unknown 'Olive House' Laura Street Launceston Tasmania Australia Donald Nicholson Charles Leigh Clare, Angus Gordon, George Gibb & Lily Euphemia Eveline

Mrs Euphemia Scott Nicholson was born in 1840 in Aberdeen, Scotland, daughter of James Gibb and Christian Angus. Euphemia Gibb married Donald Nicholson, a cashier and later bank manager, on 7 Oct 1868 in Aberdeen. They had three sons and one daughter between 1872 and 1878. The UK census of 1881 shows the Nicholsons living in Knutsford, Altrincham, Cheshire. The children were: Charles Leigh Clare 9, Angus Gordon 7, George Gibb 5 and Lily Euphemia Eveline 2. Also listed is 22-year-old Donald Nicholson, a son from her husband's first marriage.

In Feb 1884 the family arrived in Melbourne on the Loch Katrine. 'Mrs Nicholson, who had conducted a "very successful private school" at Aberdeen, Scotland, was principal of Launceston Training College.' (Australian Dictionary of Biography entry for George Gibb Nicholson.) The College was called the Olive House Seminary until the end of 1889.

The family moved to Queenstown about 1902 where Donald was manager of the National Bank. Euphemia died in Queenstown on 25 May 1915 and is buried in the Queenstown General Cemetery. In her will she left detailed instructions about the distribution of her possessions between her children and her daughters-in-law, and left the income from her shares in the Mt Bischoff Mining Company to her husband Donald. Donald died in 1924 in Hunter's Hill, NSW.

Her children Charles, George and Lily (Eveline) also appear in the Launceston Family Album.

Prue McCausland Dec 2010 & Tim Hill