Godfrey Mark Palmer (4 August 1878 – 12 June 1933) was an English industrialist and Liberal Party politician.

Family and education Godfrey Palmer was the youngest son of Sir Charles Mark Palmer Bt, of Grinkle Park, near Loftus in the-then North Riding of Yorkshire – the founder of the Palmer Shipbuilding Co of Jarrow.Who was Who, OUP 2007 His mother, Charles' third wife Lady Gertrude Palmer, was the daughter of James Montgomrey of Brentford, Middlesex. Godfrey attended Eton College in 1892 and left in 1896 to continue his studies in Paris.The Times, 14 June 1933 p 16

In 1906, he married Elma, daughter of Mr. Alexander Geddes of Blairmore in Aberdeenshire. They had a son and two daughters.Who was Who, OUP 2007

Career As the scion of a famous business family in North East England, Palmer took an interest in shipping and the large industrial works on the Tyneside. By the time of his death, he had become Chairman of Marley Hill Chemical Company and managing director of John Bowes and Partners, colliery owners, in both of which concerns his half-brother, Sir Alfred Molyneux Palmer, who had inherited the Palmer baronetcy; was a director. Godfrey was also chairman of Chislet Colliery LtdThe Times, 14 June 1933 p 16 and had other business interests in London.Who was Who, OUP 2007 He travelled widely on business trips, visiting the Far East, India, Australasia, and the Americas.The Times, 14 June 1933 p 16

Palmer also served in the Territorial Force. He achieved the rank of Major in the Yorkshire Regiment.Who was Who, OUP 2007

Politics It was no surprise that Palmer followed his father into Liberal politics as he had followed him into business and industry. Sir Charles Palmer had been MP for North Durham from 1874 until 1885 when the seat was abolished. He then transferred to the constituency of Jarrow which he held from 1885 until his death in 1907.The Times, 5 June 1907 p 7

Sir Charles Palmer's death caused a by-election in Jarrow and the local Liberal Association adopted Mr Spencer Leigh Hughes, a London-based journalist and later MP for Stockport as their candidate.The Times House of Commons 1919; Politico’s Publishing, 2004 p39 In that contest the Liberal vote was split by the candidacy of an Irish NationalistDonald M MacRaild, Faith fraternity and fighting: The Orange Order and Irish migrants in Northern England c.1850–1920; Liverpool University Press, 2005 p270 and Hughes lost the election to Labour.The Times, 6 June 1907 p127 Jarrow Liberals therefore had cause to look for another candidate and in 1909, Godfrey Palmer was unanimously invited to be the Liberal candidate at the next election.The Times, 20 September 1909 p8

Palmer was regarded as a strong candidate for the Liberals in Jarrow, given the family name and local connections and was expected in some quarters to win the seat back from LabourThe Times, 10 December 1909 p8 while other commentators felt the Unionists had a better chance of beating Labour there.The Times, 12 January 1910 p10 In the event this conflict of opinion was reflected in the result which revealed Jarrow as a very close three-way marginal. Palmer gained the seat from the sitting Labour MP, Pete Curran, by the narrow majority of 67 votes, with the Conservative Mr J Kirkley just 217 votes behind the winner.The Times House of Commons 1910; Politico’s Publishing, 2004 p62

At the second general election of the year in December 1910, Palmer held his seat, again in a three-way fight, this time with a majority of 111 but on this occasion it was Kirkley for the Unionists who crept into second place ahead of a new Labour candidate.The Times House of Commons 1911; Politico’s Publishing, 2004 p67

By the time of the 1918 general election, Palmer had aligned himself with the Lloyd George Coalition Liberals. He was not opposed by the Conservatives and presumably received the Coalition coupon. In a straight fight against Labour's John Hill, Palmer got 61% of the poll and a majority of 4,510 votes.F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results, 1918–1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow, 1949 p345 He chose not to contest the 1922 general election and did not stand for Parliament again.

Appointments

From 1917 to 1920 he was Parliamentary Private Secretary for Sir Eric Geddes when Geddes served as First Lord of the Admiralty.The Times, 24 November 1917 p7 He stayed on as Geddes' PPS when Geddes became Minister without Portfolio and then Minister of Transport.The Times, 14 June 1933 p 16 Palmer also sat as a Justice of the Peace for the North Riding of Yorkshire.Who was Who, OUP 2007

Death Palmer died suddenly in Paris on Monday 12 June 1933, at the age of 54.The Times, 14 June 1933 p 16

Papers The papers of Sir Charles Mark Palmer, Godfrey Mark Palmer and others from c1858 to the 20th century are contained in the Palmer family papers held at the North Yorkshire County Record Office.

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