Private Charles Harry Nicholls Memorial Pulpit, Port Macquarie

This war memorial is a cedar pulpit dedicated to Private Charles Harry Nicholls, a First World War soldier from Port Macquarie who died in France in 1916. The pulpit is a decorative piece, with a high rostrum in the centre and Gothic arches on each side, which have carved supporting columns. In the centre of the pulpit is a metal plaque in the shape of a shield, inscribed with the dedication to Harry.

The pulpit is located in the historic Wesley Chapel, built in 1845 as part of the Methodist Church. In 1917, the church underwent major renovations, which were described in detail in The Port Macquarie News and Hastings River Advocate on 27 October 1917. The report said:

In addition to the [renovations] a handsome cedar pulpit has been placed in the church by Mr and Mrs Nicholls in memory of their brave son, Harry, who fell in action near Ypres on September 1916.

There are two versions concerning construction of the pulpit. The first is that it was constructed by the Harry's father, William Wood Nicholls. Members of the Nicholls family support this version and it is possible because William was a builder, carpenter, and  skilled carver. The Port Macquarie News published numerous accounts of his building work in the district. Furthermore, cedar was readily available in the local area and the Nicholls family were not wealthy.

The second version is described in the book The Acorns of Methodism in Port Macquarie: Early History of the Wesleyan Church in Port Macquarie, published and edited by Barry Jennings (2011). He states the pulpit was "fabricated in Sydney and erected by Mr Nicholls" and identifies the firm as Goodlet and Son of Sydney, who provided timber and manufactured furniture.

The chapel is now part of the Port Macquarie Uniting Church. In 1964, a new and larger building was erected on the northern side. The chapel has again been used for church services since 1995. The pulpit is available for viewing during church services and when the church historical group, the 'Friends of the Chapel' open the Chapel for visitors most weeks of the year.

Read more about Private Charles Harry Nicholls on the NSW War Memorials Register.

Note: Historical information and photographs provided by Ashley Freeman for the Port Macquarie United Church and Anne Keena for the Nicholls Family.