RICHARD GRENVILLE PALMER
1890 – 1954
Born in Gorey, Co Wexford in Ireland to Gilbert Halse Palmer and Ellen E Weatherup in September 1890.
Richard had one older sister (Eleanor), three younger sisters Annie, Minnie, and Muriel and two younger brothers David and Robert.
By 1901 the family had left Ireland and were registered as living in Torquay. By the outbreak of the Great War Richard’s parents had moved to Widecombe where his father Gilbert had taken up employment as the first “Mr Blue Jacket” employed by local authoress Beatrice Chase. Richard is listed on the 1918 “absent forces voter list” as living at Dunstone House.
In 1908, having reached the age of 18, Richard had enlisted in the Royal Navy on a 12-year engagement. Richard had, prior to his enlistment, been serving as a Naval Cadet particularly at HMS Aeolus.
By 1915 Richard was serving aboard HMS Liverpool and during his four years aboard her achieved the rank of Chief Petty Officer. Richard completed his Naval Service in 1923 and upon demobilisation returned to his family in Dunstone.
In 1919, he married Elsie M Webb of Newton Abbot.
In 1924/25, Richard took employment with the Coast Guard and lived in Cornwall.
Richard died at Torpoint in 1954 aged 64 years.
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