 yrs , in the province 76 yrs, died at his own residence, Kuriheka, Maheno, in July 1954. He was cremated at Anderson's Bay Cemetery, Dunedin on the 27th July, and his ashes were scattered or taken to Maheno. His will is at Dunedin Archives NZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alliekiwi Posted 10 August , 2006 Share Posted 10 August , 2006 He lost a brother in WW1 as well. Found a biography of his father, Charles, on a cemetery website here, which elaborates on the bit I quoted earlier. Joseph took a keen interest in military life. In the old volunteers he rose to the rank of Colonel and to the command of the Otago Mounted Rifles Brigade, whose badge incorporates the coats of arms of the Nichols and Cowie families. During the First World War, in which he lost two sons and a brother, he commanded the Otago Military District. Interesting about the badge design! There's also a short biography of Joseph's brother Arthur. Allie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nilis11 Posted 10 August , 2006 Author Share Posted 10 August , 2006 Interesting about the badge design![/code] found the badge thanks for the help sofar.. nilis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kuriheka Posted 1 April , 2010 Share Posted 1 April , 2010 found the badge thanks for the help sofar.. nilis you were looking for information on Col Joseph cowie nichols Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest grug Posted 4 July , 2014 Share Posted 4 July , 2014 joseph cowie nichols was my great great grandfather and I have lots of information about him. the best person to talk to is my father who has read all his diaries, he wrote a diary every day from age 16 to 96. it may take a bit of time to get information but i will help in any way i can Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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