John Nott-Bower
Sir John Nott-Bower QPM | |
|---|---|
| Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis | |
| In office 1953–1958 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | Winston Churchill Anthony Eden Harold Macmillan |
| Preceded by | Sir Harold Scott |
| Succeeded by | Sir Joseph Simpson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | John Reginald Hornby Nott-Bower 16 March 1892[1] Liverpool, Lancashire, England[2] |
| Died | 3 October 1972 |
| Profession | Police officer |
Sir John Reginald Hornby Nott-Bower
Nott-Bower was a skilled horseman and polo player. He played rugby union for Tonbridge School and golf for the Metropolitan Police and Mid-Surrey. He was also very fond of bridge and fly fishing.
Early life and career in India
Nott-Bower was the son of
In 1923 he returned to the United Provinces as a
Metropolitan Police
On 29 June 1933, Nott-Bower joined the Metropolitan Police as Chief Constable (second in command) of No.1 District, consisting of A (Whitehall), B (Westminster), C (St James's), T (Hammersmith) and V (Wandsworth)
On 1 September 1940, he was appointed
Commissioner
On 13 August 1953, Nott-Bower was appointed Commissioner.[11] Although he had been a popular and energetic Assistant and Deputy Commissioner, he was regarded as a somewhat lacklustre Commissioner.
In his 1955 book Against the Law, Peter Wildeblood quotes an article written by Donald Horne for the Sydney Morning Telegraph printed on 25 October 1953 referring to Nott-Bower's role in the 'Great Purge' .
"The plan originated under strong United States advice to Britain to weed out homosexuals – as hopeless security risks – from important Government jobs.
One of the Yard's top-rankers, Commander E. A. Cole, recently spent three months in America consulting with FBI officials in putting finishing touches to the plan. But the plan was extended as a war on all vice when Sir John Nott-Bower took over as the new Commissioner at Scotland Yard in August. Sir John swore he would rip the cover off all London's filth spots.... Under laxer police methods before the US-inspired plan began, and before Sir John moved into the top job at the Yard as a man with a mission, Montagu and his film-director friend Kenneth Hume might never have been charged with grave offences against Boy Scouts.... Sir John swung into action on a nationwide scale. He enlisted the support of local police throughout England to step up the number of arrests for homosexual offences. For many years past the police had turned a blind eye to male vice. They made arrests only when definite complaints were made from innocent people, or where homosexuality had encourages other crimes. They knew the names of thousands of perverts – many of high social position and some world famous – but they took no action. Now, meeting Sir John's demands, they are making it a priority job to increase the number of arrests....
The Special Branch began compiling a "Black Book" of known perverts in influential Government jobs after the disappearance of the diplomats Donald Maclean and Guy Burgess, who were known to have pervert associates. Now comes the difficult task of side-tracking these men into less important jobs – or putting them behind bars."
He introduced few reforms or innovations. He did set up the Research and Planning Branch and the Metropolitan and Provincial
Honours
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| Ribbon | Description | Notes |
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Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) |
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| Knight Bachelor | ||
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Order of Saint John (OStJ) |
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King's Police Medal |
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British War Medal | |
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Defence Medal | |
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King George V Silver Jubilee Medal |
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King George VI Coronation Medal |
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Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal |
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Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal |
Notes
- ^ Liverpool, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1917
- ^ 1911 England Census
- ^ "No. 31230". The London Gazette. 14 March 1919. p. 3492.
- ^ "No. 32746". The London Gazette. 12 September 1922. p. 3492.
- ^ "No. 33722". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 June 1931. p. 3637.
- ^ "No. 34420". The London Gazette. 23 July 1937. pp. 4733–4734.
- ^ "No. 38650". The London Gazette. 24 June 1949. p. 3132.
- ^ "No. 38929". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 June 1950. p. 2775.
- ^ "No. 38963". The London Gazette. 7 July 1950. p. 3512.
- ^ "No. 39863". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 May 1953. p. 2946.
- ^ "No. 39941". The London Gazette. 18 August 1953. p. 4483.
- ^ "Sir John Reginald Hornby Nott-Bower – National Portrait Gallery".
References
- Obituary, The Times, 5 October 1972
- Martin Fido & Keith Skinner, The Official Encyclopedia of Scotland Yard, Virgin Books, London: 1999