Charles Nichols was the third child of John Nichols and Ann Pugh. Charles was born on 12 July 1804 at Prospect and baptised on 12 August 1804 at St. John's Church of England, Parramatta. In the 1825 muster he was shown as a son of Ann Nichols, aged 19.
Margaret Finlay, Charles' future partner, had been transported for seven years from Antrim, Ireland. She arrived at Sydney in New South Wales on 18 December 1821 on the convict ship John Bull. A daughter Letitia, was born at Parramatta on 29 June 1822 and baptised on 11 August 1822 at St. John's, Parramatta. Her father was John McCurdy, a crew member on the John Bull. In 1822 Margaret was living with Letitia at the Female Factory, Parramatta. Margaret married Daniel Stewart, a government servant at the Female Factory, on 29 September 1823. They had one child, Harriet Stewart, around June 1824. Daniel Stewart died, aged 56 at Parramatta on 5 April 1825.
Margaret then married Patrick Duffey, a convict from Cavan, Ireland, on 10 November 1825. They appear to have had no children. Patrick Duffey apparently served his sentence at some distance from Margaret. By May 1832 Margaret's children Letitia and Harriet were being raised in the Female Orphan School. Letitia (now known as Stewart) died at the Orphan School aged 14 and was buried on 8 April 1835 at St. John's Parramatta. Harriet Stewart was eventually apprenticed to Dr Blick at Maitland.
Charles and Margaret Nichols' first child, Susannah, was born on 11 April 1829 at Fig Tree Point, Middle Harbour, near Sydney. At Sussex Street, not far from Kellick's Wharf, two sons were born, John in 1831 and Charles in 1833. Ann was born in June 1835 at Middle Harbour and baptised on 14 February 1836. Charles applied to buy land at Fig Tree Point in 1836 but was unsuccessful. The family returned to Sussex Street where Joseph was born. He was baptised on 13 May 1838.
Charles worked as a limeburner, as did his brothers Thomas and Joseph Nichols with whom the family maintained close ties. During the gold rushes of 1851 sons John and Charles tried their luck on the Turon River. Their eldest daughter Susannah married John Joseph Manuel at St. Mary's Cathedral on 16 May 1853. John Nichols and Sarah Erwin also married at St. Mary's on 23 March 1858. By then Charles and Margaret had moved to Woolloomooloo. On 23 April 1860 Joseph Nichols married Norah Rogan at St. John's Church of England, Darlinghurst. Charles Nichols died on 8 May 1864 at Charles Lane, Woolloomooloo and was buried in Sydney. His nephew James Kellick recorded Charles' death in his diary. Margaret Nichols died at Charles Lane on 16 June 1873. She was buried at Rookwook Cemetery where her daughter Susannah Manuel erected a headstone in her memory.
CHARLES AND MARGARET'S CHILDREN
Susannah (1829-1899) married John Joseph Manuel in 1853
John (1831-1893) married Sarah Erwin in 1858
Charles (1833-1902) never married
Ann (1835-1898) never married
Joseph (1837-1906) married Norah Rogan in 1860