William James Foley

William James Foley was a British colonial police officer. He served as a high-ranking police officer in several British colonial police forces throughout Southeast Asia. In 1883, he served as the Acting Commandant of the British North Borneo Constabulary. He also served as a Chief Inspector of the Federated Malay States Police (FMSP), and as Chief Inspector of the Penang Tramways. In the 1930's, he was often called "the oldest living European in British Malaya."

Biography

Early life Foley's father was Michael Foley, an Irishman from County Cork who joined the Madras Artillery and discharged at the British Raj. Michael Foley served for some time in his later career as a drill instructor at St. Thomas' Mount, Madras. One of the elder Foley's students at the drill house was John Frederick Adolphus McNair, who later served as Lieutenant Governor of Penang.

When he was fourteen, in 1871, Foley was sent from the Andaman Islands to be educated at the St. Xavier's Institution, run by the De La Salle Brothers in British Penang.

Military service In September 1873, at the age of 16, he joined the Royal Artillery Garrison Detachment at Penang. His fourth son, Alfred James, also fought in the war. He died at the age of 79 in Penang. He was given a military funeral attended by most of the leadership of the SSPF.