Letter from Kevin Charles Palmer 25-3-2003
2. George Palmer (my grandfather) was born 1886 in Durly, Hampshire, England. Came to NZ with his parents (George William Palmer and Dorothea Gladwyn Palmer) as an infant - according to my father he was 1 year old at the time - I have no other information than that.
Married Ethel Montgomerie Anderson 25-02-1916 at Otorohanga, NZ. George was a member of the NZ Expeditionary Force at that time. Ethel (or "Granny" as I called her) was born 01-05-1887 in Makirikiri, (a place just out of Wanganui) and died 01-01-1963 in Wanganui.
There were two children from this marriage George Harry Palmer and Charles Robert Palmer (my father)
George had a varied life living in various parts of NZ. Places include Hamilton where he had an engineering business, Whangarei in the far North (as we call it) - not sure what he did there but in the later years moved back to Wanganui where he took over the family farm about 20 miles out of Wanganui. I don't remember if the farm had an actual name but it was known throughout the region as Palmer Brothers. This farm was originally owned by George William and was, I assume, inherited by George the son.
I am not sure where George's siblings were born but my father referred to Uncle Mark as someone he knew quite well. Ask Eleanor Penelope as she would have those details. My father did visit her at one time in Southwold, England.
