Obituary: Roger Nicholas – A Man Who Gave So Much To Guildford

Published on: 10 Apr, 2025
Updated on: 10 Apr, 2025

Family and friends have announced the sad death of Roger Nicholas – who contributed so much to his beloved home town of Guildford.

Born on 23 December 1935, Roger was the fourth son of Ewart and Wilhelmina Nicholas. Younger sister Hilary completed the family a few years later.

Educated at the Royal Grammar School, Guildford, from the age of 11 or 12, Roger spent his holidays working on local farms. He cycled miles, worked late and used farm machinery that would never pass health and safety rules these days.

Roger’s father died suddenly when he was just 17, leaving Hilary, himself and mother at home in Agraria Road. His brothers, Maurice, Paul and Ian, had already left home.

With the help and encouragement from a family friend, and a couple of bursaries to help support his mother and sister, Roger was able to study for a degree in the sciences at the County Technical College.

Roger was working at the old Royal Surrey County Hospital as a painter when his degree result was delivered by letter. Much to his astonishment, having started by reading the names of all the students who gained thirds, then seconds, he finally found his name under the firsts.

Roger had been the first in his family to gain a degree, from London University, and succeeded in the face of adversity.

Roger met his wife of almost 60 years, Jennifer, through mutual friends at a concert in the Royal Festival Hall in which she was singing with the London Philharmonic Choir. They married at St Nicolas Church in Guildford in May 1964 and six weeks later he received a commission in the Royal Navy, having previously worked in London in civilian employment for five years.

Roger served in the Royal Navy for 25 years, spending two years at sea in his early days. This was followed by two happy years in Kenya, with the family, attached to the Kenyan Navy.

Back in the UK, he went on to teaching, followed by a secondment with the Royal Marines at Eastney, and some time at Commander In Chief Home in Portsmouth Dockyard.

Having been promoted to Commander in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Year, his final post was on the recruitment side of the Admiralty Interview Board. He travelled the length and breadth of the UK, interviewing university students who wished to become officers in the Navy.

Before his commission ended, Roger took on the additional voluntary role of Royal Naval Officers Association liaison, visiting retired service people, and families, who needed some advice or financial assistance from the Royal Navy.

On retirement from the Navy, Roger took up a post fundraising for Missions to Seafarers in Oxfordshire and surrounding counties.

Roger returned with Jennifer to his Guildford roots in 1994. His final employment for two and a half years was as an administrator at the Guildford Institute in North Street. After his retirement, he continued as a volunteer working on the Institute’s historic collection.

In his later years Roger worked at the Guildford Institute as an administrator and then as a volunteer.

“Retirement” was incredibly busy, giving tours around the town and cemetery with the Guildford Town Guides, volunteering with the Royal Navy Officer’s Association, and becoming the local fundraising co-ordinator for the Royal British Legion’s annual poppy appeal for 10 years, helping raise tens of thousands of pounds.

With his vast local knowledge Roger wrote and edited two books specific to Guildford. The first of these, published in 2004, was titled “… And the Lord taketh away”. The book details how Mount Cemetery came into being and contains short biographies of a number of its “residents”, including Lewis Carroll.

For the second book Roger became the editor of The Diaries of Henry Peak, who for forty years during the 19th century was involved in a range of developments in and around Guildford as a surveyor, councillor and Mayor.

With his knowledge and enthusiasm for local history, Roger conducted numerous talks (with trusty laptop and Powerpoint slides) to various groups and societies around Surrey, payment for which he accepted donations to various charities.

Following the sudden loss of Jennifer in February 2024, Roger remained fiercely independent, determined to spend as much time as possible with his two children, and remain living at home. With the support of some truly wonderful friends and neighbours, he was able to stay at home until his hospital admission in early February.

To his family, it feels like the end of an era, with Roger being the last of his Nicholas clan in Guildford.

The family, however, is comforted to know that he has contributed so much to his beloved hometown since his return almost 31 years ago.