AustLit

Nixon was educated in England at the Royal Naval School, and articled to a London architect before coming to Australia in 1853. Originally employed as a government architect at Beechworth, he established The Owens and Murray Advertiser on 6 January 1855, later launching an opposition journal, The Constitution. After working on newspapers in Bendigo and Ballarat, Nixon joined the literary staff of The Melbourne Morning Herald.

Nixon worked as editor of various newspapers including The Southern Courier, The Hamilton Spectator, The Wagga Wagga Advertiser, and The Townsville Herald (for 18 months from February 1878). As the majority shareholder of Nixon & Company, he served as managing director and editor of The Daily Northern Argus in Rockhampton from 1881. Suffering from severe insomnia, Nixon committed suicide on 5 November 1883, leaving a widow and ten children.

(Source: Rod Kirkpatrick. Sworn to No Master: A History of the Provincial Press in Queensland to 1930. 1984.)

Nixon was the grandfather of playwright Mona Brand.