{{Short description|Australian businessman and politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}} {{Use Australian English|date=June 2018}} {{Infobox officeholder| | honorific_prefix = | name =Sir Norman Nock | honorific_suffix = | image =Norman Lindfield Nock.jpg | caption =Norman Lindfield Nock (1938) | order = 63rd Lord Mayor of Sydney | term_start =1 January 1938 | term_end =31 December 1939 | deputy = | predecessor =Archibald Howie | successor =Stanley Crick | office1 =Alderman of the City of Sydney | term_start1 =3 December 1934 | term_end1 =5 December 1941 | constituency1 =Gipps Ward | order2 = | term_start2 = | term_end2 = | predecessor2 = | successor2 = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1899|04|11|df=y}} | birth_place = Lindfield, New South Wales, Australia | death_date = {{death date and age|1990|06|24|1899|04|11|df=y}} | death_place = Kincumber, New South Wales, Australia | spouse = Ethel Evelyna Bradford<br/>(m. 1927–1990; his death) | relatives = | children = Graham Nock | parents = Thomas Nock | occupation = }} '''Sir Norman Lindfield Nock''' (11 April 1899 – 24 June 1990) was an Australian businessman and politician. Nock was Chairman and managing director of the family hardware retail firm, Nock & Kirby, from 1925 to 1979, and was an Alderman of the City of Sydney, rising to become Lord Mayor for two terms in 1938 and 1939.<ref name="ADB">{{cite web |last1=Fitzgerald |first1=Shirley |title=Nock, Sir Norman Lindfield (1899–1990) |url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/nock-sir-norman-lindfield-14995/text26184 |website=Australian Dictionary of Biography |publisher=National Centre of Biography, Australian National University |access-date=23 June 2018 |date=2012}}</ref><ref name=SydAld>{{cite web|title=Norman Lindfield Nock|url=http://www.sydneyaldermen.com.au/alderman/norman-nock/|website=Sydney's Aldermen|publisher=City of Sydney|accessdate=23 June 2018}}</ref>
==Early life and career== Norman Lindfield Nock was born on 11 April 1899 in Lindfield, New South Wales, as the youngest child of Thomas Nock and Eliza Jane Simmonds.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Spearritt |first1=Peter |title=Nock, Thomas (1860–1951) |url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/nock-thomas-7856 |website=Australian Dictionary of Biography |publisher=National Centre of Biography, Australian National University |access-date=23 June 2018 |date=1988}}</ref> After receiving his education at Sydney Church of England Grammar School, at age 18 he joined the staff of Farmer & Company's department store in Pitt Street, Sydney. After being rejected for war service on medical grounds, Nock travelled to England in 1919 and worked at Selfridges in London, and later at John Wanamaker & Co in New York. Returning to Australia, Nock joined the family firm of Nock & Kirby, which his father had established in 1894 with Herbert Kirby, and left Australia again in 1923 to establish a branch of the company in London.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article245828573 |title=MR. NORMAN NOCK FAREWELLED |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|issue=13,627 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=13 January 1923 |accessdate=23 June 2018 |page=19 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
Nock returned to Sydney in 1925 to take up the post of managing director of Nock & Kirby on the sudden death of his brother, Harold Thomas Nock.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16228292 |title=DEATH OF MR. H. T. NOCK. |newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald|issue=27,276 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=6 June 1925 |accessdate=23 June 2018 |page=16 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Nock undertook an expansion of the business and in 1933 opened a prominent new main store in George Street.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article248129188 |title=BIG MOVE BY NOCK AND KIRBY |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |volume=3 |issue=132 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=19 July 1933 |accessdate=23 June 2018 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> On 22 October 1927, he married Ethel Evelyna Bradford at St Philip's Church, Sydney.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article239830658 |title=WEDDING BELLS |newspaper=The Labor Daily |issue=1163 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=24 October 1927 |accessdate=23 June 2018 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> A member of the Retail Traders' Association of New South Wales since 1930, Nock was elected president in 1932.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16897264 |title=RETAIL TRADERS' PRESIDENT. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=29,471 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=18 June 1932 |accessdate=23 June 2018 |page=17 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
==Political career== This notability assisted when he joined the conservative Civic Reform Association, and was elected as an alderman for Gipps Ward of the City of Sydney at the 1934 election.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223064593 |title=ELECTION OF ALDERMEN OF THE CITY OF SYDNEY. |newspaper=Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales |issue=220 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=7 December 1934 |accessdate=23 June 2018 |page=4362 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article28021298 |title=CITY COUNCIL |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=30,242 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=6 December 1934 |accessdate=23 June 2018 |page=11 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
