Our Origins - the Family Histories of Craig Fullerton and Celine Amoyal
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Thomas Williamson
Henrietta Moore
Thomas Williamson
(ca. 1882-1943)

 

Family Links

Spouses/Children:
1. Ann Jane Robertson

Thomas Williamson

  • Born: ca. 1882
  • Marriage (1): Ann Jane Robertson on 7 Oct 1905 in New Unitarian Church, 461 Pitt St, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
  • Died: 26 Nov 1943, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia aged about 61

bullet   Another name for Thomas was Tom or "Bull" Nicholls.

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bullet  General Notes:

Thomas was a Plumber from Newtown. He and Annie married in the New Unitarian Church, 461 Pitt Street Sydney... literally just up the street from her grandfather's coach works. Thomas and Annie lived in Newtown/Erskineville and later moved to Pyrmont.

According to statements in Annie's application to Divorce in 1911, Thomas Williamson decided to pursue a career as a professional boxer, taking on the name "Bull Nicholls", and he left Annie in 1906/1907 to fight in Tasmania. She was unable to locate him and have him support her for the required 3 years and so she sued for Divorce. However Thomas couldn't be found and as the papers could not be served, the divorce proceedings were held over. When, finally the proceedings got to Court in 1911 Annie was unable to attend court as she was pregnant! Eventually proceedings were shelved in 1912. Her divorce papers state that there were no children born to Thomas Williamson.

Bull Nicholls fought regularly at the Gaiety Athletic Hall in Sydney in his early days. Annie had a long term relationship with Fred Carrick who was the Secretary of the Gaeity Athletic Club (it was his child she was carrying when she couldnt get to Court).

Tom/Bull signed up for the AIF on 16 September 1914 in Pontville, Tasmania under the name of Thomas Nicholls. He was recorded as a 32 year old Fisherman, next of kin: Thomas Williamson (presumably his father who had this name). The Question "Are you married?" on his enlistment papers was originally answered "Y" but this was crossed out and changed to "No". He was described as 5' *" tall, weighed 12 st 3 lbs, with a chest measurement of 36" - 38 1/2", ruddy complexion, grey eyes, brown hair. His religion was Roman Catholic.

Tom was assigned to the 1st Australian Clearing Hospital as a Private and by 15 August 1915 he was at Anzac Cove in Gallipoli. Within 6 weeks of arriving he was admitted o hospital and then evacuated to Gibraltar suffering from myalgia. At the end of October his condition was such that he was invalided to England where he was admitted to the 2nd Southern General Hospital.
He was invalided home in April 1916 suffering from Pleurisy and Pneumonia and returned to Hobart, Tasmania. He was discharged from the AIF on 8 December 1916. He was the recipient of the 1914/15 Star No. 2368, British War Medal No 1168, and the Victory medal No. 1167.

The following letter from Tom Williamson/Bull Nicholls is recorded at the SaintsandHeathens.com website, which covers Australian Rugby history in an article about "Anzac Letters from Rugby soldiers:
"I am O.K. I joined my unit here some weeks back, after a long stay in Egypt. Whilst there I read in 'The Referee' of the death of Sergeant Ted Larkin and his brother Martin, known to the boxing world as Paddy Martin, two of the best. I was a member of the same club, the Newtown Pastime, which had some of the cream of Australia's boxers as members at different times. There you would see some real ding-dong fights, not spars, whilst we were training for our contests … often get 'The Referee' here, and I am really glad to learn all the news. I see where a great crowd turned up to see Balmain and Glebe play the Rugby League match. It is up to a lot of them to 'take a tumble' and come over here."
- Private Tom Williams (aka Tom 'Bull' Nicholls, pro boxer) writing from 'Anzac Beach' Gallipoli ('The Referee' 3 November 1915). Williams had also played for Newtown Rugby Club.


Bull Nicholls was recorded as a boxing referee in Tasmania in 1920.

He died in Hobart 26 November 1943, aged 61. His death notice in The Mercury 27 November 1943 is recorded under the name NICHOLLS, Bull and he is referred to as Thomas (Bull) Nicholls, late 1st ACSS.

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bullet  Noted events in his life were:

• He worked as a Plumber.


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Thomas married Ann Jane Robertson, daughter of George Robertson and Agnes Gouldthorp, on 7 Oct 1905 in New Unitarian Church, 461 Pitt St, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. (Ann Jane Robertson was born on 4 Oct 1881, died in 1932 in New South Wales, Australia and was buried in 1932 in Sandgate Cemetery nr, Newcastle, , New South Wales, Australia.). The cause of her death was Complications arising from operation for Bowel Cancer.


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