John Nott-Bower
Encyclopedia
Sir John Reginald Hornby Nott-Bower KCVO
KPM OStJ
(March 1892 – 3 October 1972) was Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
, the head of the London Metropolitan Police
, from 1953 to 1958. He was the first career police officer to hold this post.
Nott-Bower was the son of William Nott-Bower, then Chief Constable
of Liverpool
and later Commissioner of the City of London Police
, and the grandson of Major General Sir William Nott
GCB. He was educated at Tonbridge School
and joined the Indian Police Service
by competitive examination in 1911. He was posted to the United Provinces
and served there until 1921, when he returned to England to work at the India Office
in London. On 21 June 1918 he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant
in the Indian Army Reserve of Officers, he resigned the commission in 1922. In 1923 he returned to the United Provinces as a Superintendent
. He commanded successively Allahabad
, Lucknow
and Bareilly
districts, and also served in the Criminal Investigation Department
. In the 1949 King's Birthday Honours he was awarded the King's Police Medal (KPM) for bravery after he confronted Chandrashekhar Azad on 27 February 1931, after they had shot him in the thighs, making it impossible for him to escape. Azad was one of the most wanted revolutionaries in India. Azad had vowed not to be captured alive by the British, therefore with the last bullet left, he shot himself, for which John Nott-Bower is credited.
On 29 June 1933, Nott-Bower joined the Metropolitan Police as Chief Constable (deputy commander) of No.1 District (West End
, Wandsworth
and Hammersmith
). On 1 December 1933 he was promoted to Deputy Assistant Commissioner
in command of the district. On 23 July 1937 he was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
(CVO).
On 1 September 1940, he was appointed Assistant Commissioner "A"
, in charge of administration and uniformed policing. From 1945 to 1946 he was seconded to Austria as Inspector-General of the Public Safety Branch of the Allied Control Commission, and later as Director of the Internal Affairs Division of the Commission. On his return he was promoted to Deputy Commissioner
. He was made an Officer of the Order of St John
on 24 June 1949 and was knighted
in the King's Birthday Honours of 8 June 1950.
In the 1953 Coronation honours
he was raised to Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO). On 13 August 1953, Nott-Bower was appointed Commissioner. Although he had been a popular and energetic Assistant and Deputy Commissioner, he was regarded as a somewhat lacklustre Commissioner.
In his book of 1955 (Against the Law) Peter Wildeblood
refers to Nott-Bower's role in the 'Great Purge' quoting an article written by Donald Horne
for the Sydney Morning Telegraph printed on October 25th, 1953.
He introduced few reforms or innovations. He did set up the Research and Planning Branch and the Metropolitan and Provincial Regional Crime Squad and centralised traffic control in response to rising private car ownership. He did little to combat the rising crime rate, however; he refused to address the outdated hardline attitudes of many senior detective
s, which were becoming increasingly out of step with postwar society; and he did not support his men in their claims for better pay and conditions. Police pay fell rapidly below inflation
and rates of pay in the private sector. This caused recruiting problems and the force became seriously under strength. Nott-Bower was regarded by many of his officers as a pleasant but ineffectual man. He retired in August 1958.
In April 1960, Nott-Bower became Chairman of the Auto Call Company, a fire alarm manufacturer.
Nott-Bower was a skilled horse
man 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
.
Nott-Bower married Kathleen Buck in 1928. They had two sons and a daughter.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
KPM OStJ
Venerable Order of Saint John
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
(March 1892 – 3 October 1972) was Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis is the head of London's Metropolitan Police Service, classing the holder as a chief police officer...
, the head of the London Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan Police Service
The Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
, from 1953 to 1958. He was the first career police officer to hold this post.
Nott-Bower was the son of William Nott-Bower, then Chief Constable
Chief Constable
Chief constable is the rank used by the chief police officer of every territorial police force in the United Kingdom except for the City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police, as well as the chief officers of the three 'special' national police forces, the British Transport Police, Ministry...
of Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
and later Commissioner of the City of London Police
City of London Police
The City of London Police is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement within the City of London, England, including the Middle and Inner Temple. The service responsible for law enforcement within the rest of Greater London is the Metropolitan Police Service, a separate...
, and the grandson of Major General Sir William Nott
William Nott
Sir William Nott GCB was a British military leader in British India.- Early life :Nott was born in 1782, near Neath in Wales, the second son of Charles Nott, a Herefordshire farmer, who in 1794 became an innkeeper of the Ivy Bush Inn at Carmarthen in Wales...
GCB. He was educated at Tonbridge School
Tonbridge School
Tonbridge School is a British boys' independent school for both boarding and day pupils in Tonbridge, Kent, founded in 1553 by Sir Andrew Judd . It is a member of the Eton Group, and has close links with the Worshipful Company of Skinners, one of the oldest London livery companies...
and joined the Indian Police Service
Indian Police Service
The Indian Police Service , simply known as Indian Police or IPS, is one of the three All India Services of the Government of India...
by competitive examination in 1911. He was posted to the United Provinces
United Provinces of Agra and Oudh
The United Provinces of Agra and Oudh was a province of India under the British Raj, which existed from 1902 to 1947; the official name was shortened by the Government of India Act 1935 to United Provinces, by which the province had been commonly known, and by which name it was also a province of...
and served there until 1921, when he returned to England to work at the India Office
India Office
The India Office was a British government department created in 1858 to oversee the colonial administration of India, i.e. the modern-day nations of Bangladesh, Burma, India, and Pakistan, as well as territories in South-east and Central Asia, the Middle East, and parts of the east coast of Africa...
in London. On 21 June 1918 he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the Indian Army Reserve of Officers, he resigned the commission in 1922. In 1923 he returned to the United Provinces as a Superintendent
Superintendent (police)
Superintendent , often shortened to "super", is a rank in British police services and in most English-speaking Commonwealth nations. In many Commonwealth countries the full version is superintendent of police...