In December 1937, when Archibald Howie declined to run for a third term as Lord Mayor, Nock was endorsed by the Civic Reform majority to succeed him for the 1938 term, and was subsequently elected unanimously, with the unusual concurrence of all Labor Party aldermen.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27980512 |title=LORD MAYOR. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|issue=31,185 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=14 December 1937 |accessdate=23 June 2018 |page=10 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article247336444 |title=Ald. Nock For Lord Mayoralty |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |volume=II |issue=229 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=14 December 1937 |accessdate=23 June 2018 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17438026 |title=LORD MAYOR. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=31,186 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=15 December 1937 |accessdate=22 June 2018 |page=16 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> As Lord Mayor, Nock caused a degree of controversy when he agreed in June 1938 to make Sydney Town Hall available for a lecture series by Felix von Luckner, a German naval officer and yachtsman, who had links to the Nazi Party. Nock defended his permission on the basis that he understood that the lectures were not of a "political nature".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article231038127 |title=Von Luckner To Lecture in Town Hall |newspaper=The Sun |issue=8862 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=1 June 1938 |accessdate=23 June 2018 |page=3|via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17470409 |title=VON LUCKNER. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=31,331 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=2 June 1938 |accessdate=23 June 2018 |page=11 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17490990 |title=USE OF TOWN HALL. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=31,342 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=15 June 1938 |accessdate=23 June 2018 |page=18 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
Nock stood for a second term as Lord Mayor in December 1938 and, in a reflection of his appeal across party divisions, was again elected unanimously with the dual nominations from the Civic Reform and Labor aldermen, which was described as a first for the City of Sydney.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17548714 |title=ALDERMAN NOCK RE-ELECTED. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=31,498 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=14 December 1938 |accessdate=23 June 2018 |page=17 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38713098 |title=Sydney's Lord Mayor Elected Unanimously |newspaper=The Courier-mail |issue=1649 |location=Queensland, Australia |date=14 December 1938 |accessdate=22 June 2018 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167352606 |title=Ald. Nock Again Lord Mayor of Sydney |newspaper=The Newcastle Sun |issue=6550 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=13 December 1938 |accessdate=23 June 2018 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Described as having "gained the friendship and esteem of all members of the council" and "very popular in business and State political circles", Nock was knighted in the 1939 Birthday Honours, which was conferred by the Governor-General of Australia, Lord Gowrie.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27973482 |title=KNIGHTHOOD FOR LORD MAYOR. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=31,646 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=5 June 1939 |accessdate=23 June 2018 |page=11 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette |issue=34633|date=6 June 1939|page=3853|supp=1}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette |issue=34810|date=12 March 1940|page=1467}}</ref>
As mayor on the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, Nock declared to the 1939 congress of the RSL that "We must fight desperately for what we believe to be democracy. We must do what our forefathers did and what you gentlemen have done."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article193668805 |title=BRITISH NATION |newspaper=The Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser |issue=1454 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=20 September 1939 |accessdate=23 June 2018 |page=4|via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Nock later served as chairman of the Lord Mayor's Patriotic and War Fund.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17642877 |title=PATRIOTIC FUND. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=31,816 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=20 December 1939 |accessdate=23 June 2018 |page=12 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Although initially considering a third term as Lord Mayor, Nock decided to follow his Civic Reform party and support the candidacy of Stanley Crick for the 1940 term.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17623639 |title=LORD MAYORALTY. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|issue=31,769 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=26 October 1939 |accessdate=23 June 2018 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> In October 1941 Nock informed his colleagues that he would not be standing for re-election as an alderman at the December 1941 election.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17768355 |title=TO RETIRE FROM CITY COUNCIL |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=32,383 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=11 October 1941 |accessdate=23 June 2018 |page=12 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
