Margaret Eliot, British music teacher and musician died she was , 97.

Margaret Augusta Eliot  was a retired English music teacher and musician  died she was , 97.. She was a professor of oboe at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama; her best known student was George Martin. She was an honorary member of the Royal Academy of Music.

 

(26 February 1914 — 27 February 2011)

Family

Margaret Eliot was born to Edward Granville Eliot - a younger brother of both 7th and 8th Earls of St Germans - and his wife Clare Louise née Phelips. She was a great granddaughter of Edward Granville Eliot, 3rd Earl of St Germans (1798-1877).
On 27 July, 1943,^[3] she married Dr Richard Asher (1912-1969); the couple had three children:

1. Peter Asher (born 1944), who was one half of the pop duo Peter & Gordon and successful music producer;
2. Jane Asher (born 1946), the film and TV actress, novelist
3. Clare Asher (born 1948), the radio actress.

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Necmettin Erbakan, Turkish politician, Prime Minister (1996–1997) died he was , 84

Necmettin Erbakan  was a Turkish engineer, academic, politician (eventually political party leader), who was the Prime Minister of Turkey from 1996 until 1997 died he was , 84. He was Turkey's first Islamist Prime Minister. In 1997 he was pressured by the military to step down as prime minister and later banned from politics by the constitutional court.^[1][2]

(29 October 1926 – 27 February 2011)

Early life and education

Erbakan was born in Sinop, at the coast of Black Sea in northern Turkey.^[3] His father was Mehmet Sabri, a judge from the prestigious Kozanoğlu clan of Cilicia and his mother Kamer was a native of Sinop and second wife of Mehmet Sabri.^[4]
After the high school education in İstanbul Lisesi, he graduated from the Mechanical Engineering Faculty at the Istanbul Technical University in 1948 with a GPA of 4.00/4.00, and received a PhD degree from the RWTH Aachen University, Germany.^[3] After returning to Turkey, Erbakan became lecturer at the İTÜ and was appointed professor in 1965 at the same university.^[3] After working some time in leading position in the industry, he switched over to politics, and was elected deputy of Konya in 1969.^[3]
As well as his political career, Erbakan had his success in mechanical engineering and has invented several devices. He was the chief engineer in the team that designed German Leopard 1A tanks.

Political activities

Erbakan's ideology is set forth in a manifesto, entitled Millî Görüş (National View), which he published in 1969.^[3] The Islamist organisation of the same name, which he founded and of which he is the leader,^[5] upholds nowadays that the word "national" is to be understood in the sense of monotheistic ecumenism.^[6][7]
A mainstay of the religious wing of Turkish politics since the 1970s, Erbakan has been the leader of a series of Islamist political parties that he founded or inspired that have risen to prominence only to be banned by Turkey's secular authorities. In the 1970s, Erbakan was chairman of the National Salvation Party which, at its peak, served in coalition with the Republican People's Party of Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit during the Cyprus crisis of 1974.^[3]
In the wake of the 1980 military coup, Erbakan and his party were banned from politics.^[3] He reemerged following a referendum to lift the ban in 1987 and became the leader of Refah Partisi (Welfare Party).^[3] His party benefited in the 1990s from the acrimony between the leaders of Turkey's two most prominent conservative parties, Mesut Yılmaz and Tansu Çiller. He led his party to a surprise success in the general elections of 1995.

