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George Nicholas
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BiographyGeorge Richard Nicholas (1884–1960) was an Australian pharmacist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, best known as the scientific founder of the popular pain-relief medicine Aspro and co?creator of a major pharmaceutical enterprise.
Born on 19 May 1884 in Majorca, Victoria, George Nicholas grew up in a working-class family and was educated at local state schools. He qualified as a pharmacist in 1912 and opened a pharmacy in Windsor, Melbourne. During World War I, when German supplies of aspirin were cut off, Nicholas undertook the difficult task of producing it locally. Working with limited resources and almost no technical guidance, he successfully synthesised acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) in Australia for the first time. In 1915, he and his partner Henry Woolf Shmith were granted a licence to manufacture and sell the product, and in 1917 Nicholas registered the name “Aspro.” Soon after, his brother Alfred joined the business as manager, and together they built the company into a major success. Through the 1920s, the Nicholas firm expanded into international markets, including New Zealand, England, Europe, and Asia, transforming Aspro into a widely recognised global brand. George later served as managing director from 1937 to 1947, overseeing further diversification into vitamins, veterinary products, and other pharmaceuticals.
Like his brother, Alfred, George Nicholas became known for his philanthropy. He supported educational and charitable institutions, especially those associated with the Methodist community. MLC was one the most significant beneficiaries of the Nicholas brothers generosity. The Nicholas family developed a close relationship with the school from the 1920s and maintaining a friendship with Principal Rev Dr William Fitchett. Their contributions included: money for the construction of the Home Science Building (Nicholas House), opened in 1926; funding for a tuck shop/refectory in 1927; contributions to help reduce college debt during the 1930s; major gift in 1937 to fund extensive rebuilding works, including the Nicholas Wing and boarding facilities; donation of adjoining land to expand the MLC campus. These gifts had a lasting impact on the development and growth of the school, cementing the Nicholas family’s legacy within the MLC community.
George Nicholas died on 20 September 1960 in Fitzroy, Melbourne, aged 76. He is remembered as a pioneer of Australia’s pharmaceutical industry and a generous benefactor whose work, alongside his brother Alfred, left a lasting legacy in healthcare, education, and the wider community.Date of Birth1884Date of Death1960
Born on 19 May 1884 in Majorca, Victoria, George Nicholas grew up in a working-class family and was educated at local state schools. He qualified as a pharmacist in 1912 and opened a pharmacy in Windsor, Melbourne. During World War I, when German supplies of aspirin were cut off, Nicholas undertook the difficult task of producing it locally. Working with limited resources and almost no technical guidance, he successfully synthesised acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) in Australia for the first time. In 1915, he and his partner Henry Woolf Shmith were granted a licence to manufacture and sell the product, and in 1917 Nicholas registered the name “Aspro.” Soon after, his brother Alfred joined the business as manager, and together they built the company into a major success. Through the 1920s, the Nicholas firm expanded into international markets, including New Zealand, England, Europe, and Asia, transforming Aspro into a widely recognised global brand. George later served as managing director from 1937 to 1947, overseeing further diversification into vitamins, veterinary products, and other pharmaceuticals.
Like his brother, Alfred, George Nicholas became known for his philanthropy. He supported educational and charitable institutions, especially those associated with the Methodist community. MLC was one the most significant beneficiaries of the Nicholas brothers generosity. The Nicholas family developed a close relationship with the school from the 1920s and maintaining a friendship with Principal Rev Dr William Fitchett. Their contributions included: money for the construction of the Home Science Building (Nicholas House), opened in 1926; funding for a tuck shop/refectory in 1927; contributions to help reduce college debt during the 1930s; major gift in 1937 to fund extensive rebuilding works, including the Nicholas Wing and boarding facilities; donation of adjoining land to expand the MLC campus. These gifts had a lasting impact on the development and growth of the school, cementing the Nicholas family’s legacy within the MLC community.
George Nicholas died on 20 September 1960 in Fitzroy, Melbourne, aged 76. He is remembered as a pioneer of Australia’s pharmaceutical industry and a generous benefactor whose work, alongside his brother Alfred, left a lasting legacy in healthcare, education, and the wider community.Date of Birth1884Date of Death1960
CONNECTIONS
George Nicholas. MLC Collections, accessed 26/09/2026, https://mlccollections.mlc.vic.edu.au/nodes/view/1997