Sir Ralph Palmer

Sir Ralph Palmer, Chief Justice of Madras, brother of George, John Horsley and William Jocelyn Palmer (all of whom q.v.), son of William Palmer and Mary Horsley, who with his brothers received compensation as mortgagees-in-possession of Springs and Mount Aire in Grenada. This appears to be a family matter, not related to the mercantile firm of Palmers, Mackillop (q.v.).

1. Sir Ralph Palmer was Chief Justice of Madras (1825-1835). First called to the bar 1808. Married Margaret Eliza Fearon in Madras 1829. She was the daughter of a Colonel in the EIC Army. The couple had a son Frederick Palmer, born Madras 1830 and a daughter Georgina Palmer born Madras 1831. Death of Ralph Palmer registered Q2 1838; will of Sir Ralph Palmer of Farnham Surrey proved 22/03/1838.

T71/880 Grenada No. 455.

1. Roundell Palmer, Earl of Selborne, Memorials Part 1 Family and Personal 1766-1865 4 vols. (London: Macmillan & Co., 1896); The Gentleman's Magazine Vol. 100 Part 1 (March 1830) p. 266 (The Suffolk and Essex Free Press 1893-1899, transcribed by the Foxearth and District Local History Society, http://www.foxearth.org.uk/1893-1899SuffolkFreePress.html [accessed 30/10/2011], gives his wife's name as Pearson); FreeUKGen, England and Wales Free BMD Database, Deaths, 1837-1983 [database online] (it is not clear why his death was registered later than his probate); PROB 11/1892.

Families in British India Society database http://search.fibis.org/frontis/bin/

We are grateful to Peter Schofield for his assistance with compiling this entry.