Marriott Fawckner Nicholls

Sir Marriott Fawckner Nicholls CBE, FRCS, (12 May 1898 – 25 August 1969) was an English surgeon who specialised in the genitourinary tract. He served in the British Army in both the First and Second World Wars and was dean of the medical school at St George's Hospital for 20 years. At the age of 64 he became professor of surgery at the University of Khartoum in Sudan, where he maintained the position until his death five years later.

Early life and family Marriott Fawckner Nicholls was born in London on 12 May 1898, the son of Marriott Edwin Nicholls. He received his basic education at the City of London School after which he attended Clare College, Cambridge. His studies were interrupted due to the First World War during which he served in the Royal Fusiliers. He was demobilised in 1919 with the rank of captain. He finally graduated in 1921. In 1939 he married Mary Edith Harrison (died 1972).

Also known as "Nick", he was fond of fishing and cricket and supported his medical school cricket club. He became a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (FRCS) in 1926, and graduated with a bachelor of surgery degree in 1928. He received a master's degree in surgery in 1932. He won the Allingham Scholarship in surgery at St George's in 1925 and the Sir Francis Laking Research Scholarship in 1928–29 and in 1929–30. Some of his happiest times were when he became assistant curator of the museum there in 1926. Despite this, he served on the council of the British Association of Urological Surgeons and was president of the Section of Urology of the Royal Society of Medicine in 1960–61.