Tribute:
Nigel was born in Tiverton in Devon in 1931, to
George and Helen Nicholson. He went to school in Wiltshire, where he
developed a strong interest in snails; one that he would return to with
enthusiasm in his retirement.
Following in his father's footsteps, he qualified
as a doctor in 1956 and then spent his National Service in Nigeria as a medical
officer in the Nigeria Regiment. During this time he met Rachel. Rachel's mother
later said "I knew they were right for each other when I saw them in the
library, leaning over a book together, examining a beetle." They were
married the next year and in 1961 moved to Tanzania.
Initially he
was employed by the Colonial Office and then by the Tanzanian Government. Four
children and a higher medical qualification later, he became a specialist
physician, and was able to concentrate on the type of work he preferred.
Working conditions in Tanzania were very difficult.
One day he came home and said "Today I had to search in several wards just
for a thermometer." There were frequent water, electricity and drugs shortages.
However, he persevered with immense dedication, working seven days a week.
Indeed, Christmas day is remembered clearly by his
children as there was a prescribed sequence of events before they were allowed
to open their presents: "get up, have breakfast, do the washing up, brush
teeth and finally - wait for daddy to come home from the Hospital" - this could
be some time!
Nigel was very well known and respected in Tanzania
for his hard work and integrity - particularly in the south of the
country, where he spent most of the 22 years that he was there. This was largely
due to his dedication in treating and caring for patients. He also made the
welfare of prisoners a priority. Conditions in African prisons were appalling,
with people being locked up for years on remand before being tried. He often
spent time trying to get the sick remand prisoners released. Nigel had always
wanted to work in Africa, saying the reason was that he wanted to help others
and change things for the better. He certainly did this for very many
people.
In 1976 his hospital was upgraded to consultant
status, funded by the British Government. Nigel then worked with a team of
British Consultants, providing valuable local knowledge, as they settled in.
During this time he was also involved in the training of Medical Assistants. He
wrote a book for their use about non-communicable diseases, which is still in
demand.
In 1983 the family left Tanzania and Nigel and
Rachel went back to Nigeria to work, settling in a mission cum government
hospital in the hot and humid south east of the country, near where they
had first met. Again this brought difficult working conditions which he bore
with his usual patience.
Retirement in 1991 brought some problems
changing from one continent to another, and from a demanding more-than-fulltime
job to pottering around. However he soon found occupation - digging a wildlife
pond, being a steward at Rudyard Kipling's house and working towards a Field
Biology Certificate at Sussex University. He enjoyed being a church warden at
this church, and taking part in University of the Third Age activities. He
was also teaching himself Ancient Greek, learning about the history of houses,
and recently was studying for the Bishop's Certificate. In fact, Nigel was
interested in virtually everything. Whenever someone in the family wanted to
find something out, they would say "ask Daddy". If he didn't know, his response
was "Lets look it up". He loved finding things out and had a tremendous memory
for facts about churches, railways, snails, history and wildlife in general.
Natural History was his first love, but although he
enjoyed the game parks of Tanzania, he always said that the mini wildlife around
the garden was just as interesting. He made it his business to educate all and
sundry about interesting things, especially slugs and snails.
He was a very modest person and played down his
achievements, so his family were very proud when he was nominated a Fellow of
the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh in 1994.
Nigel was fairly reserved but would quietly take
things in and remember them years later. One story which recently amused us
concerned an early experience in Tanzania. He received a telegram asking him to
investigate sleeping sickness in Lake Manyara National Park. He duly went off on
safari to investigate. On submitting the report, he received another telegram,
thanking him, but pointing out that the first telegram shouldn't have read
sleeping sickness, but sleeping accommodation!
On a personal note, I have only fairly recently met
Nigel and felt I was beginning to know and like him very much.
Two things stand out in my mind: He had a wonderful
sense of humour - from his capacious memory he would pull out quotes and
anecdotes to amuse and inform.
He also had a great care for the world and the
people of this world.