Arthur Palmer

Who was Arthur Palmer?

Arthur Montague Frank Palmer was a British Labour Co-operative politician.

Palmer was born in Northam, Devon and educated at Ashford County Grammar School and Acton Technical College. He became a chartered electrical engineer and joined the head office staff of the Electrical Power Engineers' Association, editing the Electrical Power Engineer magazine. During World War II and the London Blitz he was an engineer at Battersea Power Station. He served as a councillor on Brentford and Chiswick Borough Council 1937-1945 and later as a conservator of Wimbledon and Putney Commons.

Palmer was Member of Parliament for Wimbledon, lost in Merton and Morden in 1950 and 1951, and re-entered Parliament, representing Cleveland, Bristol Central, and Bristol North East.

Palmer was Chairman of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee 1965 to 1968, and Chairman of the House of Commons Select Committee on Science and Technology 1966 to 1970 and 1974 to 1979.

In 1939 he married Marion Woollaston with whom he had two daughters, Professor Sarah Palmer b 1943 and Julia King b 1945