Sir John Norris Nicholson, 2nd Baronet, KBE, CIE, MA, JP (19 February 1911 – 30 August 1993) was Lord Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight from 1980 to 1985.
He was the only child of Captain George Crosfield Norris Nicholson, RFC, and Evelyn Izme née Murray, the daughter of Montolieu Oliphant-Murray, 1st Viscount Elibank. He was educated at Winchester College and Trinity College, Cambridge.
In 1938 he married Vittoria Vivien née Trewhella: they had two sons and two daughters. During World War II he served with the Cheshire Regiment. From 1942 to 1946 he was seconded to the Ministry of War Transport.
The photograph shows Sir John rounding the Fastnet in Star Ven.
Squadron Activities
The August meeting of 1980 was the last for Desmond Dillon after fourteen years as Secretary. The future of the Club was now the hands of two new incumbents: Sir John Nicholson as Commodore and Major Robin Rising as Secretary.
After struggling through the inflationary 1970s, the Squadron entered the new decade in shaky condition. The Castle was cold, spartan and unwelcoming, new Members felt they had to run a gauntlet of disapproval before being accepted, and there were few events, apart from Cowes Week and some weekend racing, to tempt them to spend time there. Thanks to the efforts of a few enterprising spirits a tentative programme of new ventures had begun - mostly dinners and cocktail parties for other nautical organisations - but the Castle was still under-used in the season and deserted in winter. The future was uncertain.
To make matters worse, in 1980 a new Commodore, a new Secretary and a new Rear Commodore Yachting all took office at the same time. Of these only the last, John Roome, knew the Squadron at all well. He would later describe the situation as 'the blind leading the blind".
This was precisely the kind of coincidence of novices that the system of tenures introduced by the Duke of Edinburgh in the 1960s had been intended to prevent. The next few years could well have been chaotic. In fact, they were unusually productive. The three newcomers brought an inflow of dynamism and creative ideas that would, in time, revive the Squadron's fortunes dramatically.
Sir John Nicholson, was a stepson of Jack Seely and a traditional patrician figure who aroused contrary opinions among the Members.
At Cambridge Nicholson had captained the University sailing team for three seasons, and he raced a South Coast One Design actively in the late 1950s, but in middle age modestly described himself as an 'undistinguished sailor who enjoyed idle cruising around Europe. By 1980, aged 69, he had retired as Chairman of The Ocean Steamship Company and Martins Bank and was serving as Lord Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight. He had been elected to the Squadron in 1949 but was little known by Members. His impatient manner gave him a daunting reputation, even among those who appreciated his other qualities, which were impressive.
He was fortunate in his two new colleagues. Both were distinguished in their professions, self-assured characters who were prepared to brave his irritation. To their surprise they found him grateful and receptive when they spoke their minds. They came to regard him with the deepest respect.
In 1985, towards the end of his term of office, Sir John Nicholson was interviewed by Ian Dear for The Royal Yacht Squadron 1815-1985. In a wide-ranging conversation he was able to look back on many successful reforms. Of these, he said, "Robin Rising was the mainspring. Yet, in discussing change, Sir John's language reveals the delicacy of his position: "In a society of this kind you're awfully careful of pushing things, but you must make sure that somehow behind the curtain you let the wind come in the right direction, so to speak.
He was acutely aware of the shifting social profile of the Squadron, and of the conflicting currents of conservatism and reform. He spoke with admiration of 'modern-minded' Commodores such as the Duke of Edinburgh, Lord Runciman and Lord Cathcart. He felt gratified by the progress he had seen in the past five years, during which ladies, young Members and active sailors had been made more welcome. 'It's not a mixed club, and the ladies don't want it to be so. One day it may become such, but it would be premature now. Whenever I consult around I am confirmed that whatever may happen in five or ten years' time it's just the right balance now ... It's a men's club into which ladies are very much welcomed. So the thing is moving in the right direction. It's no longer a museum piece. But,' he added, I'm frightfully careful of saying these things. I've pushed an awful lot in this direction but I mustn't be seen to.
Nicholson also spoke with feeling about blackballing. After the 'hash' of election by committee had been abandoned, an attempt was made to prevent the embarrassment of blackballing by means of a preliminary 'White List' of proposed candidates, first introduced in June 1983. This allowed Members to comment confidentially, giving their reasons for disapproving of a candidate, so that names could be withdrawn before the final list (the "Blue List") was published. This system was not entirely successful. Three candidates were blackballed at the 1983 Regatta Meeting, and three more in August 1985. The matter was elaborately discussed at the Spring Meeting in 1986 and new procedures were proposed and accepted in August, when no blackballs were cast.