Robert Todd Nicholls was born in 1827 in Islington, London, to James Thomas and Eliza Henrietta Michaelis Nicholls (nee Baldwin). James Thomas Nicholls joined the Navy on 1st September 1805 on board the Glory 98, and was for two years employed in the channel and off Cadiz, Spain, he was midshipman for part of the time. From 1807 until November 1811, he was on Home Service in the Barfleur 98, part of the channel fleet and flagship of Sir Richard Bickerton. He then joined the Dominica Schooner under the command of Lieut. George Barette. The schooner was escorting a merchant ship but became involved in a battle with the American Decatur schooner during the war of 1812, and after a fierce battle the schooner was boarded and many men were killed or taken captive. James Thomas Nicholls was taken captive and released in July 1814. After this he became attached to the Argo 44, a flag-ship of Rear Admiral William Brown, then the Prince 98 and finally the Euryalus 36. After this he was employed in the coast Guard from 5 April 1831 until the spring of 1844. In 1839 he was commander of the Burton station in Dorset. James Thomas died in 1862 in Hackney Middlesex.
Robert Todd Nicholls left home by 1851 and was living in South Bersted, Bognor as a Shopman. He married Emma Cooper on 25th February 1854 at the Parish church, All Saints, Oxford.
They had 6 children-
James Thomas Blackwell Nicholls b1855
Eliza Henrietta Nicholls b1856
Alice Harriet Nicholls b1858
Matilda Alice Nicholls b1859
Ellen Louisa Nicholls b1861
Alfred Charles b1862
Robert worked as a Mercantile clerk and in 1871 was living with his family at 2 Park Road, Hackney, London. By 1881 he was a Bankers Clerk and was now living in Brighton Road, Sutton, Surrey.
Between 1881 and 1891 Robert and his Wife had moved to Worthing and lived at Dinedor Belsize road, Worthing. Robert had now retired, and his children had left home.
Robert gave regularly to different charities including-
In 1894 he donated to the Worthing Wreck of the Zadne appeal. The Zadne was a 490 ton steamer that was caught in a terrible storm on the 14th November 1894. A big wave flipped the steamer over and 12 people lost their lives and were washed up on Worthing's beach. The bodies were buried in Broadwater cemetery.
In 1897 he donated to the Worthing Mayor's Maidstone Epidemic fund. The Maidstone epidemic in 1897 was the largest typhoid epidemic in the UK, with over 1,900 people infected and 132 people died.
Robert died on the 16th April 1904 and left £37,114 6s 10d (£2,916,000 in 2020) with probate to James Thomas Blackwell Nicholls (Son), commercial clerk and Peter Riddoch (Son-in-law), Gentleman. He was living in Dinedor Belsize Road, Worthing.
Emma, Robert's Wife died on 24th August 1914, she was still living in Belsize Road, worthing.