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Name: BROWN, William Norman Reid

Birth Date: 1905 Carlisle

First Date: 1929

Profession: Asst. Inspector, Kenya Police in 1939, appointed 1936. Originally Constable 1929

Area: Ravine 1939

Married: 1934 Phyllis Alfreda Warmingham b. Reading 1899, d. 17 Jan 1986 East Grinstead

Book Reference: Staff 39, Red 31, Colonial, Ord, Bur

School: Shawlands Academy Glasgow and Leeds Central High School

General Information:

Ord - 1948 - ? 'Bullseye' Brown, a rather fussy little man, around 45 years of age. He had evidently been a first class rifle shot and he was known to mutter after each shot, whether on the range or hunting, 'Bull's eye!' He was also quite a disciplinarian in a bullish sort of way, and had a few years' frontier service. He came to Kakamega for a short time after home leave ……….. Bullseye Brown and I had many differences of opinion over discipline and police work. I think he resented my military background and Metropolitan Police training but he was no slouch. Although small in stature, he had a smart bearing and appearance. He did at one time start to tell me about his forbears but did not complete the telling so I never learned how he came to join the Kenya Police nor much about his previous service. …… Bullseye Brown had served many years in the lonely Frontier Provinces, known as the Northern Frontier District - Marsabit, Isiolo, Garissa, Moyale, Mandera - the border area between Northern Kenya and Abyssinia, Sudan and Somalia. His wife Phyllis was a charming person but frequently unwell. They had been in Kenya 11 years at this time, married but without children. I stayed with them when I came to Kakamega ……… At first I found him difficult to get on with, as he was eccentric and when he had had a few drinks tended to take over any proceedings, frequently changing a dance record or breaking into song in mid-session, or changing partners without a by-your-leave. He also tended towards moroseness. Sometimes he was full of self-importance and at others silent and pensive, and really unwell. I thought he had a screw loose and told him so! He was 10 years older than I but seemed younger and in need of fathering. Anyway I'm pleased I had tried to tell him what I thought of him because we seemed to get along a lot better afterwards and became fairly friendly.
Nairobi City Park Burial Register - Wilfred Norman Brown, age 42, died 26/10/1951 ?
Red 31 has W.N. Brown, Ola Bonaita.
Colonial - Inspector 1942; Ch. Inspector 1945; Asst. Supt. 1947

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