Nicoll was born in 1899 and attended
Carlisle Grammar School,
Pembroke College, Oxford and
University of Oxford and embarked on a colonial career in
British Protectorate of North Borneo in 1921. Nicoll became Deputy Colonial Secretary of the British Crown Colony
Trinidad and Tobago in 1937, the Colonial Secretary of the British Colony of
Fiji from 1944 to 1949. During this time, he served as
Acting Governor twice, in 1944 and 1947. This was followed by his appointment as administrator and Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong in 1949. and was present during the
1954 National Service riots. After the
Hock Lee bus riots in May 1955, Nicoll retired from the Governorship and Colonial Service in June. He returned to
Britain. ==Awards and honours==