Prime Ministership

He became Prime Minister in 1996 in coalition with Çiller's Doğru Yol Partisi (Correct Path Party), becoming the first devout Muslim to hold the office in modern Turkey^{[citation needed]}. As prime minister, he attempted to further Turkey's relations with the Arab nations.^[3] In addition to trying to follow an economic welfare program, which was supposedly intended to increase welfare among Turkish citizens, the government tried to implement multi-dimensional political approach to relations with the neighboring countries.
Erbakan's image was damaged by his famous speech making fun of the nightly demonstrations against the Susurluk scandal. Even though his government had no responsibility for the scandal^{[citation needed]}, he was nevertheless widely^{[weasel words]}blamed at the time for his indifference. The Turkish military gradually increased the harshness^{[clarification needed]} and frequency of its public warnings to Erbakan's government, eventually prompting Erbakan to step down 1997^{[citation needed]}.
At the time there was a formal deal between Prime Minister Erbakan, and the leader of Doğru Yol, Tansu Ciller, for a "period based premiership"^{[citation needed]}. According to this, Erbakan was to act as the Prime Minister for a certain period (a fixed amount of time, which was not publicized), then he would step down in favour of Tansu Ciller. However, Ciller's party was the third in the parliament, and when Erbakan stepped down, President Süleyman Demirel asked Mesut Yılmaz, leader of the second-biggest party, to form a new government. Since this whole act was after the infamous 28 February 1997 National Security Council meeting orchestrated by the military^{[citation needed]}(who was against the Erbakan government), this has been claimed as a "postmodern coup" by some^[who?].

Post-PM

Erbakan's ruling Welfare Party was subsequently banned by the courts, who judged that the party had an agenda to promote Islamic fundamentalism in the state, and Erbakan was barred once again from active politics.^[8]
Despite often being under political ban, Erbakan nonetheless acted as a mentor and informal advisor to former Refah members who founded the Virtue Party in 1997. The Virtue Party was found unconstitutional in 2001 and banned; by that time Erbakan's ban on political activities had ended and he founded the Felicity Party, of which he was the leader in 2003–2004 and again from 2010^[9] till his death.
Erbakan died at Güven Hospital at 11:40 (UTC+2) in Çankaya, Ankara on 27 February 2011 of heart failure.^[10]

Views

His foreign policy had two main pillars: Close cooperation and unity among Muslim countries and struggle against Zionism. He created "D-8" or The Developing Eight, to achieve a strong economic and political unity among Muslim countries. It has eight members including Turkey, Iran, Malaysia, Indonesia, Egypt, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nigeria. These countries constitute around 14% of the world's population, with a total of more than 800 million people.^[11][12][13]

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James Gruber, American teacher and early gay rights activist, last surviving member of the Mattachine Society died he was , 82.

James "John" Finley Gruber  was an American teacher and early LGBT rights activist died he was , 82.

(August 21, 1928 – February 27, 2011)

Biography

James Gruber was born August 21, 1928 in Des Moines, Iowa. Growing up he considered himself bisexual and was involved with both men and women. His father, a former vaudevillian turned music teacher, relocated the family to Los Angeles in 1936. Gruber enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1946 at the age of 18 and was honorably discharged in 1949. Using his G.I. Bill benefits, Gruber studied English literature at Occidental College in Los Angeles.^[1]
Gruber met and began a relationship with photographer Konrad Stevens. The couple attended a meeting of an early homophile organization then called the "Society of Fools". Gruber and Stevens joined the group in April 1951 and became part of the "Fifth Order", the group's central leadership.^[2] Both men were eager to join despite not having been previously politically involved and not having backgrounds in the Marxist philosophy that informed the group.^[3] That lack of familiarity led the group to restate its ideas in ways that those without a Marxist background could understand.^[4] Founding member Chuck Rowland recalled the energy the two brought to the group. "It was like magic when they joined. Suddenly everything started to happen."^[5] Following a conversation with co-founder Harry Hay about Medieval masque troops known as "mattachines", Gruber suggested changing the group's name from "Society of Fools" to Mattachine Society.^[6] Gruber attributed Mattachine's success to the feeling of acceptance that it fostered. "All of us had known a whole lifetime of not talking, of repression. Just the freedom to open up...really, that's what it was all about. We had found a sense of belonging, of camaraderie, of openness in an atmosphere of tension and distrust....Such a great deal of it was a social climate. A family feeling came out of it, a great nonsexual emphasis....It was a brand new idea."^[7] In 1953, the Communist ties of several of the Fifth Order led the leadership, including Gruber, to resign.^[8]
Through his studies at Occidental, Gruber met the author Christopher Isherwood, who in turn introduced him to W. H. Auden. Isherwood also introduced Gruber to his landlady, Evelyn Hooker. Hooker, a psychologist, pioneered research into sexual orientation that contributed to the removal of homosexuality as a mental illness from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.^[1]
Gruber and Stevens co-founded the Satyrs Motorcycle Club in Los Angeles in 1954.
Growing increasingly disillusioned with life in Los Angeles, Gruber moved to Palo Alto in 1960 and changed his first name to John. He pursued a teaching career at Foothill College and San Francisco State University and also taught or tutored at Cubberly High School, Milpitas High School and de Anza College.^[1]
Gruber helped to document the early LGBT movement through interviews with historians, participating in a panel discussion in San Francisco in 2000 commemorating the 50th anniversary of the founding of Mattachine and appearing in the 2001 documentary film Hope Along the Wind about the life of Harry Hay. Gruber suffered increasingly ill health for several years before his death on February 27, 2011, at his home in Santa Clara.^[1]

