Stop C2: The Nicholas Family
Click on the above to listen to audio of the Nicholas family
Pharmacists and philanthropists
The founders of the Aspro company, Alfred and George Nicholas were generous benefactors to a range of causes in Melbourne. In 1920 a £15,000 donation from the Nicholas brothers helped the Church construct the Princess Mary Club for the Wesley Mission. A further bequest in 1938 led to the construction of Nicholas Hall.
Brothers, entrepreneurs and benefactors
The Nicholas family were generous benefactors to many organisations in Melbourne during the twentieth century. The brothers Alfred and George Nicholas had established themselves in the immediate post-World War One period with their pharmaceuticals firm.
Pharmacist George Nicholas, with partner Henry Woolf Shmith had successfully applied for the patent for ‘aspirin’ during the war; when German patents were suspended and granted to local manufacturers. He subsequently registered the trademark ‘Aspro’ in 1917, and businessman and brother Alfred joined the fledgling business.
Although the enterprise initially struggled, by the mid-1920s, it was a financial success. A new factory was built in South Melbourne, and the Nicholas Building in Swanston Street was constructed in 1926.
Aside from their business enterprises, the brothers also became known for their philanthropy in this period. They had a particular interest in education and the welfare of young people and contributed to Wesley College, Methodist Ladies’ College and the Lord Somers Camp, as well as to local hospitals and charities.
Continuing the family tradition
The brothers had a long-standing philanthropic association with the Wesley Church on Lonsdale Street. They donated a substantial amount of money to the building fund for the construction of the Princess Mary Club in 1927. Members of the Nicholas family had a formal role in the opening ceremony of the Princess Mary Club. The daughter of George Nicholas, Miss Shirley Nicholas, officially opened the door of the hostel with a gold key.
Commemorating the family’s £15,000 contribution to the building fund, a mosaic was salvaged and kindly donated by Sophie Paterson, the great granddaughter of Alfred Nicholas.
Image References
- Schoolgirls in front of the PMC and the Nicholas family plaque,1954 Source: Wesley City Mission Annual Report, 1954
- Miss S Nicholas inserting the gold key in the door to officially open the Princess Mary Club. Source: The Spectator, Central Mission Gazette, 24 November 1926
