James Dampier Palmer
Encyclopedia
Colonel James Dampier Palmer MP
(6 September 1851 – 18 October 1899), was an English businessman, British Army
officer, and a Progressive-Conservative
politician.
, Essex
and his mother was Jane Michel Trestrail. He was educated at Felsted School
.
and became its Chairman. He was also a Director of Hatch, Mansfield & Co., Ltd. of London, S.W. Palmer was a Justice of the peace
for Kent
and West Ham
. During his political career, he served as a Member of Parliament for Gravesend
in 8 July 1892 – 2 July 1898, leaving his seat in Parliament before the end of his second term as he had accepted the Stewardship of the three Chiltern Hundreds
. As a result, a by-election was held 13 July 1898. He also served in the Volunteer Forces
of the British Army. He was first commissioned as a supernumerary sub-lieutenant
in the 5th Essex Rifle Volunteer Corps on 2 August 1876, and resigned that commission on 5 September 1877. He was later appointed Honorary Colonel of the 3rd Volunteer (Kent) Brigade, Cinque Ports Division, Royal Artillery
.
, a British drama
tist, antiquary and officer of arms
. Palmer and his wife had at least two children. Their only son was Vivian Trestrail Dampier Palmer, O.B.E. (b. 1876). A daughter was named Maud Isabel Dampier.
Palmer had multiple residences including 7 Park Place, St. James, S.W.; 31 Bruswick Terrace, Brighton; and Heronden Hall, Tenterden
, Kent
. He belonged to several clubs such as the Carlton Club
, Junior Carlton Club
, Bath Club
, and Coaching Club.
He died at age 48 at Brighton
on 16 October 1899. A brass plate commemorating Palmer's donations to the parish, including chancel screen, choir seats, choir screens, the lectern, and the pulpit, is located at the Parish Church of St. Mildred in Tenterden.
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(6 September 1851 – 18 October 1899), was an English businessman, British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer, and a Progressive-Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician.
Early years
Palmer's father was William Palmer of Bury House, RomfordRomford
Romford is a large suburban town in north east London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Havering. It is located northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
and his mother was Jane Michel Trestrail. He was educated at Felsted School
Felsted School
Felsted School, an English co-educational day and boarding independent school, situated in Felsted, Essex. It is in the British Public School tradition, and was founded in 1564 by Richard Rich, 1st Baron Rich who, as Lord Chancellor and Chancellor of the Court of Augmentations, acquired...
.
Career
Palmer worked in the banking firm and family business of Messrs. Palmer & Co., in StratfordStratford
Stratford is a place name found in many English-speaking countries. It derives from the Old English words stræt and ford...
and became its Chairman. He was also a Director of Hatch, Mansfield & Co., Ltd. of London, S.W. Palmer was a Justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
and West Ham
West Ham
West Ham is in the London Borough of Newham in London, England. In the west it is a post-industrial neighbourhood abutting the site of the London Olympic Park and in the east it is mostly residential, consisting of Victorian terraced housing interspersed with higher density post-War social housing...
. During his political career, he served as a Member of Parliament for Gravesend
Gravesend (UK Parliament constituency)
Gravesend was a county constituency centred on the town of Gravesend, Kent which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1868 until it was abolished for the 1983 general election....
in 8 July 1892 – 2 July 1898, leaving his seat in Parliament before the end of his second term as he had accepted the Stewardship of the three Chiltern Hundreds
Chiltern Hundreds
Appointment to the office of Crown Steward and Bailiff of the three Chiltern Hundreds of Stoke, Desborough and Burnham is a sinecure appointment which is used as a device allowing a Member of the United Kingdom Parliament to resign his or her seat...
. As a result, a by-election was held 13 July 1898. He also served in the Volunteer Forces
Volunteer Force (Great Britain)
The Volunteer Force was a citizen army of part-time rifle, artillery and engineer corps, created as a popular movement in 1859. Originally highly autonomous, the units of volunteers became increasingly integrated with the British Army after the Childers Reforms in 1881, before forming part of the...
of the British Army. He was first commissioned as a supernumerary sub-lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the 5th Essex Rifle Volunteer Corps on 2 August 1876, and resigned that commission on 5 September 1877. He was later appointed Honorary Colonel of the 3rd Volunteer (Kent) Brigade, Cinque Ports Division, Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
.
Personal life
He married Isabella Elizabeth Curteis Whelan (b. 20 November 1852) in 1874. Elizabeth's maternal grandfather was James PlanchéJames Planche
James Robinson Planché was a British dramatist, antiquary and officer of arms. Over a period of approximately 60 years he wrote, adapted, or collaborated on 176 plays in a wide range of genres including extravaganza, farce, comedy, burletta, melodrama and opera...
, a British drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
tist, antiquary and officer of arms
Officer of arms
An officer of arms is a person appointed by a sovereign or state with authority to perform one or more of the following functions:*to control and initiate armorial matters*to arrange and participate in ceremonies of state...
. Palmer and his wife had at least two children. Their only son was Vivian Trestrail Dampier Palmer, O.B.E. (b. 1876). A daughter was named Maud Isabel Dampier.
Palmer had multiple residences including 7 Park Place, St. James, S.W.; 31 Bruswick Terrace, Brighton; and Heronden Hall, Tenterden
Tenterden
Tenterden is a Cinque Port town in the Ashford District of Kent, England. It stands on the edge of the Weald, overlooking the valley of the River Rother....
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. He belonged to several clubs such as the Carlton Club
Carlton Club
The Carlton Club is a gentlemen's club in London which describes itself as the "oldest, most elite, and most important of all Conservative clubs." Membership of the club is by nomination and election only.-History:...
, Junior Carlton Club
Junior Carlton Club
The Junior Carlton Club was a London gentlemen's club, now dissolved, which was established in 1866 and was disbanded in 1977.-History:Anticipating the forthcoming Second Reform Act under Benjamin Disraeli, numerous prospective electors decided to form a club closely aligned to the Conservative...
, Bath Club
Bath Club
The Bath Club was a sports-themed London gentlemen's club in the twentieth century. It was established in 1894 at 34 Dover Street. Its swimming pool was a noted feature, and it is thought that the swimming pool of the fictional Drones Club was based on this. Sir Henry "Chips" Channon was a member....
, and Coaching Club.
He died at age 48 at Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
on 16 October 1899. A brass plate commemorating Palmer's donations to the parish, including chancel screen, choir seats, choir screens, the lectern, and the pulpit, is located at the Parish Church of St. Mildred in Tenterden.