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Name: NOTLEY, William Kilmister DSO (Col.)
![image of individual](/_site/data/files/images/people/F0-1/SF1-2/1520/bmwgx9lq.jpg)
Birth Date: 24 Aug 1880 Figheldean, Wiltshire
Death Date: 6 June 1950 Gorbio, Alpes Maritimes, South of France
First Date: 1907
Last Date: 1922
Profession: Commissioner of Police in Nairobi. Served on Municipal Committee in 1912. SA Constabulary 1901-07, Uganda Police 1907-08, BEA Police 1908-20
Area: Uganda, Nairobi, Mombasa
Married: Joan King née Sweeting b. 27 Dec 1882, d. 21 Sep 1960 Exeter (prev. m. in 1904 to Launcelot Noel Frederick Irvine King 1878-1947)
Children: 1 daughter
Book Reference: Gillett, HBEA, Cuckoo, Police, Debrett, KAD, Red 25, Playne, EA & Rhodesia, Drumkey, Red 22, Gazette, DSO, Leader14, Red Book 1912, Web, Red 19
War Service: East African units
School: Sherborne School
General Information:
Awarded King's Police Medal 1918
HBEA 1912 - Commissioner of Police.
Police - First Commissioner of Police in EA in 1908. He was at that time Deputy Inspector General of Police in Uganda. ................ After serving during the SA War with the SA Constabulary, when he received the Queen's Medal with 5 clasps he joined the Colonial Police and was appointed Deputy Inspector General of Police in Uganda.
In 1908 he was transferred to BEA as the first Commissioner of Police. During WW1 he was given the temporary rank of Lieut.-Col. and in 1918 awarded the DSO for his services.. In that year he also received the King's Police Medal, and in 1919 Italy made him a Chevalier of the Order of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus. For a period in 1920 Notley acted as Chief Secretary and was a member of Legco; and later, during the absence of the Governor on leave, he was appointed Acting Governor. In the annals of the Colonial Police this must have been unique. He was a keen revolver shot and donated a cup for revolver shooting, which bore his name and was competed for annually. It was lost in the fire at Nairobi Police Lines during May, 1948.
Notley retired in 1922 and made his home in the South of France (Gorbio), but was forced to leave there during WW2. He returned after the war concluded and died, aged 69, on May 12th 1950 [wrong]. Both Edwards and Notley were extremely efficient. They accomplished a great deal in improving the Force. The results could be regarded as monumental. ........... In 1922 he retired after 14 years' invaluable work in command of the Force.
Debrett - is Lieut.-Col. on Special List, Commr. of Police Kenya Colony and an official MLC of the Colony; European War 1914-18 (despatches, DSO, Order of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus of Italy)
KAD 1922 - Commissioner of Police
Red 25 - Commissioner of Police 1908-1922
Playne - In 1908 Captain W.F.S. Edwards DSO, Inspector-General of the Uganda Police, was appointed Inspector-General of the Police of both Protectorates, and Mr Donald returned to the magistracy. Captain Riddick was transferred to the Uganda Police as Commissioner, and Mr W.K. Notley, Deputy Inspector-General of the Uganda Police, was transferred to the EA Police as Commissioner.
East Africa & Rhodesia - 13/7/50 - Lieut.-Colonel W.K. Notley, whose death has been announced, was a member of the South African Constabulary at the beginning of the century, joined the Uganda Police after the Boer War, and later transferred to the East Africa Protectorate, now Kenya, as Commissioner of Police. After the 1914-18 war he acted as Chief Secretary, and during the absence of the Governor was on one occasion Acting Governor. On retirement he went to live on the Riviera. He is survived by Mrs Notley and a daughter.
Gazette - 23/9/1914 - Appt. - Provost Marshal (Protectorate Troops) - W.K. Notley Esq., Commissioner of Police, BEA, to date September 3rd 1914
Red Book 1912 - W.K. Notley - Nairobi
Web - Divorce Court File: 9004. Appellant: Launcelot Noel Frederick Irvine King. Respondent: Joan King. Co-respondent: William Kilmister Notley. Type: Husband's petition for divorce [hd].
Red Book 1912 - Police Dept. - Commissioner
Red Book 1919 - Commissioner of Police - W.K. Notley, DSO
Red Book 1919 - East Africa Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), Nairobi - President
1939 England and Wales Register living with wife in St Thomas, Devon, as colonial civil servant, retired
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