Nicolay, Charles Grenfell

Title

Revd

First name(s)

Charles Grenfell

Surname

Nicolay

Position(s) held at King's College London

• Librarian, 1843-1858;
• Lecturer of Geography, 1854-1858;
• Chaplain of King's College Hospital, 1847-1849.

Education & professional details

School, college and/or university attended ^Ref: *2

Self-educated

Position(s) held (non King's College London) ^Ref: *1

• Chaplin in Bahia, Brazil (1857 - 1870);
• Chaplin in Geraldton, Western Australia (1874);
• Editor Western Australian Times;
• Curate in Perth gaol and Chaplin at the Freemantle convict Establishment, Australia;
• Founder of Western Australia's 1st public museum (1889-1890).

Professional activities ^Ref: *2

Deacon Tresco, Scilly Isles (1841); Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society ( - 1866); He claimed to have founded (with F. D. Maurice) Queen's College, London in 1848 where he served as Dean, Deputy-Chairman of the Committee of Education and lectured on History and Geography until 1856.

Publications ^{Refs: *2 *3 *4}

A series of papers and maps for the Royal Geographical Society, London (1853-1858); "The Principles of Physical Geography" for Eton College; a book on "The Oregon Territory" (1886-1887); series of editorials for the Inquirer; "Handbook of Western Australia" published in 1880.

Personal details

Date of birth ^Ref: *1

3rd August 1815

Place of birth ^Ref: *1

Cadogan Place, Chelsea

Date of death ^Ref: *1

9th May 1897

Place of death ^Ref: *1

Freemantle, Australia

Obituary ^Ref: *1

“Nicolay was talented but suffered through his lack of a university degree. He was a humanist with broad interests in science. Unhappily his quick temper upset many people, resulting in conflicts which seriously influenced his career." Rev C. G, Nicolay - a bibliography by Playford and Pridmore, file PR5382, State Library of Western Australia.

Family details ^Ref: *1

7th June 1841 married Mary Ann Raven and they had eight children

Notes ^Ref: *2

Clergyman and writer possibly founder of Western Australia's first public museum 1815-1897. Nicolay was well known for using the expression " Don't you see the connection!" . Nicolay's aunt was an aunt of Florence Nightingale. He was tactless and had an inferiority complex throughout his life. At Queen's College he was very unpopular with many of the staff and resigned in December 1856.