Clarence was the son of Robert and Ada Elizabeth Nicholls living at 71 Boythorpe Road Chesterfield in 1911. He had two sisters and two brothers. His occupation is given as Pump Minder and his father’s occupation as Colliery Deputy. Ten years previously Robert was a Coal Mine Hewer Underground.

Clarence Nicholls enlisted in the Royal Navy in May 1913 aged 24 for 12 years. His occupation is given as Fitter. After training he was posted to the cruiser HMS Vindictive, launched in 1897, which was acting as a tender to the torpedo training establishment HMS Vernon. Clarence’s service record noted that on enlistment he had a large operation scar on his abdomen, and after three weeks he was invalided out of the service because of a weak abdominal wall.

It has not been possible to trace his life after World War I with any certainty. A Clarence Nicholls aged 64 and Lucy Nicholls aged 62 left Southampton on the 15 October 1954 on the SS Scythia for Quebec. Their address is given as 85 Clark House Road, Sheffield 10 and his occupation as Clerk.

Two years later on 9th August 1956 a Clarence Nicholls returned to Southampton from Quebec, also on the Scythia.  His birthdate is given as 1 August 1890 and occupation as Fitter. This is the same date, but two years later than our Clarence Nicholls and the occupation is the same as on the naval record. His address is given as 87 Margetson Crescent, Sheffield but there is no mention of Lucy Nicholls. It is not possible to say if these two records refer to the same person and if they refer to our Clarence Nicholls.