Place Names Register Extract
Nichols Street
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View in NT Atlas | Print Extract | Search Again| Name | Nichols |
|---|---|
| Type Designation | Street |
| Place Id | 24549 |
| Place Type | Road |
| Status | Registered |
| Date Registered | 23 January 2014 |
| Locality / Suburb | |
| Durack | |
| Local Government Area | |
| Palmerston City Council | |
| History/Origin | Named after Thomas Spurgeon (Spurge) Nichols, who was born on 18 December 1915 in Stawell, Victoria and was only 14 years old when he arrived in Darwin with his family in 1930. In his younger days he travelled and worked at many jobs across the Northern Territory, including truck driving for many years. With the outbreak of war, Spurge joined the Army on 24 June 1940 in Darwin. He was with many other diggers who marched the Kokada Trail in New Guinea. He was a Lance Sergeant, DX600 with the 2/14 Field Company when he was discharged on 9 October 1945. Spurge married Sheila Eileen Leevers on 23 February 1952 in St Mary's Star of the Sea Church (now Cathedral). Sheila and Spurge then had one son Thomas Wesley, named after his grandfather. In the early days of their marriage Sheila did all of the things involved with the Church and the school committee, as she said, 'he was too busy doing things for everybody else'. Spurge was like his father; he was a very generous man who was always helping people. Having learned to be a mechanic during the war, Spurge took up that profession when he returned to Darwin and commenced work with the then Commonwealth Government. One of his earlier jobs was driving the school bus. He then became a bus inspector, was involved with road transport and remained with Transport and Works. Like his father, Spurge too was a supporter of Australia Rules Football and was a strong supporter of the Buffaloes Darwin Football Club. He was a member of the club and worked for them for years. When Spurge became ill the family became involved with Frontier Services. At the time of his death on 20 June 2003, he had been married to Sheila for 50 years and had lived in Darwin for 73 years. Spurge died at his home at Fannie Bay and was the only surviving son of John Nichols, founder of the prestigious NTFL Nichols Best and Fairest Medal, after whom a road is named in Alice Springs. |
Register & Gazettal information
| Date | Gazettal | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 23/01/2014 | Date added to the Register | |
| 05/02/2014 | NTG G5 |