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Eddie Kirkland, American blues guitarist, died from a car accident he was , 88

Eddie Kirkland  was an American blues guitarist, harmonicist, singer, and songwriter died from a car accident he was , 88.
Kirkland, known as the "Gypsy of the Blues" for his rigorous touring schedules, played and toured with John Lee Hooker from 1949 to 1962. After his period of working in tandem with Hooker he pursued a successful solo career, recording for RPM Records, Fortune Records, Volt Records, and King Records, sometimes under the stage name Eddie Kirk. Kirkland continued to tour, write and record albums until his death in February 2011.

(August 16, 1923 – February 27, 2011)

Biography

Kirkland was born in Jamaica to a mother, aged 12, and first heard the blues from "field hollers" ^[1], and raised in Dothan, Alabama until 1935,^[2] when he stowed away in the Sugar Girls Medicine Show tent truck and left town. Blind Blake was the one who influenced him the most in those early days.^[3] He was placed on the chorus line with "Diamond Tooth Mary" McLean. When the show closed a year later, he was in Dunkirk, Indiana where he briefly returned to school.


He joined the United States Army during World War II. It was racism in the military, he said, that led him to seek out the devil.^[4] After his discharge Kirkland traveled to Detroit where his mother had relocated. After a days work at the Ford Rouge Plant, Kirkland played his guitar at house parties, and there he met John Lee Hooker. Kirkland, a frequent second guitarist in recordings from 1949-1962. "It was difficult playin' behind Hooker but I had a good ear and was able to move in behind him on anything he did."^[5]
Kirkland fashioned his own style of playing open chords, and transformed the rough, porch style delta blues into the electric age by using his thumb, rather than a guitar pick. He secured his own series of recordings with Sid Nathan of King Records in 1953, at Fortune Records in 1958 and, by 1961, on his own album It's the Blues Man, with the King Curtis Band.^[2]
Kirkland became Hooker's road manager and the two traveled from Detroit to the Deep South on many tours, the last being in 1962 when Hooker abandoned Kirkland to go overseas. Kirkland found his way to Macon, Georgia and began performing with Otis Redding as his guitarist and band leader.^[2] As Eddie Kirk, he released "The Hawg" as a single on Volt Records in 1963.^[6] The record was overshadowed by Rufus Thomas's recordings, and Kirkland, discouraged by the music industry and his own lack of education to change the situation, turned to his other skill and sought work as an auto mechanic to earn a living for his growing family.^{[citation needed]}
In 1970, one of the revivals of the blues was taking place. Peter B. Lowry found Kirkland in Macon and convinced him to record again. His first sessions were done in a motel room, resulting in the acoustic, solo LP Front and Center; his second was a studio-recorded band album, the funky The Devil... and other blues demons. Both were released on Lowry's Trix Records label. It was during the mid 1970s that Kirkland befriended the British blues-rock band, Foghat.^[7] Kirkland remained with Lowry, Trix, and was based in the Hudson Valley for twelve years. It was during this period that Kirkland appeared on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert with Muddy Waters, Honeyboy Edwards, and Foghat. These were also the years that Kirkland again energized his sound. "Eddie's thumb pick and fingers style give him freedom to play powerful chord riffs rich in rhythms and harmonic tension. He plays like a funky pianist, simultaneously covering bass lines, chord kick, and counterpoint."^[8]
The 1990s brought Randy Labbe as manager, booking agent and on his own record label, Deluge, recorded Kirkland. Three albums were produced during this Maine period, one live, one with a guest appearance from Hooker and one containing a duet with Christine Ohlman. By 2000, Kirkland was on his own again, always doing his own driving to concerts in his Ford County Squires, crossing the country several times a year. Labeled now as the Road Warrior, "A thickset, powerful man in the waistcoat and pants of a pin strip suit; red shirt, medallion, shades and a black leather cap over a bandanna, his heavy leather overcoat slung over his arm,.... he's already a Road Warrior par excellence."^[9]
Well into his eighties Kirkland continued to drive himself to gigs along the coast and in Europe, frequently playing with the Wentus Blues Band from Finland.
A documentary short entitled PICK UP THE PIECES was made about a year in Eddie's life (2010) and it can be viewed on youtube.com. It follows Eddie's struggles as an uneducated African American trying to make it as a Blues musician.

