Born to George Nicholls, a leather worker, and Lousia King in the later part of 1866. Arthur and his eight known siblings lived in Camberwell, Surrey.

At age 15 he was working as a bookbinder and by 1901, he was still living at home with his parents and working as an insurance agent.

He was married to Edith Louisa Cannell, neé King, a widowed victualler, in Peckham, 1907.  The pair had no children and by 1911 it seems their relationship had deteriorated. Edith had reverted to her former married name, claiming to be a widow while Arthur had gone to work at sea. He was giving his birthplace as Stratford-on-Avon and taking a decade of his age., stating he was unmarried. 

He perished in the disaster an his body, if recovered, was never identified.