Sir William Cecil Bottomley (1878-1954) was educated Tettenhall College; Owens College, Manchester; and Trinity College, Cambridge. His career in the Colonial Office began in 1901 when he was appointed (after competition exam) to the post of 2nd class clerk.

In 1905 he began the first of his secretaryships when he was appointed as secretary to the Colonial Survey Committee. He subsequently held the posts of secretary to the Inter-Departmental Pensions Committee (1907); assistant private secretary to Lord Crewe (1908); and private secretary to Sir F. Hopwood (1909), Colonel Seely (1911), Lord Lucas (1911), and Lord Emmott (1911).

Bottomley was promoted to 1st class clerk in 1913 and principal clerk in 1917. He served as a member of the East African currency board in 1920 and in in 1927 was appointed as Assistant Under­Secretary of State in the Colonial Office. His final official post began in 1938 when was appointed as Senior Crown Agent for the Colonies (1938-1943). Sir Bottomley was awarded the OBE (1918), CMG (1921), CB (1926) and KCMG (1930).