John Nicholson, The VE-Day Lord Mayor of Hull

On May 8th 1945, in Queens’ Gardens, the Lord Mayor of Hull made a speech celebrating the end of WWII hostilities in Europe. This day is now marked annually as 'Victory in Europe Day' or 'V.E. Day'. The Lord Mayor on this occasion was Alderman John Nicholson; but just who was Nicholson, and what do we know about him?

Councillor J.D.L. Nicholson makes the official V.E. Day announcement in Queen's Gardens [L 9.7085]

John Dewick Lambert Nicholson, often known as Jack, was born in February 1891 at Constable Street in Hull. He went to Chiltern Street School and won a scholarship to the Boulevard Higher Grade School. He followed in the family tradition by becoming a sea-going engineer. He served a five year apprenticeship, first with the Red Cross fleet of the Hull Steam Fishing and Ice Co., and later with the Central Dry Dock Co.
 
By the age of 11, he had become the smallest and youngest trumpeter with the Garrison Artillery Volunteers at Park Street Barracks and on the formation of the Territorial Force in Hull he became a gunner and figured in prizewinning companies.

By 1911 he had started his sea-going service and had sailed extensively around the world before 1914.  On the outbreak of World War I, he travelled 6,200 miles from Buenos Aires to join the Royal Field Artillery.  For over three years he was on the Western Front, serving continuously in the front line until May 1918, when he was seriously wounded and gassed at Mericourt L’Abbs, near Amiens.

After being discharged from the forces, with the rank of staff sergeant artificer, Nicholson worked for varying periods with a Stoneferry oil concern and with various Hull engineering firms. After the war, he became heavily involved in Labour Movement politics. He played a prominent part in trade union affairs, being a member of the Amalgamated Engineering Union for many years and holding various offices. He was secretary of the Hull Trades Council and was an editor and manager of the Hull Sentinel.

His association with the Labour Party dates back to 1915 and among his various roles were divisional chairman, minute secretary and executive committee member. It was not until 1925-1926 that he sought election to Hull City Council; although his first bid was unsuccessful, he lost by only 84 votes to the then sitting Lord Mayor, Frank Finn. The following year, however, Nicholson was successful and went on to sit on the City Council for the next 34 years. He became an alderman in May 1949 and was chairman of the Corporation Water Committee and the Welfare Services Committee.

He held the office of Lord Mayor in the last years of WWII. In his V.E. Day speech, he told the gathered crowds to dance and be happy. He was also careful to remember those who had lost their lives during the conflict, and to point out that hostilities were still ongoing in the Far East.

Nicholson served the community and city in many other capacities: He was a governor of Hymers College; a member of the governing body of the Gault and Harris (Estate) Charity; a representative trustee of the Eleanor Scott Charity; a member of the Yorkshire Council for the Old People’s Welfare and of the General Council of the North Regional Association for the Blind, and a representative on the Yorkshire District Council of the National Joint Industrial Council for the waterworks undertakings industry.

Nicholson died on the 19th Nov 1962 and was survived by a wife and son.

We are currently undertaking work on the papers of this interesting man, so watch out for further news.

Paul Leaver, archivist/librarian