==Later life== In April 1940, Nock was appointed as a director of the board of the Royal North Shore Hospital and was later elected as chairman of the board, serving until his retirement in 1969.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article225591671 |title=PUBLIC HOSPITALS ACT, 1929-1937. |newspaper=Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales |issue=57 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=12 April 1940 |accessdate=23 June 2018 |page=1698 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17657081 |title=ROYAL NORTH SHORE HOSPITAL. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|issue=31,925 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=25 April 1940 |accessdate=23 June 2018 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article220063733 |title=PUBLIC HOSPITALS ACT, 1929, AS AMENDED |newspaper=Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales |issue=10 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=24 January 1969 |accessdate=23 June 2018 |page=206 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=New hospital chairman|agency=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=14 November 1968 |page=8}}</ref> He also served as a director of David Jones, with Charles Lloyd Jones praising his appointment because of his "close knowledge of the retail trade".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article231228626 |title=SIR NORMAN NOCK AS DIRECTOR |newspaper=The Sun |issue=9396 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=14 February 1940 |accessdate=23 June 2018 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17672088 |title=DAVID JONES LTD. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|issue=31,865 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=15 February 1940 |accessdate=23 June 2018 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> In December 1944, Lloyd Jones stood down as Managing Director of David Jones and Nock succeeded him for a period of fifteen months.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article229266991 |title=Sir Norman Nock Head of David Jones |newspaper=The Sun |issue=10903 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=30 December 1944 |accessdate=23 June 2018 |page=3 (LAST RACE) |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
Nock also served as member of the National Health and Medical Research Council from 1946 to 1969, president (1954–1969) of the NRMA, and a director of Qantas Empire Airways (1961–1966).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article29763720 |title=SIR NORMAN NOCK'S NEW APPOINTMENT |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=33,815 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=10 May 1946 |accessdate=23 June 2018 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article119250496 |title=N.R.M.A. PRESIDENT |newspaper=The Braidwood Dispatch And Mining Journal |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=6 August 1954 |accessdate=23 June 2018 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref name="ADB"/><ref>{{cite book |last1=Gunn |first1=John |title=High Corridors: Qantas, 1954-1970 |date=1988 |publisher=University of Queensland Press |location=St Lucia |pages=361–362 |isbn=9780702221286 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CkrYeQcU6K4C}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=President of N.R.M.A. steps down |agency=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=26 September 1969 |page=5}}</ref>
Nock oversaw the regional expansion of Nock & Kirby, with several new stores in suburban and regional locations opening throughout the 1960s. In 1973, Nock retired as managing director of the family firm, with his son, Graham, succeeding him. Nock nevertheless continued in the firm as chairman of the board until 1979.<ref name="ADB"/> Graham Nock also served as an Alderman of the City of Sydney for Gipps Ward between 1962 and 1967.<ref>{{cite web |title=Graham Nock |url=http://www.sydneyaldermen.com.au/alderman/graham-nock/ |website=Sydney's Aldermen |publisher=City of Sydney |accessdate=23 June 2018}}</ref>
Survived by his wife and son, Nock died on 24 June 1990 at Kincumber and was cremated.<ref name="ADB"/> A lecture theatre at Royal North Shore Hospital was named after him in honour of his role at the hospital and its status as a teaching hospital.<ref>{{cite web |title=History of the Northern Clinical School |url=http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/northern/about/history/index.php |website=The University of Sydney Northern Clinical School |publisher=University of Sydney |accessdate=23 June 2018}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-bus}} {{s-bef|before= Harold Thomas Nock }} {{s-ttl|title= Managing Director of Nock & Kirby|years=1925{{spaced ndash}}1973}} {{s-aft|after= Graham Nock }} {{s-civ}} {{s-bef|before= Archibald Howie}} {{s-ttl|title=Lord Mayor of Sydney|years=1938{{spaced ndash}}1939}} {{s-aft|after= Stanley Crick}} {{s-civ|med}} {{s-bef|before= A. H. Hirst }} {{s-ttl |title= Chairman of the Royal North Shore Hospital | years = 1940{{spaced ndash}}1968 }} {{s-aft|after= Bob Hynes}} {{s-npo}} {{S-bef| before= C. R. Davidson }} {{S-ttl| title= President of the NRMA | years=1954{{spaced ndash}}1969}} {{S-aft| after= Reginald Edward Ludowici}} {{s-end}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nock, Norman Lindfield}} Category:1899 births Category:1990 deaths Category:20th-century mayors of places in Australia Category:Australian businesspeople in retailing Category:Politicians from Sydney Category:Australian chairpersons of corporations Category:People educated at Sydney Church of England Grammar School Category:Australian Knights Bachelor Category:Mayors and lord mayors of Sydney Category:Civic Reform Association politicians Category:Qantas people Category:Businesspeople from Sydney Category:Businesspeople awarded knighthoods