James Frederick Palmer

Sir James Frederick Palmer (7 June 1803 – 23 April 1871) was a medical practitioner, Victorian pioneer, first President of the Victorian Legislative Council and Mayor of Melbourne.

Early life Palmer was born in Great Torrington, Devonshire, England, the fourth son of the Rev. John Palmer (1752–1827) (a nephew of Sir Joshua Reynolds), and his wife Jane (1772–1843), a daughter of William Johnson. He was trained in medicine, practised in London, and was surgeon at St Thomas's hospital. In 1824 he became a house surgeon at St George's Hospital (M.A.C.S., 1826). In 1835–37 he edited a four-volume edition of the Works of John Hunter, the anatomist. written by his grandmother Mary Palmer in the mid-eighteenth century.

On 21 November 1831 Palmer married Isabella, third daughter of Dr John Gunning, C.B., who was inspector-general of hospitals at the time.

Charles La Trobe described him as 'a gentleman by birth, education and profession. Sometimes he pulled against, more often for, but I always respected him as honest'.

Palmer died at Burwood, his estate in Hawthorn, Melbourne, on 23 April 1871.