George Palmer (businessman)
Encyclopedia
George Palmer was a proprietor of the Huntley & Palmers
biscuit manufacturers of Reading
in England
. He was born in Long Sutton
in Somerset
, the son of William Palmer and his wife, Mary, the daughter of William Isaac of Sturminster Newton
in Dorset
. He first became a partner in the firm 1841, when Joseph Huntley
, the founder of the business, was forced to retire through ill-health and it became apparent that Thomas Huntley
, his son, did not have his father's good sense of business.
and in the sale of biscuits to stage coach travellers that created the business, George Palmer is generally credited with making it a major Victorian
success by using industrial manufacturing techniques and by using the railway
s for distribution.
When Thomas Huntley died, in 1857, George Palmer was joined in the business by two brothers, William Isaac Palmer
and Samuel Palmer. He was later joined by his son, George William Palmer
.
of Reading and represented the town in parliament
. He served as Liberal
Member of Parliament
for the Parliamentary Borough of Reading
from 1878 until 1885. His country estate was Marlston House in Bucklebury
.
Huntley & Palmers
Huntley & Palmers was a British firm of biscuit makers originally based in Reading, Berkshire. The company created one of the world's first global brands and ran what was once the world’s largest biscuit factory. Over the years, the company was also known as J...
biscuit manufacturers of Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He was born in Long Sutton
Long Sutton, Somerset
Long Sutton is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated south of Somerton in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 862....
in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, the son of William Palmer and his wife, Mary, the daughter of William Isaac of Sturminster Newton
Sturminster Newton
Sturminster Newton, known to locals as Stur, is a town in the Blackmore Vale area of Dorset, England. It is situated on a low limestone ridge in a meander of the River Stour. The town is at the centre of a large dairy agriculture region, around which the town's economy is built...
in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
. He first became a partner in the firm 1841, when Joseph Huntley
Joseph Huntley
Joseph Huntley was a 19th century biscuit maker and innovator, who lived in the English town of Reading. In 1822 he founded a small biscuit baker and confectioner shop at number 72 London Street.-Business:...
, the founder of the business, was forced to retire through ill-health and it became apparent that Thomas Huntley
Thomas Huntley
Thomas E. "Tom" Huntley is a Minnesota politician and a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives representing District 7A, which includes portions of the city of Duluth in St. Louis County in the northeastern part of the state...
, his son, did not have his father's good sense of business.
Business
Whilst it was Joseph Huntley's innovation in the introduction of the biscuit tinBiscuit tin
Biscuit tins are utilitarian or decorative containers used to package and sell biscuits and some confectionery. They are commonly found in households in the United Kingdom and commonwealth countries.- Origin and history :...
and in the sale of biscuits to stage coach travellers that created the business, George Palmer is generally credited with making it a major Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
success by using industrial manufacturing techniques and by using the railway
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
s for distribution.
When Thomas Huntley died, in 1857, George Palmer was joined in the business by two brothers, William Isaac Palmer
William Isaac Palmer
William Isaac Palmer was a member of the Palmer family, proprietors of the Huntley & Palmers biscuit manufacturers of Reading in England...
and Samuel Palmer. He was later joined by his son, George William Palmer
George William Palmer (England)
George William Palmer was a member of the Palmer family, proprietors of the Huntley & Palmers biscuit manufacturers of Reading in England....
.
Politics
In addition to his business career, George Palmer served as mayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Reading and represented the town in parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
. He served as Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
Member of Parliament
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,...
for the Parliamentary Borough of Reading
Reading (UK Parliament constituency)
Reading was a parliamentary borough, and later a borough constituency, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It comprised the town of Reading in the county of Berkshire....
from 1878 until 1885. His country estate was Marlston House in Bucklebury
Bucklebury
Bucklebury is a village and civil parish in West Berkshire. The village is about north-east of Newbury and about north of the A4 road. It has a population of 2,066.-Geography:...
.