Death

Kirkland died in an automobile accident on the morning of February 27, 2011 in Crystal River, Florida. The accident occurred at approximately 8:30 a.m. after a bus hit Kirkland's car, a 1998 Ford Taurus wagon. Reportedly Kirkland attempted to make a U-turn on U.S. 98 and Oak Park Boulevard, putting him directly in the path of a Greyhound bus. The bus struck the vehicle on the right side and pushed it approximately 200 feet from the point of impact.^[10] The matter is currently under investigation. Kirkland suffered serious injuries and was transported by helicopter to Tampa General Hospital where died a short time later. The bus driver and 13 passengers on the bus were not hurt.^[11]

Family

Kirkland was survived by his wife, Mary, and nine children ^[12]. He was predeceased by one child Betty, and his first wife Ida.

Discography

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

• It's Time for Lovin' to be Done (1952) as Little Eddie Kirkland
• That's All Right (1952) as Little Eddie Kirkland
• Please Don't Think I'm Nosey (1953)
• No Shoes (1953)
• Mistreated Woman (1953)
• I Need You Baby (1959)
• Done Somebody Wrong (1959)
•  ??? (1961)
•  ??? (1962)
• It's the Blues Man! (Tru-Sound Records, 1962)
• Let Me Walk With You (1964)
• Monkey Tonight (1964)
• Hog Killing Time (1964/65)
• Treat me The Way You Want (1964/65)
• The Hawg Pt. 1 (1965)
• The Hawg Pt. 2 (1965)
• Dem Bones (1965)
• I Found A New Love (1965)
• Front and Center (Trix Records, 1972) (1970)
• The Devil and Other Blues Demons (Trix Records, 1973) (1972)
• Pick Up The Pieces (1980)
• Three Shades Of Blue (1987)
• Have Mercy (Pulsar Records) reissued by (Evidence Records, 1988)
• All Around the World (Deluge Records, 1992)
• Some Like it Raw (Deluge, 1993)
• Where You Get Your Sugar (Deluge, 1995)
• Lonely Street (Telarc Records, 1997)
• Movin' On (JSP Records, 1999)

Hastings Street Grease, Vol 1 (Blue Suit Records, 1998)

• The Complete Trix Recordings (1999) (32 Records)

Hastings Street Grease, Vol 2 (Blue Suit Records, 1999)

• Democrat Blues (Blue Suit Records, 2004)
• The Way It Was (2005)
• Booty Blues (2006)(2005)
• Crash Boom Bang (2008)
• Foghat Last Train Home (2010)
• Ma-Me-O (2010)

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Agnes Milowka, Australian technical diver, drowned she was , 28

Agnes Milowka  was an Australian technical diver, underwater photographer, author, and cave explorer drowned she was , 28. She died during a diving expedition to Tank Cave near Mt Gambier on the South Australian coast.

