Lots of Nicholls - Can't find the connection? (Family Grave!)

[Talie]

Good evening 

Today, after hell tracking it! I managed to find the burial record and the plot number of my 3x great grandfather Ralph Richard Nicholls' grave. So off I went to the cemetery to go seek him out, I finally found his plot. To my suprise the front of the plot was marked "Nicholls" and there was 4 people with the surname Nicholls in it. However none of them were my Ralph Richard! It'll be my guess that maybe he couldn't afford to have his name put on it, however I have absolutely no clue how he is connected to this other bunch of people. I'm wondering if anyone could help me find any sort of connection?

My Ralph Richard Nicholls (also known as Richard) was born in Hornchurch, Essex in 1864 to James Nicholls (1830-1869 Knodishalll, Suffolk) and Eliza Simpson (1834-1826 Hornchurch, Essex)

From the info on the sides of the graves the other guys were
John Terry Nicholls 1865-1945
(his wife) Elizabeth 1866-1948
"our daughter" Ida unknown birth - 1940
& Olive unknown birth - 1975

I could be wrong, but it seems a bit strange that Ralph Richard would be put into a rather large Nicholls family grave 2nd, if he wasn't connected in any way to the family.

Also, from the burial record I found the house he died at. I also found a record of 2 other Nicholls people who died In the very same house as Ralph did but in different years!
a Richard James Nicholls 1915-1940 (he could of well been living with Ralph judging by the years)
and Elizabeth Nicholls 1909-1923 (her and Richard James were actually burried together, I have no idea how they're connected)

If anyone could help me solve this massive Nicholls Nightmare, i'd appreciate it! I really hope this all makes sence, if it doesn't i'll be around to provide any more information as I have a feeling I could be up all night searching myself.. 

[groom]

Hi

Here are the family from the grave in 1901


John T Nicholls   36                 Devonport Devon
Elizabeth Nicholls   35         Westminster, London
Olive M Nicholls   12          Plaistow, Essex
Ida L Nicholls   9                   Plaistow, Essex

RG13; Piece: 1605; Folio: 144; Page: 40
East Ham

So John was born some distance away from Ralph.

They were in East Ham in 1891  RG12; Piece: 1328; Folio 55; Page 29

Jan

[Talie]

Hi

Here are the family from the grave in 1901


John T Nicholls   36                 Devonport Devon
Elizabeth Nicholls   35         Westminster, London
Olive M Nicholls   12          Plaistow, Essex
Ida L Nicholls   9                   Plaistow, Essex

RG13; Piece: 1605; Folio: 144; Page: 40
East Ham

So John was born some distance away from Ralph.

Jan

Woah that is quite some distance! That makes proving a connection even harder..
I don't have any access to the census records.
But i've found that Ida was born Ida Lizzie Nicholls born 1891 (reg. in west ham) died 1940
and Olive was born Olive Mary Nicholls born 1888 (reg. in west ham) died 1975. Looks like she never married..
John Terry Nicholls married Elizabeth Willmot 1887 (reg. in west ham)

[groom]

This could be John's family in 1871


William Nicholls   50      Shipwright               St Ives, Cornwall
Louisa Nicholls   39                                     Falmouth, Cornwall
Louisa Nicholls   14                                     Devonport, Devon
Jane Nicholls   12                                     Devonport, Devon
George Nicholls   10                             Devonport, Devon
John Nicholls   6                                       Devonport, Devon
Maine Nicholls   3                                       Devonport, Devon
Fred Nicholls   11 Months                         Devonport, Devon

RG10; Piece: 636; Folio: 132; Page: 53
St Olave Southwark

[groom]

1881


William Nicholls   60  Marine Draughtsman (Ship Builder)  St Ives
Louisa Nicholls   46                                                           Falmouth
Louisa Nicholls   23                                                           Stoke Damarel, Devon
John J. Nicholls   16                                                           Stoke Damarel, Devon
Minnie Nicholls   13                                                           Stoke Damarel, Devon
Henry S. Nicholls   8                                                     W Ham, Essex
Kate Nicholls   4                                                              W Ham, Essex

RG11; Piece: 1710; Folio: 51; Page: 23
St Ives ? Cottage Howe Rd West Ham

[groom]

FamilySearch has a submitted entry

William Nicholls
Birth:
Christening:    
15 APR 1821     Saint Ives, Cornwall, England

         
Parents:
    Father:    William Nicholls   

    Mother:    Catherine

[Talie]

FamilySearch has a submitted entry

William Nicholls
Birth:
Christening:    
15 APR 1821     Saint Ives, Cornwall, England

         
Parents:
    Father:    William Nicholls   

    Mother:    Catherine

So far none of this matches up with my family tree.. the further I go back with my Nicholls side, the more they're into the suffolk area.
Could it be possible that there is no connection at all, and my Ralph and this random John Terrey Nicholls bonded over their mutual surname and allowed him to be burried in their plot, but never named him on it?
 
Could it even maybe be possible that these other two guys, Elizabeth & Richard James Nicholls be John Terrey's kids who lodged with Ralph, they died and when it came to Ida dying.. they then brought a large plot for the rest of the family and took pity on Ralph as he was proberly a poor widow and let him into their plot?

[groom]

It looks a bit like that, or may be the undertakers just buried him there because of the same name. 

[groom]

When did Ralph Richard die was it 1941, Romford? I cant find him in any censuses.

Think I ought to go to bed now - I'll look again tomorrow unless any one else can throw any light on this.