Page 484 - Reading Mercury

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Born on November 3 , 1865, he was the third son of the late Mr. Samuel Palmer of
Northcourt, Hampstead, the second of the three brothers who founded, in conjunction
with their cousin. the late Mr. Thomas Huntley, the great firm of Messrs. Huntley and
Palmers, Ltd. His brothers are Sir S. Ernest Palmer, Bart., a director of the Great
Western Railway, Mr. C. H. Palmer, of Bozedown, Whitchurch, and Lieut.-Colonel
A.J. Palmer, D.S.O., who served with distinction in the war in Palestine. Educated at
Highgate School, Mr. Howard Palmer later studied finance in Brussels and commerce
in London.
Mr. Howard Palmer had been long connected with the Biscuit Factory, where his
marked ability and energy singled him out for a prominent career with the firm. It was
in 1906 that he succeeded his cousin, the Right. Hon. George William Palmer, as
chairman of the company. During the war his energies as head of the firm were taxed
to the utmost capacity. At the outbreak, in 1914, he lost for some years the help of
three of the directors of the company and several of the skilled managers, in addition
to some 1,800 of the workmen who joined the forces. At the same time, war service of
extreme importance was proceeding at the Reading Biscuit Factory.
There can be little doubt that the very heavy work and the responsibility and the
terrible anxieties of this period, impaired the health of a man who never spared
himself, and who devoted himself to a solution of the innumerable difficulties which
confronted him with an amount of energy and determination which many younger
men might have envied.
At this time also, labour problems became more and more insistent, and before
Whitley Councils had been thought of Huntley and Palmers, Ltd., under the guidance
of Mr. Howard Palmer, inaugurated a scheme within their factory by which the
workers elected a little parliament of their own, consisting of 66 members—one for
every complete hundred of workpeople—who meet in the firm’s time for the
discussion of any matters affecting their welfare, and whose executive officers always
have access to the Board of Directors. To these workers the death of Mr. Palmer has
come as a great sorrow, for his intercourse with them had gained for him their
confidence and respect.
Never content with a superficial examination of any problem, he gave great thought
to every question that presented itself, and whilst very tenacious of his own views, he
never failed to afford others ample opportunities of expressing their own opinions. He
was straightforward and outspoken in the expression of his own convictions and he
never failed to fulfil a promise that he had once given.
The Great War and the desire of Government departments at that time to confer with
industries as a whole, instead of with individual manufacturers, led to the formation of
the National Association of Biscuit Manufacturers, and of this association Mr.
Howard Palmer was elected president.
The welfare of the workers in the biscuit trade became one of the first objects of this
association, and the working week was reduced from 51 to 48 hours, at the same time
that great boons were extended to the workers in the form of increased rates of wages,
and annual holidays with full pay.
Service to Agriculture
Mr. Howard Palmer always took a great interest in agriculture, especially in the
breeding of pigs, in which he was very successful. His stock at Stokes Farm,
Wokingham, had earned a name for itself at every show of note in England. Mr.
Palmer reared many remarkable Berkshire pigs, and probably won more prizes with
his animals than any other Berkshire pig breeder. The famous “Murrell” breed is
known in every quarter where pedigree stock are reared. To mention only a few

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