Evelyn Louise Nicholson

Evelyn Louise Nicholson (née Olivier; 1867-1927) was diarist and watercolour painter.
She was born on the Isle of Wight to Rev. Henry Arnould Olivier and Anne Elizabeth Hardcastle Arnould. She was christened on 1 March 1867.
On 1 October 1895, she married Charles Archibald Nicholson. He was the son of Sir Charles Nicholson, 1st Baronet. Upon the death of Sir Charles in 1903, Charles Archibald succeeded to the baronetcy. The 1st Baronet was born in England, but went to Australia, arriving there in 1834, and became a wealthy and influential personage. He returned to England in 1865. However, perhaps because of his association with Australia, Nicholson and Charles Archibald Nicolson took a honeymoon holiday to Australia between 14 June 1897 to 13 October 1897.
During the voyages to and from Australia, Nicholson kept a diary in which she described the places, the people and the flora and fauna which she encountered along the way. She and her husband made many watercolour sketches of the scenery along the way, including seascapes, landscapes and buildings.
The diary and the book of sketches were bequeathed to Sydney University in 1988 by her son, Sir John Nicholson, 3rd Baronet, together with the book of paintings.
The Nicholsons had two daughters and a son together. Nicholson died in 1927 and is buried with her husband on the south side of the west tower, in a family plot in the Church of St Mary the Virgin, South Benfleet, Essex.
Her brother was Sydney Haldane Olivier and her nephew was Sir Laurence Olivier.

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