Charles Frederick Palmer
Encyclopedia
Charles Frederick Palmer (9 September 1869 – 25 October 1920) was a British journalist
and newspaper editor
, closely associated at the end of his career with the politician and business fraud
ster Horatio Bottomley
. Palmer sat briefly in the House of Commons after winning a by-election
as an Independent in February 1920.
. He became editor
of The Globe in 1912 and held that post until 1915. On November 6, 1915, while Palmer was still editor of The Globe, the paper was suspended under the Defence of the Realm Act for repeating the statement that Lord Kitchener
had tendered his resignation as Secretary for War even though this had been officially denied by the press bureau. It resumed publication a fortnight later but Palmer was removed from the editor’s chair by the paper’s owner Dudley Docker.
Palmer’s journalistic association with Horatio Bottomley was cemented when he took over as Assistant Editor of John Bull
. He also had joint editorial control with Bottomley of the publications, National News and Sunday Evening Telegram.
Palmer was also drama
and music critic
of The People
for 20 years. He was one of the founders of the Society of Dramatic Critics which subsequently merged with the Critics Circle
of the Institute of Journalists and was a member of its main organising committee.
Palmer’s other achievements included being associated with journalist and editor Kennedy Jones
in raising the £1,000,000,000 Victory Loan and was credited as being the originator of the idea which resulted in the formation of Dudley Docker’s Federation of British Industries
.
MP for the Shropshire
seat of The Wrekin, Sir Charles Henry
died causing a by-election
. Henry had been returned unopposed at the 1918
as a supporter of the Coalition government
of David Lloyd George
. But by 1920 the tide was turning against the coalition. The government had lost six Parliamentary by-elections since March 1919, three to the Independent Liberals and three to Labour
. Although forced out of Parliament through bankruptcy
in 1912, Bottomley had come back as an Independent in his old seat of Hackney South
in 1918. He formed the Independent Parliamentary Group
and sensed the growing unpopularity of the Coalition and the reluctance of many working men and women to give wholehearted support to a Labour Party still feared as introducing the novelty of socialism
to British politics. Bottomley knew from his own brand of populist, jingoistic, politics that, as Palmer put it, “there is an immense body of sound opinion in the working classes which ranges itself on the side of King and Constitution.” In this climate, Bottomley understood that here was an opportunity to try add create a new third force in Parliament, anticipating the upsurge of opinion which was to produce good results for Anti-Waste
candidates in the coming months. He persuaded Palmer to stand for election in The Wrekin and in a three-cornered contest against a Coalition Liberal and a Labour candidate, Palmer – without the advantages of local organisation or local connections and strongly supported by Bottomley himself - won a stunning and unexpected victory. He topped the poll with 9,267 votes, (40.7% of the poll), a majority of 538 over Labour’s Charles Duncan
who received 8,729 votes (38.4%). The Coalition candidate, John Bayley, who had been closely associated with the previous MP and was well known locally as principal of Wellington College
could only come in a poor third place with 4,750 votes (20.9%).
Palmer took on the representation of the Actor’s Association, a forerunner of Equity, during his brief time in Parliament.
. He was survived by his wife, Annie Dudley Palmer (née Smith) and their one daughter.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and newspaper editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
, closely associated at the end of his career with the politician and business fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
ster Horatio Bottomley
Horatio Bottomley
Horatio William Bottomley was a British financier, swindler, journalist, newspaper proprietor, populist politician and Member of Parliament .-Early life:...
. Palmer sat briefly in the House of Commons after winning a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
as an Independent in February 1920.
Career
Palmer started his career in newspapers at the St. James’s Gazette. He then joined the staff of The Globe and was one of its Parliamentary reporters from 1886–1915. At one time he was a member of the Parliamentary Press GalleryParliamentary Press Gallery
The Parliamentary Press Gallery is an association established to oversee rules and responsibilities of Canadian journalists when at Parliament Hill. The organization was formed the same year as Canada's Confederation in 1867, by The Honourable Thomas White. During the early years of the...
. He became editor
Editor
The term editor may refer to:As a person who does editing:* Editor in chief, having final responsibility for a publication's operations and policies* Copy editing, making formatting changes and other improvements to text...
of The Globe in 1912 and held that post until 1915. On November 6, 1915, while Palmer was still editor of The Globe, the paper was suspended under the Defence of the Realm Act for repeating the statement that Lord Kitchener
Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener
Field Marshal Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener KG, KP, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, ADC, PC , was an Irish-born British Field Marshal and proconsul who won fame for his imperial campaigns and later played a central role in the early part of the First World War, although he died halfway...
had tendered his resignation as Secretary for War even though this had been officially denied by the press bureau. It resumed publication a fortnight later but Palmer was removed from the editor’s chair by the paper’s owner Dudley Docker.
Palmer’s journalistic association with Horatio Bottomley was cemented when he took over as Assistant Editor of John Bull
John Bull (magazine)
John Bull Magazine was a weekly periodical established in the City, London EC4, by Theodore Hook in 1820.-Publication dates:It was a popular periodical that continued in production through 1824 and at least until 1957...
. He also had joint editorial control with Bottomley of the publications, National News and Sunday Evening Telegram.
