John Nicholl played twice for Glamorganshire during the 1860s and also helped to promote cricket by organizing matches which took place in the grounds of his family’s home, Merthyr Mawr House which had been built between 1806 and 1809.
His father John Nicholl (senior) was the MP for Cardiff and, given his social standing, John (junior) attended Eton and Christ Church, Oxford. However, unlike his father who graduated with a First in Classics from Oxford, John (junior) left Christ Church without taking a degree. He then served in the Rifle Brigade in Corfu and South Africa, where he served in the Kaffir War between 1846 and 1847.
He returned to live in South Wales, and together with his brother Edward, he played cricket for Bridgend CC as well as the Merthyr Mawr club which his father had formed, primarily as a suitable form of social entertainment for the young gentlemen of the area as well as increasing their sporting opportunities.
In mid-June 1866 the Nicholl family organized a match at Merthyr Mawr for Glamorganshire against Carmarthenshire, with the game seeing John make his county debut. Batting at number five, John scored 1 in his only innings as Glamorganshire recorded an innings victory. Three years later, he made another county appearance as he was chosen to play against Radnorshire at Llandrindod Wells. The game, on 28 and 29 June, saw him score 0 and 2.
In 1860 he married Minnie de la Beche Dillwyn, whose father was another member of the region’s gentry, besides being the founder of The Geological Society. Their son John Illtyd Dillwyn Nicholl and Lewis Dillwyn Nicholl both followed in their father’s footsteps and played county cricket for Glamorgan.
NICHOLL, John Cole
Born: Merthyr Mawr, 30 August 1823.
Died: Bridgend, 20 March 1894.