(23 December 1981 – 27 February 2011)

Background

Miss Milowka received her graduate degrees in Maritime Archaeology from Flinders University (2007), Bachelor of Business, Marketing and Event Management from Victoria University (2008), Bachelor of Arts, History and Australian Studies from University of Melbourne (2005).
She participated as the researcher and diver in a series of qualitative underwater archeology, fieldwork and research projects. ^{[5][6][7][8][9][10]}
In 2009 Cocklebiddy expedition (Australia), she reached the mid point of Craig Challen’s 2008 line giving her the record for the longest cave dive in Australia for a female. ^[11]
She worked as underwater grip for a film Discovery Channel Japan "Water's Journey" TV Asahi & Karst Productions.
Agnes Milowka was a photographic assistant in the 2009 National Geographic Magazine expedition to Bahamas Caves, resulting in one of her photos to be published by National Geographic website. Agnes Milowka (23 Sep 2010). "Deep Dark Secret". National Geographic. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
She was part of the National Geographic Nova TV Special expedition to Blue Holes of the Bahamas, August 2010 ^[12] as underwater grip, preceded by the expedition to look for similar sinkholes in Queensland, Australia in 2009. ^[13]
In 2010, when living in Florida, she laid over 4km of line across a number of cave systems, the most significant of which was Mission Spring. In August 2010, together with James Toland, they made the connection between Peacock Springs and Baptizing Spring, Florida adding over 10,000ft (3km) passage.
She was presenter and editor for AMP movie (Agnes Milowka Project, 2010) featuring underwater cave footage shot by Wes Skiles, Karst Productions.
Agnes Milowka was a speaker at a number of diving related conferences (OZTek 2009, EuroTek 2010).
She acted as a stunt double for two female characters on James Cameron's feature film Sanctum 2011.
In 2011 she was nominated as Dive Rite Ambassador.
One of her last last work was as a diving supervisor at the BIRTH a short film for TRIMÄPEE fashion label. The movie has been dedicated in her name.
In recognition of Agnes' achievements and legacy, The Agnes Milowka Memorial Environmental Science Award has been established by Mummu Media for underprivileged schools in the area of science, marine studies or exploration.

Author

Milowka authored articles on the subject of underwater exploration and her experiences and work as a diver. These include

Heaven is a place on earth ^[14]

Why Ginnie and I are like peas and carrots ^[15]

Virgin Territory: Devil's Eye past the restriction ^[16]

Mission Spring ^[17]

Cave diving in Victoria: Exploration of the Elk River streamway (co-authored with Jim Arundale) ^[18]

In the heart of Tiger's Eye ^[19]

Deep holes in the ground that will blow your mind: Bahamas ^[20]

Virgin Territory: Devil's Eye Cave System Beyond Restriction ^[21]

Deep Holes. Unraveling The Mysteries Of The Bahamas ^[22]

Mission Spring Exploration ^[23]

The Elk River Streamway: A hump to a sump ^[24]

Eye of the Tiger: On expedition in Tassie ^[25]

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Amparo Muñoz, Spanish actress, Miss Universe 1974 died she was , 56.

Amparo Muñoz Quesada was a talented Spanish actress who made history in 1974 when she became the first, and currently the only, Spanish woman to win the Miss Universe pageant. Her victory brought immense pride to Spain and made her a national icon.

Amparo was born on June 21, 1954, and sadly passed away on February 27, 2011, at the age of 56. Her life was marked by a successful career in the entertainment industry and her trailblazing achievement as Miss Universe.

