Nicholl, Charles – Grantham head was Welsh international

Charles Nicholl (1870-1939)

HEADTEACHER at the King’s School, Charles “Boomer” Bowen Nicholl was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cambridge University and Llanelli.

Nicholl played for Wales on 15occasions during the 1891 and 1896 Home Nations Championships, and was part of the historic 1893 Triple Crown winning team.

Nicholl was recognised as an ‘uncompromising]forward and was described as “The most distinguished member of the least distinguished college … fond of smoking and a connoisseur of exhilarating beverages, in which strength rather than delicacy of bouquet is a predominant feature”.

He was born in Llanegwad, Carmarthenshire in 1870 and educated at Llandovery College before graduating to Queens’ College, Cambridge in 1890.. He was awarded his BA in 1893, but did not complete his MA until 1906.

While at Cambridge he won five sporting Blues, four in rugby between 1890 and 1893, and one in athletics in 1893. After leaving university Nicholl became Assistant Master at Blair Lodge School for two years before spending four year at Aravon School in Bray.

In 1902 Nicholl was ordained a deacon at Lincoln Cathedral and the following year took his orders as a priest. From 1902 through to 1908 he was the Curate of Grantham, and in 1902 was also the Assistant Master at The King’s School, Grantham, a post he held until 1910. From 1908 to 1910 he became the Rector of Wyville.

In 1910 he took on the position of Headmaster of The King’s School, Grantham during which period, until 1917 he took no further religious posts.

On leaving Grantham he took the post as Rector of Clayhidon, a position he held until his death in 1939.

While still at Cambridge, and before his international career began, Nicholl became one of the founding members of the Barbarians. And although Nicholl did not play in the first ever Barbarian game, he represented the team during the first tour and served as a committee man for the club.

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