Alfred Neobard Palmer

Alfred Neobard Palmer (10 July 1847 – 7 March 1915) was a chemist and local historian. He published several books concerning the local history of Wrexham and north Wales.

Biography

Alfred Neobard Palmer was born in Thetford, Norfolk, England, on 10 July 1847 to Alfred Palmer and Harriet Catherine (née Neobard). He had a younger brother and sister, John and Catherine. In June 1878, he married Esther (Ettie) Francis in Salford, Lancashire. They had no children.

He attended Thetford Grammar School from 1855 to 1860 and then a private academy from 1860 to 1862, where he discovered an interest in natural science.

Palmer became a teacher in Cambridgeshire for a short time, but in 1863 started work for a chemist in Bury St. Edmunds. In 1874, he became an analytical chemist with a company in Manchester, where he met and married Ettie. He later moved to Wrexham and in September 1880 he took up employment with the Zoedone Mineral Water Company, where he worked until 1882. He also worked for the Brymbo Steelworks Company where he was appointed chief chemist, but had to leave after two years due to ill health. Some sources report from 1884 to 1886.

After leaving Brymbo he set up in private practice as an analytical chemist in Chester Street, Wrexham,

His health and finances deteriorated with each book he wrote, the latter particularly after the publication of an unsuccessful novel, Owen Tanat (1897). and was buried at Wrexham Cemetery.

In commemoration of his work on the history of the area, Wrexham County Borough Council have named their local history centre after him: A.N. Palmer Centre for Local Studies and Archives and there is a plaque to him in the Centre. It was originally unveiled by Lord Howard de Walden at the old Wrexham Public Library on Queen's Square on 29 November 1922.