Beyond her Miss Universe triumph, Amparo's acting career included appearances in various Spanish films and television series. She showcased her talent and versatility through her performances, leaving a lasting impression on audiences.

Despite her success, Amparo remained dedicated to her family and personal life. She married Spanish footballer Carlos Martínez in 1982, and they had two children together.

Amparo Muñoz Quesada's legacy as the first Spanish Miss Universe and her contributions to the world of entertainment continue to be celebrated and remembered in her home country and around the globe. Her life serves as an inspiration to aspiring pageant contestants and actresses alike, and her untimely passing at the age of 56 was a great loss to the Spanish entertainment industry and to all those who admired her achievements.

Miss Universe 1974

Amparo Muñoz Quesada's journey to becoming Miss Universe began when she won the city title in her hometown of Vélez-Málaga, Andalusia. This victory propelled her to compete in the Miss Spain contest, which was held in Lanzarote. Her charm, poise, and beauty helped her secure the Miss Spain title, paving the way for her participation in the Miss Universe 1974 pageant.

The Miss Universe 1974 competition took place in Manila, Philippines, and it was here that Amparo made history. She became the first and only Spanish contestant to win the coveted Miss Universe crown, bringing immense pride and joy to her country. However, her reign as Miss Universe was short-lived, as she relinquished her title later that same year.

Despite giving up her crown, Amparo Muñoz Quesada's achievement as Miss Universe 1974 remains an essential part of Spanish pageant history. Her triumph on the international stage opened doors for future Spanish contestants and inspired many young women to pursue their dreams in the world of beauty pageants and modeling..

Acting career

Following her Miss Universe victory, Amparo Muñoz Quesada became an instant celebrity in Spain, joining the ranks of notable figures such as Nino Bravo, Pedro Carrasco, Rocío Dúrcal, Rocío Jurado, Camilo Sesto, and La Pandilla. Her newfound fame opened doors to a fruitful career in show business.

In 1979, Muñoz showcased her acting prowess in Carlos Saura's comedy film, "Mama Turns 100." She continued to build her filmography with roles in "Todo un Hombre" (1982), "A Paradise Under the Stars" (1999), and "El Tahur" (2003). In the late 1990s, her return to mainstream Spanish cinema was marked by her performance in Fernando León de Aranoa's "Familia," which led to a renewed focus on her acting career.

Despite the triumphs in her professional life, Muñoz's personal life often garnered attention due to notorious events and public controversies. Her experiences both on and off the screen have become part of Spanish popular culture, with her legacy as a beauty queen, actress, and captivating public figure solidifying her place in the annals of Spanish entertainment history.

Amparo Muñoz Quesada passed away on February 27, 2011, at the age of 56, due to complications from a cerebral aneurysm. Her cremated remains were laid to rest at the Roman Catholic cemetery of Saint Michael in Málaga, Spain.

Death

Amparo Muñoz Quesada passed away on February 27, 2011, at the age of 56, in her hometown of Málaga, Spain. The exact cause of her death was not officially disclosed to the public. Her untimely passing was a shock to her family, friends, and fans, as she had remained active in the entertainment industry until her death.

Following her demise, Muñoz's family cremated her remains, and she was laid to rest at the Roman Catholic cemetery of Saint Michael in Málaga. Her funeral was attended by numerous celebrities, colleagues, and friends from the Spanish entertainment world, all paying tribute to the trailblazing actress, beauty queen, and beloved public figure.

Amparo Muñoz Quesada's legacy as a Miss Universe winner, successful actress, and an enduring figure in Spanish popular culture continues to be remembered and celebrated. Her achievements and influence throughout her career serve as an inspiration for aspiring entertainers and pageant participants, both in Spain and internationally.

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Skonk Nicholson, South African teacher and rugby union coach (Maritzburg College, 1948–1982) died he was , 94..

James Mervyn Nicholson, better known as Skonk Nicholson, was a retired rugby coach and school master at Maritzburg College  died he was , 94... He is often credited with having trained large numbers of provincial and Springbok players, and is an iconic figure of schoolboy rugby in Pietermaritzburg, and indeed, South Africa.

