Sir Walter Palmer, 1st Baronet

Sir Walter Palmer, 1st Baronet
Born4 February 1858 
Died16 April 1910  (aged 52)
Alma mater
OccupationPolitician 
Spouse(s)Jean Craig 
ChildrenGladys Milton Palmer 
Parent(s)
Position heldmember of the 27th Parliament of the United Kingdom (1900–1906) 

Sir Walter Palmer, 1st Baronet (4 February 1858 – 16 April 1910) was a biscuit manufacturer and Conservative Party politician who served in the House of Commons from 1900 to 1906.[2]

Palmer was born in Reading, Berkshire the son of George Palmer who founded the firm of Huntley & Palmer, biscuit manufacturers.[3] He was educated at University College London, and also at the Sorbonne, Paris. He became a director of the firm and was also the first chairman of University College, Reading.[3] In 1900 he was appointed a deputy lieutenant of Berkshire.[4]

In 1900 Palmer was elected Member of Parliament for Salisbury.[5] He lost his seat in the general election of 1906 by the narrow margin of 41 votes.[6] On 25 August 1904 he was made a baronet.[7] From 1901 to 1910, he lived at 50 Grosvenor Square, London.[8]

Personal life

Palmer married Jean Craig, daughter of William Young Craig. Their daughter, Gladys Milton Palmer, married Bertram Willes Dayrell Brooke, heir-apparent of the White Rajahs of Sarawak, titled "His Highness The Tuan Muda of Sarawak" in 1904.[3] Gladys converted to Islam in 1932.[9]

Palmer died on 16 April 1910 at Sunninghill at the age of 52; the baronetcy became extinct.[10]

References

  1. ^ A genealogical and heraldic history of the extinct and dormant baronetcies of England.
  2. ^ Leigh Rayment's list of baronets
  3. ^ a b c Burke's Peerage
  4. ^ "No. 27244". The London Gazette. 6 November 1900. p. 6784.
  5. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "S" (part 2)
  6. ^ Craig, FWS (1974). British parliamentary election results 1885-1918. London: Macmillan. p. 181.
  7. ^ A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Peerage and Baronetage, the Privy Council, Knightage, and Companionage. 1934. p. 1852.
  8. ^ "Grosvenor Square: Individual Houses built before 1926 Survey of London: Volume 40, the Grosvenor Estate in Mayfair, Part 2 (The Buildings)". British History Online. LCC 1980. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
  9. ^ French, Paul (2 March 2019). "The last king of Xinjiang: how Bertram Sheldrake went from condiment heir to Muslim monarch". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
  10. ^ "Obituary: Sir Walter Palmer". The Times. No. 39249. London. 18 April 1910. p. 13. Retrieved 30 September 2025.