Palmer was also drama
Critic
A critic is anyone who expresses a value judgement. Informally, criticism is a common aspect of all human expression and need not necessarily imply skilled or accurate expressions of judgement. Critical judgements, good or bad, may be positive , negative , or balanced...
and music critic
Music journalism
Music journalism is criticism and reportage about music. It began in the eighteenth century as comment on what is now thought of as 'classical music'. This aspect of music journalism, today often referred to as music criticism , comprises the study, discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of...
of The People
The People
The People, previously known as the Sunday People, is a British tabloid Sunday-only newspaper. The paper was founded on 16 October 1881.It is published by the Trinity Mirror Group.In July 2011 it had an average daily circulation of 806,544....
for 20 years. He was one of the founders of the Society of Dramatic Critics which subsequently merged with the Critics Circle
The Critics' Circle
The Critics' Circle is a professional association of British critics of dance, drama, film, music, visual arts and architecture. It was established in 1913 as an offshoot of the Society of Dramatic Critics, which had been formed six years earlier but had become inactive.For many years the Circle...
of the Institute of Journalists and was a member of its main organising committee.
Palmer’s other achievements included being associated with journalist and editor Kennedy Jones
Kennedy Jones (journalist)
Kennedy Jones was a British journalist, editor, and newspaper manager.-Early years:Born in Glasgow, "K.J." was educated at a local high school before leaving at the age of sixteen to start a career in journalism...
in raising the £1,000,000,000 Victory Loan and was credited as being the originator of the idea which resulted in the formation of Dudley Docker’s Federation of British Industries
Federation of British Industries
The Federation of British Industries was founded by the Midlands industrialist Dudley Docker in 1916. It was composed of 124 firms which all gave £1,000 for its foundation. The FBI never took part in labour relations but progressively involved in tariff reform...
.
Politics
Palmer’s former career as a Parliamentary reporter had given him a taste for political affairs and his association with Horatio Bottomley provided him an opportunity to become involved in political activity in his own right. In 1919, the sitting LiberalLiberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
MP for the Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
seat of The Wrekin, Sir Charles Henry
Sir Charles Solomon Henry, 1st Baronet
Sir Charles Solomon Henry was an Australian merchant and businessman who lived mostly in Britain and sat as a Liberal Member of Parliament in the House of Commons from 1906-1918.-Family and education:...
died causing a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
. Henry had been returned unopposed at the 1918
United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
as a supporter of the Coalition government
Coalition Government 1916-1922
The Coalition Government of David Lloyd George came to power in the United Kingdom in December 1916, replacing the earlier wartime coalition under H.H. Asquith, which had been held responsible for reverses during the Great War. Those Liberals who continued to support Asquith served as the Opposition...
of David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
. But by 1920 the tide was turning against the coalition. The government had lost six Parliamentary by-elections since March 1919, three to the Independent Liberals and three to Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
. Although forced out of Parliament through bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
in 1912, Bottomley had come back as an Independent in his old seat of Hackney South
Hackney South (UK Parliament constituency)
Hackney South was a parliamentary constituency in "The Metropolis" . It was represented by nine Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, only two of whom, Horatio Bottomley and Herbert Morrison, were returned.- History :The constituency was created...
in 1918. He formed the Independent Parliamentary Group
Independent Parliamentary Group
The Independent Parliamentary Group was a right-wing political organisation in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1920 by Horatio Bottomley, elected in the 1918 UK general election as an independent Member of Parliament....
and sensed the growing unpopularity of the Coalition and the reluctance of many working men and women to give wholehearted support to a Labour Party still feared as introducing the novelty of socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
to British politics. Bottomley knew from his own brand of populist, jingoistic, politics that, as Palmer put it, “there is an immense body of sound opinion in the working classes which ranges itself on the side of King and Constitution.” In this climate, Bottomley understood that here was an opportunity to try add create a new third force in Parliament, anticipating the upsurge of opinion which was to produce good results for Anti-Waste
Anti-Waste League
The Anti-Waste League was a political party in the United Kingdom, founded in 1921 by Lord Rothermere.The formation of the League was announced in a January 1921 edition of the Sunday Pictorial with Rothermere attacking what he saw as government waste during a time of recession. As such the party...
candidates in the coming months. He persuaded Palmer to stand for election in The Wrekin and in a three-cornered contest against a Coalition Liberal and a Labour candidate, Palmer – without the advantages of local organisation or local connections and strongly supported by Bottomley himself - won a stunning and unexpected victory. He topped the poll with 9,267 votes, (40.7% of the poll), a majority of 538 over Labour’s Charles Duncan
Charles Duncan (politician)
Charles Duncan was a British Labour Party politician.Born in Middlesbrough, Duncan was the son of a ship's pilot. He was apprenticed to the engineering industry, and Elswick Ordnance Factory, Newcastle upon Tyne...
who received 8,729 votes (38.4%). The Coalition candidate, John Bayley, who had been closely associated with the previous MP and was well known locally as principal of Wellington College
Wrekin College
Wrekin College is a co-educational independent school located in Wellington, Shropshire, England. It was founded by Sir John Bayley in 1880 and was known as ‘The School in the Garden’ owing to its extensive gardens and playing fields...
could only come in a poor third place with 4,750 votes (20.9%).
Palmer took on the representation of the Actor’s Association, a forerunner of Equity, during his brief time in Parliament.
Death
Palmer died in London at the comparatively early age of 51 on 25 October 1920. He had caught a chill during a visit to his constituency and developed double pneumonia and pleurisyPleurisy
Pleurisy is an inflammation of the pleura, the lining of the pleural cavity surrounding the lungs. Among other things, infections are the most common cause of pleurisy....
. He was survived by his wife, Annie Dudley Palmer (née Smith) and their one daughter.