 (6 February 1917 – 27 February 2011)

History

James Mervyn Nicholson (the "Skonk" nickname came later) was born in Underberg, Natal, on 6 February 1917, and grew up on the family farm in that district. In due course, he was sent to the Durban Preparatory High School (DPHS) in Durban, from whence he proceeded to the Durban High School (DHS). His father was a great friend of the legendary DHS Head Master, Mr AS "Madevu" Langley, and so young Mervyn (as he was then called) was sent to DHS, rather than to Maritzburg College, which was also a family school, but the fierce-yet-friendly rival institution of the Durban school. He enjoyed a remarkably successful stint at DHS, and matriculated in 1935 as Head Prefect, captain of both the First XV and the First XI, captain of the Natal Schools' XV, and Senior Cadet Officer. It was as a young standard six (grade 8) boarder at DHS that he earned his famous nickname of "Skonk": the then Head Prefect, M Bennett, recognised young Nicholson's spirited nature, referring to him as "Skonkwaan", which was the name of an ox on the family farm, meaning (in isiZulu) "tent-peg". This was later shortenend to "Skonk".
Having completed his studies at the ertswhile Natal University College (NUC) in Pietermaritzburg (now the University of KwaZulu-Natal), Nicholson started out his academic teaching career at his alma mater, DHS, immediately before the Second World War broke out. During the war, he served as an instructor (sergeant-major), before being demobilised out of the SA Army in 1944 due to injury. Much to the disappointment of the redoubtable Head Master of DHS, Col AC "Betsy" Martin MC, Nicholson was sent by the Natal Education authorities to Maritzburg College (which is known simply as "College"), where he taught Geography and coached the 1st XV rugby team from 1948 to 1982. Indeed, in 1944 the youthful Nicholson found himself the subject of a heated dispute between Col Martin and the equally pugnacious Headmaster of College, Mr JW "John-Willie" Hudson, who also wanted to enjoy the services of the talented young master. Mr Hudson ultimately prevailed, as was his wont.
Up until his death Nicholson still served Maritzburg College and could each day be seen making his way slowly to the school in one of his two 1960s Ford Valiants, invariably with his daughter, Diana, alongside him in the front seat.
Under his leadership, Maritzburg College came to be one of the sporting powerhouses of South Africa, producing 14 unbeaten First XVs and countless Natal and SA Schools' players during his 35 seasons at the helm.

Coaching

Nicholson coached numerous players, many of whom have played or are playing in international or national rugby sides. The names of these players include Keith Oxlee, Brian Irvine (captain of the Junior Springboks), Ormond Taylor and Andy van der Watt, and, since his official retirement, Joel Stransky (of World Cup 1995 fame), Jeremy Thomson, Pieter Dixon and Butch James. This exposure to internationally-acclaimed rugby stars rendered Skonk one of the most recognised faces in South African rugby.
Nearby to the Kent Pavilion at Maritzburg College, overlooking the school's main rugby field, Goldstone's, stands the "Nicholson Arch", which was erected in 1982, the year of Nicholson's retirement. It is a cherished tradition for each First XV player, as he steams onto the famous pitch, to reach up and touch the apex of the arch, in mute tribute to Maritzburg College's own "Mr Rugby".
Nicholson co-authored a book with Tony Wiblin, detailing the complex and often turbulent history of Maritzburg College and its rugby, entitled Jimeloyo-Ji (which is the College war-cry).

Later life and death

In the company of many of his friends, Nicholson celebrated his 90th birthday on 6 February 2007. Nicholson's guests of honour included Ian McIntosh (the former coach of the Sharks & Springboks) and Josie Nel, the 99-year old widow of Philip Nel, captain of the 1937 Springboks.
On 6 February 2011, Nicholson celebrated his 94th birthday with his family. He died on 27 February, after a short period of illness.

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