Nairobi. Kenya

[Scorpio Rising]

You know how it is, you have childhood memories of an uncle or aunt but later in life you can't put them all together and produce results. Thats the delemer  I'm facing now.
I have vivid memories of an uncle, who I must of only met 4 or 5 times, and what I was told about him at the time. I was told that he was a high ranking member of the Kenya police force broberly between 1950 and 1960, I have trolled the internet to try and find more information about him and his career in East Africa but have drawn a complete blank. I have his birth, marriage and death records but thats all. Does anyone know of an archive that I can search to find the details I am looking for? Thanks.

[whiteout7]

If he is deceased just post his name and someone here might be able to find a trace of him

[Scorpio Rising]

His name is Leonard Roy Brown. born 1921 Cornwall, England. died 2002 Somerset, England.

[whiteout7]

I have a feeling this might be difficult to find individual information as the 1950's were the period of time when there was the Maumau uprising and it ended in 1960. From my reading it was not a nice time in Kenya.

http://www.academia.edu/4406247/History_of_the_Police_in_Kenya_1885-1960

" In 1954 the (Kenyan) Police force consisted of about 14.000 policemen. To handle the difficult situation about 200 Police Signals stations were set up, the import of more British trained policemen were employed, the vehicles were equipped with wireless communication and several District Military Intelligence Officers were appointed countrywide.The emergency ended in 1960."

Was he a police man in the UK? Perhaps that would be easier to find?

[Scorpio Rising]

Yes he often mentioned the Mau Mau problem. As far as I know by what I was told he was a police chief in either Nairobi or Mombasa. There is a record that may be him returning to England in 1949 but I remember him from the mid 50s to the 60s. he was married in 1945 and had a daughter in 1948. I presume that he kept going to and fro between England and Kenya but I have only found the one immigration record to England so far. I do not know if he was a uk policeman.

[GrahamSimons]

The Kenya Gazette is online and searchable. Might be a mention there - it's similar in function and content to the London Gazette. As far as I know the newspapers of the day have yet to be digitised, although at least some copies of the East African Standard are held by the British Library. A newspaper search would be needle in a haystack or worse.
I have no idea whether this idea would work: are the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, or Colonial Office, records of the time likely to yield anything? They would be released by now under the 20-year rule so should be accessible at the National Archives in Kew.

[brionne]

Checked birth records to make sure you have correct name.

Believe your guy is actually Leonard Roy Kearsley-Brown born Truro 1st Qtr 1921.
There are two registrations for him,with both same registration number,[one without Kearsley.]

A sailing Liverpool to Canada on Empress of Australia comes up, 30th June 1953. Planning Officer age 32,
18 Little Orchard,Churchdown, Glos.
This gives you a bit more to go on, Brionne.

[Scorpio Rising]

Thanks brionne for the info. I am aware of the 2 birth registrations but he never used the Leonard of Kearsley names as far as I know.

[brionne]

Sailing record his name would be as on his passport.

The death you have for Leonard Roy Brown in Yeovil Somerset 2002 has a birthday 14 th Oct 1923.
This appears to be the wrong person.

Following death may be correct. ref, FMPast.
Leonard R Kearsley-Brown
Florida July 27th 2003.
SSN 266-21-0188
However this record gives a slight birth date variation Dec 2nd 1920.