[1] He was educated at the Masterton Public and High Schools[1] and arrived in Australia in 1926 as a touring professional cycling representative and motorcycle stunt rider.

[2] Before he came to Australia, Nicholson was an excellent foot runner and bike rider and as a young man in western Queensland who "didn't mind a stoush" used to look forward to times when the boxing tent came to town so that he could show people of just what mettle he was made.

[3] On 4 August 1934, shortly before arriving in Queensland, Nicholson married Cecile Flloyd Smith (died 1987)[4] and together had two sons and two daughters.

[4] Nicholson won the seat of Murrumba at the 1950 Queensland state election on a joint Country Party-Liberal Party ticket.

Murrumba had been previously held by fellow Country Party member Frank Nicklin who had shifted to the new seat of Landsborough.