A WELL-known west Cumbrian photographer described by his family as ‘a news man through and through’ has died aged 93.
Ivor Nicholas was one of the custodians of Cumbria’s history, having worked for decades as a photojournalist recording the history of the county.
Having worked for local and national newspapers, there was not much that Ivor had not recorded in his 25,000-negative archive.
Ivor pictured in 1954 (Image: Ivor Nicholas)
His family said he ‘grasped life with both hands’ and made the most of every opportunity.
Music filled his whole life, the piano was his instrument of choice and by the time he started Fairfield Primary School he was attending piano lessons. At the age of eight, he played in concerts to raise money for the war effort.
Following two years at Cockermouth Grammar School, Ivor moved to St Bees School, as a boarder, and music was pivotal in his time at St. Bees, a school he loved. He won the annual Music Prize every year until he left school.
Brewing beneath the surface was Ivor’s passion for photography. He’d been given his first camera by his Mum and Dad, while still at school.
Ivor with Bing Crosby in 1956 (Image: Ivor Nicholas)
Ivor’s greatest passion in life was Dorothy, his true love. They met 76 years ago at the Commercial College in Workington when Ivor was 17 and Dorothy was 15.
Ivor had joined his Dad, Joe, in his journalistic business and he was learning shorthand at college so that he could attend court and report on the cases being heard.
Ivor worked alongside Joe in the business from 17 to 21 and at age 21 he fulfilled his two years of National Service. He applied to join the RAF as a photographer and his application was granted. During his training, he took the opportunity to take an aerial photography course.
After the six months of training, Ivor was posted to Gibraltar for his remaining 18 months. It was there that he honed his photography skills.
Ivor Nicholas during his RAF days in Gibraltar in the 1950s (Image: Ivor Nicholas)
He was given the job of Official RAF Royal photographer when the Queen, Prince Philip, a young Prince Charles and Princess Anne visited Gibraltar.
Being stationed in Gibraltar was a great adventure for Ivor and on his days off he got the chance to explore the surrounding area and take photographs. He caught the travel bug and later took his wife and family to explore lots of different countries and cultures.
While Ivor was away, Dorothy received a letter from him every day. When Ivor returned home from National Service at the end of 1955, they set about planning their wedding. Ivor married his childhood sweetheart on August 8, 1956, in Gosforth Church.
They settled happily into married life and were blessed with two children, Louise and Robert.
Ivor, who loved fell-walking, pictured on Cragg Fell (Image: Ivor Nicholas)
The 1956 accident at Sellafield put Ivor into the front line of news photography. He always believed in the freedom of the press, the responsibility of the reporting and was a member of the National Union of Journalists all his working life.
Ivor and Dorothy’s home – Westlakes at Cockermouth – had a happy and busy vibe. It was a ‘work-house’ with a dark room and the business office operating alongside domestic daily life.
Ivor’s children and grandchildren remembered the privilege of being allowed into the ‘dark room’ and watching him develop the photos.
In the early 1960s Ivor began to freelance for Border TV. Jim Graham started at Border as a reporter at the same time. Jim and Ivor were great friends – Jim was at The Whitehaven News as a young reporter, while Ivor, a similar age, was learning his trade. Jim was a frequent visitor to Westlakes. It was while working for Border that Ivor started to film news stories.
Ivor Nicholas and daughter Louise Rawling at work (Image: John Story)
In 1977 Louise joined Ivor in the family business, and the two worked side by side until digital photography changed the industry and Ivor semi-retired.
Following a Radio 4 interview it was decided to digitise the complete catalogue of photographic negatives recorded over the years in a filing system devised by Dorothy in 1956.
In 1980 Ivor and Dorothy moved to Asby to live. Ivor and Louise got a new office and a dark room to process colour as well as black and white printing. A computer replaced the electric typewriter, and Ivor embraced the new technology with enthusiasm.
Ivor taking photos on the west Cumbrian coast (Image: Submitted)
In 1983 Ivor and Dorothy’s first grandchild Sam was born, closely followed by Jane, Rebecca and Joe. This marked a new phase in Ivor’s life, he was still working hard but also enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren.
The fells always called him and at every opportunity he would be donning his boots and walking – equally happy to walk with friends and family, or on his own.
Ivor and Dorothy both loved to dance and after they moved to Asby they started attending old-time and sequence dances in the surrounding area.
In later life, Ivor and local businessman Gerard Richardson MBE, worked on and published the books – ‘A Moment in Time’ and the ‘Decades’ series.
Ivor Nicholas and Gerard Richardson MBE, published a photographic book called Decades 1950-1960 featuring historical pictures of Allerdale and Copeland (Image: John Story)
The first of Ivor and Dorothy’s great grandchildren, Lydia, arrived in 2014, followed by Juniper, Otis, Stanley, Clementine, Margot and Ivo.
He was the loving son of Ethel and Joe, older brother to Clive, loving husband to Dorothy, proud dad of Louise and Robert, fun-loving grandfather to Sam, Jane, Rebecca and Joe; excited to be great-grandfather of Lydia and Otis, Juniper and Stanley, Clemmie and Margot and Ivo. Brother-in-law, father-in-law to Will and Jane, grandfather-in-law to Nick, Charlie, Lizzie and Liz; uncle; great uncle; Godfather; and loyal friend.