Born on 3 June 1936 in Woking, Surrey, David Nicholls was educated at Woking Grammar School (1947–54), the London School of Economics (1954–57, Lash Prize 1956, BScEcon in government (first-class honours) 1957, Gladstone Prize 1957), King's College, Cambridge (1957–60, PhD in history 1972), Yale Divinity School (Henry Fellow 1960–66, STM 1962), and Chichester Theological College (1961–62, ordained deacon 1962, priest 1963).
He incepted as a Master of Arts of the University of Oxford by special decree (1973) and was awarded the degree of Doctor of Letters by leave of the Faculties of History and Social Studies (1991).
He was assistant chaplain to the University of London (1962–66), a tutor at the London School of Economics and Regent Street Polytechnic (1963–65), lecturer in government at the University of the West Indies, Trinidad (1966–73), visiting research fellow at the Institute of Race Relations, London (1970–71), official fellow, chaplain, and tutor of Exeter College, Oxford (1973–78), a senior member of St Antony's College, Oxford (1976–96), priest-in-charge, and later vicar, of Church of St Mary and St Nicholas, Littlemore (1978–96), and Hulsean Lecturer at the University of Cambridge (1985–86).
David Nicholls was married to Gillian Sleigh from 1968 until his death in Oxford on 13 June 1996.
[2] Although they had no children, their household was augmented by a Macaw called William Paley, named after the philosopher.