Oliver John Nilsen
Encyclopedia
Oliver John Nilsen CBE
JP(17 August 1884 – 24 October 1977) was a businessman and Lord Mayor of Melbourne.
, Nilsen was educated at Rathdowne Street State School, Carlton
and the Working Men's College. On 4 September 1907 Nilsen married Ethel Margaret Williams at the Fitzroy
Presbyterian Church. In 1916 he established Oliver J. Nilsen & Co. (later Oliver J. Nilsen (Australia) Ltd), an electrical business, which moved to 45 Bourke Street in 1924.
In later life he lived in Kooyong Road, Caulfield, Victoria
; and every Christmas he would decorate an enormous tree on his front lawn with electric lights, long before it became the fashion to do so.
, which the Nilsen family retained until 1985. In 1996 the callsign was changed to Radio Sport 927.
Nilsen was made a CBE
in 1956, and was also a Justice of the Peace
. In 1944 he received the Australian Federation of Commercial Broadcasters' award.
valued at $1,845,530.
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
JP(17 August 1884 – 24 October 1977) was a businessman and Lord Mayor of Melbourne.
Background
Born in CollingwoodCollingwood, Victoria
Collingwood is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra...
, Nilsen was educated at Rathdowne Street State School, Carlton
Carlton, Victoria
Carlton is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Melbourne...
and the Working Men's College. On 4 September 1907 Nilsen married Ethel Margaret Williams at the Fitzroy
Fitzroy, Victoria
Fitzroy is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra. Its borders are Alexandra Parade , Victoria Parade , Smith Street and Nicholson Street. Fitzroy is Melbourne's...
Presbyterian Church. In 1916 he established Oliver J. Nilsen & Co. (later Oliver J. Nilsen (Australia) Ltd), an electrical business, which moved to 45 Bourke Street in 1924.
In later life he lived in Kooyong Road, Caulfield, Victoria
Caulfield, Victoria
Caulfield is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 12 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Glen Eira...
; and every Christmas he would decorate an enormous tree on his front lawn with electric lights, long before it became the fashion to do so.
3UZ
On 6 February 1925 Nilsen was granted the first commercial radio broadcasting license in Victoria, Australia for station 3UZ3UZ
3UZ is the official callsign of a medium-wave radio station in Melbourne, Australia which broadcasts under the name Radio Sport National.-History:...
, which the Nilsen family retained until 1985. In 1996 the callsign was changed to Radio Sport 927.
Politics
Nilsen was elected to the Melbourne City Council in 1934, representing the Gipps Ward. He sat on the electric-supply committee for thirty years. He was elected Lord Mayor of Melbourne in August 1951 and served until 1952. Nilsen retired from the Melbourne City Council in 1964.Nilsen was made a CBE
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
in 1956, and was also a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
. In 1944 he received the Australian Federation of Commercial Broadcasters' award.
Death
Nilsen died on 24 October 1977 in East Melbourne, leaving an estateEstate (law)
An estate is the net worth of a person at any point in time. It is the sum of a person's assets - legal rights, interests and entitlements to property of any kind - less all liabilities at that time. The issue is of special legal significance on a question of bankruptcy and death of the person...
valued at $1,845,530.