James Dampier Palmer

Colonel James Dampier Palmer MP (6 September 1851 – 18 October 1899), was an English businessman, British Army officer, and a Progressive-Conservative politician.[1]

Colonel James Dampier Palmer MP
Member of Parliament for Gravesend
In office 8 July 1892 – 2 July 1898
Preceded by	John Bazley White
Succeeded by	John Ryder
Personal details
Born	6 September 1851 Stratford, Essex, England
Died	18 October 1899 (aged 48) Brighton, England
Political party	Conservative
Spouse(s)	Isabella Elizabeth Curteis Whelan
Alma mater	Felsted School
Profession	Chairman, Messrs. Palmer & Co.

Early years

Palmer's father was William Palmer of Bury House, Romford, Essex and his mother was Jane Michel Trestrail. He was educated at Felsted School.[1]

Career

Palmer worked in the banking firm and family business of Messrs. Palmer & Co., in Stratford[2] and became its Chairman.[3] He was also a Director of Hatch, Mansfield & Co., Ltd. of London, S.W.[4] 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.[5] As a result, a by-election was held 13 July 1898.[6] 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,[7] and resigned that commission on 5 September 1877.[8] He was later appointed Honorary Colonel of the 3rd Volunteer (Kent) Brigade, Cinque Ports Division, Royal Artillery.[9][10]

Personal life

He married Isabella Elizabeth Curteis Whelan (b. 20 November 1852) in 1874. Elizabeth's maternal grandfather was James Planché, a British dramatist, 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).[11] A daughter was named Maud Isabel Dampier.[12]

In 1891 when as prospective Member of Parliament for Gravesend he presented the Dampier-Palmer Cup which was competed for by local football clubs, until 2009, to raise money for local charities.

Palmer had multiple residences including 7 Park Place, St. James, S.W.; 31 Bruswick Terrace, Brighton; and Heronden Hall, Tenterden, Kent.[3] He belonged to several clubs such as the Carlton Club, Junior Carlton Club, Bath Club, and Coaching Club.[3]

He died at age 48 at Brighton on 16 October 1899.[2] 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.[13]

References

1. Debrett's illustrated heraldic and biographical house of commons and the judicial bench. 30th Annual Edition (Digitized 8 Jan 2008 ed.). London: Dean & Son Ltd. 1896. p. 123.
2. Burke, Edmund (1900). The Annual register (Digitized 26 Jan 2009 ed.). Longmans, Green. p. 172.
3. Dod, Charles Roger; Dod, Robert Phipps (1897). Dod's parliamentary companion. 65 (Digitized 13 Sep 2007 ed.). Dod's Parliamentary Companion, ltd. p. 825.
4. Whitaker, Joseph. An almanack for the year of our Lord ... (Digitized 26 Feb 2007 ed.). J. Whitaker. p. 747.
5. Members of Parliament: return to an address of the Honourable House of Commons dated 13 August 1901 : for, "Return of the names of every member returned to serve in each Parliament from the year 1885 to the dissolution of Parliament in the year 1900, specifying the names of the county, city ... (Digitized 11 Nov 2009 ed.). London: Printed for H.M.S.O. 1902. p. 67.
6. Liberal Unionist Association (1898). Memoranda. 6 (Digitized 28 Jun 2007 ed.). Westminster, S.W. p. 163.
7. "No. 24350". The London Gazette. 1 August 1876. p. 4305.
8. "No. 24500". The London Gazette. 4 September 1877. p. 5104.
9. "No. 26343". The London Gazette. 8 November 1892. p. 6239.
10. House of Commons: with full results of the polling, biographies of members and unsuccessful candidates, photographs of all members, and a complete analysis, statistical tables, and a map of the general election (Digitized 9 Feb 2009 ed.). Macmillan and Co. 1895. p. 169.
11. Walford, Edward . (1919). "The county families of the United Kingdom; or, Royal manual of the titled and untitled aristocracy of England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, Volume ed.59". p. 278. Retrieved 16 May 2010.
12. Howard, Joseph Jackson (1900). Frederick Arthur Crisp (ed.). Visitation of England and Wales. 8 (Digitized 13 Feb 2007 ed.). Priv. print. p. xix.
13. Duncan, Leland L; Kent Archaeological Society. Records Branch (1974). Kentish monumental inscriptions; inscriptions at Tenterden. Chadwyck-Healey: Bishops Stortford. p. 62.

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by James Dampier Palmer