Alfred Neobard Palmer
Encyclopedia
Alfred Neobard Palmer was a chemist and local historian
. He published several books concerning the local history of Wrexham and north Wales.
, Norfolk
, England
, on 10 July 1847 to Alfred Palmer and Harriet Catherine (née Neobard). He had a younger brother and sister, John and Catherine. In June 1878, he married Esther (Ettie) Francis in Salford
, Manchester. They had no children.
He attended Thetford Grammar School
from 1855 to 1860 and then a private academy from 1860 to 1862, where he discovered an interest in natural science.
Palmer became a teacher in Cambridgeshire
for a short time, but in 1863 started work for a chemist in Bury St. Edmunds
. In 1874, he became an analytical chemist with a company in Manchester
, where he met and married Ettie. He later moved to Wrexham
, Wales
and in September 1880 he took up employment with the Zoedone Mineral Water Company, where he worked until 1882. He also worked for the Brymbo Steelworks Company where he was appointed chief chemist, but had to leave after two years due to ill health. Some sources report that his time at Brymbo
was from 1882 to 1884, others from 1884 to 1886.
After leaving Brymbo
he set up in private practice as an analytical chemist in Chester Street, Wrexham, but later worked from 1891 to 1904 at the Cambrian Leather Works.
Palmer's first work on local history was The Town, Fields and Folk of Wrexham in the Time of James the First (1883), based on a 1620 survey of the Lordship of Bromfield and Yale by John Norden
. He went on to write 10 books and many articles on local history and archaeology, of which The History of Ancient Tenures of Land in the Marches of North Wales, 1885, was regarded both by himself and other scholars as his best work.
His health and finances deteriorated with each book he wrote, the latter particularly after the publication of an unsuccessful novel, Owen Tanat (1897). However, his financial situation improved in 1892 and 1894 when he received two legacies and in 1905 when he was awarded a Civil List pension.
He died on 7 Mar 1915 in Wrexham and was buried at Wrexham Cemetery.
In commemoration of his work on the history of the area, Wrexham County Borough Council have named their local history centre after him: A.N. Palmer Centre for Local Studies and Archives and there is a plaque to him in the Centre. It was originally unveiled by Lord Howard de Walden
at the old Wrexham Public Library on Queen's Square on 29 November 1922.
Local history
Local history is the study of history in a geographically local context and it often concentrates on the local community. It incorporates cultural and social aspects of history...
. He published several books concerning the local history of Wrexham and north Wales.
Biography
Alfred Neobard Palmer was born in ThetfordThetford
Thetford is a market town and civil parish in the Breckland district of Norfolk, England. It is on the A11 road between Norwich and London, just south of Thetford Forest. The civil parish, covering an area of , has a population of 21,588.-History:...
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, on 10 July 1847 to Alfred Palmer and Harriet Catherine (née Neobard). He had a younger brother and sister, John and Catherine. In June 1878, he married Esther (Ettie) Francis in Salford
City of Salford
The City of Salford is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It is named after its largest settlement, Salford, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Eccles, Swinton-Pendlebury, Walkden and Irlam which apart from Irlam each have a population of over...
, Manchester. They had no children.
He attended Thetford Grammar School
Thetford Grammar School
Thetford Grammar School is an independent co-educational school in Thetford, Norfolk, England. The school traces its origins back to 631, and through its Roll of Headmasters to 1114, though it appears to have ceased from around 1496 until its refoundation from the will of Sir Richard Fulmerston in...
from 1855 to 1860 and then a private academy from 1860 to 1862, where he discovered an interest in natural science.
Palmer became a teacher in Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
for a short time, but in 1863 started work for a chemist in Bury St. Edmunds
Bury St. Edmunds
Bury St Edmunds is a market town in the county of Suffolk, England, and formerly the county town of West Suffolk. It is the main town in the borough of St Edmundsbury and known for the ruined abbey near the town centre...
. In 1874, he became an analytical chemist with a company in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, where he met and married Ettie. He later moved to Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and in September 1880 he took up employment with the Zoedone Mineral Water Company, where he worked until 1882. He also worked for the Brymbo Steelworks Company where he was appointed chief chemist, but had to leave after two years due to ill health. Some sources report that his time at Brymbo
Brymbo
Brymbo is a local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It is a village situated in the hilly country to the west of Wrexham town, largely surrounded by farmland....
was from 1882 to 1884, others from 1884 to 1886.
After leaving Brymbo
Brymbo
Brymbo is a local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It is a village situated in the hilly country to the west of Wrexham town, largely surrounded by farmland....
he set up in private practice as an analytical chemist in Chester Street, Wrexham, but later worked from 1891 to 1904 at the Cambrian Leather Works.
Palmer's first work on local history was The Town, Fields and Folk of Wrexham in the Time of James the First (1883), based on a 1620 survey of the Lordship of Bromfield and Yale by John Norden
John Norden
John Norden was an English cartographer, chorographer and antiquary. He planned a series of county maps and accompanying county histories of England, the Speculum Britanniae...
. He went on to write 10 books and many articles on local history and archaeology, of which The History of Ancient Tenures of Land in the Marches of North Wales, 1885, was regarded both by himself and other scholars as his best work.
His health and finances deteriorated with each book he wrote, the latter particularly after the publication of an unsuccessful novel, Owen Tanat (1897). However, his financial situation improved in 1892 and 1894 when he received two legacies and in 1905 when he was awarded a Civil List pension.
He died on 7 Mar 1915 in Wrexham and was buried at Wrexham Cemetery.
In commemoration of his work on the history of the area, Wrexham County Borough Council have named their local history centre after him: A.N. Palmer Centre for Local Studies and Archives and there is a plaque to him in the Centre. It was originally unveiled by Lord Howard de Walden
Thomas Scott-Ellis, 8th Baron Howard de Walden
Thomas Evelyn Scott-Ellis, 8th Baron Howard de Walden, 4th Baron Seaford , was a British peer, landowner, writer and patron of the arts. He was also a motorboat racer who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics.-Biography:...
at the old Wrexham Public Library on Queen's Square on 29 November 1922.
Bibiliography
Here are some of the main publications by AN Palmer.- 1885 The History of Ancient Tenures of Land in the Marches of North Wales
- 1886 The History of the Parish Church of Wrexham
- 1888 The History of the Older Nonconformity of Wrexham
- 1893 The History of the Town of Wrexham
- 1903 The History of the Thirteen Country Townships of the Old Parish of Wrexham
- 1905 A History of the Old Parish of Gresford
- 1906-1910 The Town of Holt in County Denbigh
- 1910 The History of Ancient Tenures of Land in the Marches of North Wales (Expanded version with Edward Owen)
- ca. 1908-1909 The History of the Parish of Ruabon (not finished before his death), published in 1992 by Bridge Books of Wrexham