Our History

Born in Malton near York in 1872, Harry Nicholson started his career as a joiner upon leaving school. One of his first jobs was working for the estate at Castle Howard, one of Yorkshire’s finest stately homes, and maintaining the joinery of this fine building. Chocolatiers the Rowntree family frequently visited Castle Howard at that time and it was there that Harry met his future wife Sarah Ellen Parkin, who was nanny to the Rowntree’s four children.

With his work completed at Castle Howard, Harry and Sarah moved to South Birmingham at the turn of the century. Harry began working for the Cadbury family and completed work on many of the buildings of the Bourneville Estate.

As a master craftsman Harry worked on a number of historic buildings in the area including the building of the ornate domes of the Aston Webb building at Birmingham University.

Harry was not only a skilled joiner but also proved himself to be a talented athlete when he won the Birmingham to Manchester bike race for Birchfield Harriers.

Nicholson’s is a business built on over a hundred years of family tradition in joinery. Following in the footsteps of his father, grandfather and great-grandfather, who were all joiners, Richard Charles Nicholson continues the family story. Richard still uses some of his great-grandfather’s tools which are stamped with his initials. Two original Spear and Jackson hand saws have been used by all four generations being passed down over the years; they are now retired from service.

Richard is proud to continue the family tradition of producing hand-crafted carpentry using time-honoured joinery methods.