Commander Sir Edward Nicholl KBE JP DL (17 June 1862 – 30 March 1939) was a British officer of the Royal Naval Reserve who subsequently became a Conservative Member of Parliament (MP). Nicholl was born at Ada Terrace,Pool, Cornwall . When he was 'no more than three years of age' the family moved to Redruth. He left school at 12 and went to work as an Assistant Timekeeper at the Carn Brea Railway Works. Two years later he started an Engineering Apprenticeship with the Great Western Railway at Carn Brea. He left home at 18 to continue the apprenticeship in Swindon.