. He commanded successively Allahabad
Allahabad
Allahabad , or Settled by God in Persian, is a major city of India and is one of the main holy cities of Hinduism. It was renamed by the Mughals from the ancient name of Prayaga , and is by some accounts the second-oldest city in India. It is located in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh,...
, Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
and Bareilly
Bareilly
Bareilly is a prominent city in Bareilly district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Standing on the Ramganga river, it is the capital of the Bareilly division and the geographical region Rohilkhand...
districts, and also served in the Criminal Investigation Department
Criminal Investigation Department
The Crime Investigation Department is the branch of all Territorial police forces within the British Police and many other Commonwealth police forces, to which plain clothes detectives belong. It is thus distinct from the Uniformed Branch and the Special Branch.The Metropolitan Police Service CID,...
. In the 1949 King's Birthday Honours he was awarded the King's Police Medal (KPM) for bravery after he confronted Chandrashekhar Azad on 27 February 1931, after they had shot him in the thighs, making it impossible for him to escape. Azad was one of the most wanted revolutionaries in India. Azad had vowed not to be captured alive by the British, therefore with the last bullet left, he shot himself, for which John Nott-Bower is credited.
On 29 June 1933, Nott-Bower joined the Metropolitan Police as Chief Constable (deputy commander) of No.1 District (West End
West End of London
The West End of London is an area of central London, containing many of the city's major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buildings, and entertainment . Use of the term began in the early 19th century to describe fashionable areas to the west of Charing Cross...
, Wandsworth
Wandsworth
Wandsworth is a district of south London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-Toponymy:...
and Hammersmith
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
). On 1 December 1933 he was promoted to Deputy Assistant Commissioner
Deputy Assistant Commissioner
Deputy assistant commissioner is a rank in London's Metropolitan Police Service between assistant commissioner and commander. It is equivalent to deputy chief constable in other British police forces and wears the same insignia: a pip above crossed tipstaves within a wreath.The rank was introduced...
in command of the district. On 23 July 1937 he was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(CVO).
On 1 September 1940, he was appointed Assistant Commissioner "A"
Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, usually just Assistant Commissioner , is the third highest rank in London's Metropolitan Police, ranking below Deputy Commissioner and above Deputy Assistant Commissioner. There are usually four officers in the rank...
, in charge of administration and uniformed policing. From 1945 to 1946 he was seconded to Austria as Inspector-General of the Public Safety Branch of the Allied Control Commission, and later as Director of the Internal Affairs Division of the Commission. On his return he was promoted to Deputy Commissioner
Deputy Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
The Deputy Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, commonly referred to simply as the Deputy Commissioner, is the second-in-command of London's Metropolitan Police Service. The rank is senior to Assistant Commissioner, but junior by one rank to Commissioner...
. He was made an Officer of the Order of St John
Venerable Order of Saint John
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
on 24 June 1949 and was knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in the King's Birthday Honours of 8 June 1950.
In the 1953 Coronation honours
Coronation of the British monarch
The coronation of the British monarch is a ceremony in which the monarch of the United Kingdom is formally crowned and invested with regalia...
he was raised to Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO). On 13 August 1953, Nott-Bower was appointed Commissioner. Although he had been a popular and energetic Assistant and Deputy Commissioner, he was regarded as a somewhat lacklustre Commissioner.
In his book of 1955 (Against the Law) Peter Wildeblood
Peter Wildeblood
Peter Wildeblood was a British-Canadian journalist, novelist, playwright, and gay rights campaigner. He was one of the first men in the UK to publicly declare his homosexuality.-Career:...
refers to Nott-Bower's role in the 'Great Purge' quoting an article written by Donald Horne
Donald Horne
Professor Donald Horne was an Australian journalist, writer, social critic, and academic who became one of Australia's best known public intellectuals....
for the Sydney Morning Telegraph printed on October 25th, 1953.
"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(Baron Montagu Beaulieu) 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 nation-wide 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 BurgessGuy BurgessGuy Francis De Moncy Burgess was a British-born intelligence officer and double agent, who worked for the Soviet Union. He was part of the Cambridge Five spy ring that betrayed Western secrets to the Soviets before and during the Cold War...
, 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 Regional Crime Squad and centralised traffic control in response to rising private car ownership. He did little to combat the rising crime rate, however; he refused to address the outdated hardline attitudes of many senior detective
Detective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
s, which were becoming increasingly out of step with postwar society; and he did not support his men in their claims for better pay and conditions. Police pay fell rapidly below inflation
Inflation
In economics, inflation is a rise in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy over a period of time.When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services. Consequently, inflation also reflects an erosion in the purchasing power of money – a...
and rates of pay in the private sector. This caused recruiting problems and the force became seriously under strength. Nott-Bower was regarded by many of his officers as a pleasant but ineffectual man. He retired in August 1958.
In April 1960, Nott-Bower became Chairman of the Auto Call Company, a fire alarm manufacturer.
Nott-Bower was a skilled horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
man and polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
player. He played rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
for Tonbridge School and golf for the Metropolitan Police and Mid-Surrey. He was also very fond of bridge
Contract bridge
Contract bridge, usually known simply as bridge, is a trick-taking card game using a standard deck of 52 playing cards played by four players in two competing partnerships with partners sitting opposite each other around a small table...
and fly fishing
Fly fishing
Fly fishing is an angling method in which an artificial 'fly' is used to catch fish. The fly is cast using a fly rod, reel, and specialized weighted line. Casting a nearly weightless fly or 'lure' requires casting techniques significantly different from other forms of casting...
.
Nott-Bower married Kathleen Buck in 1928. They had two sons and a daughter.