George Palmer of Newcastle 1787=Maria Taylor of that Parish 28-12-1813 Contested, unsuccessfully, South Shields delegate in 1832. 1798. The Cove 373 Tons, built at Whitby. 1814. George skippered the Cove until 1833. 1820-1833 A run of Log books, written by George describe the hazards and routines of Arctic Whaling between 1820-1833 (Owned by Penelope) The last years of Whaling from the Tyne correspond closely to the decline of the industry generally. Between 1830-1841, three ships persevered but they brought back smaller cargoes at greater costs to the captains and crews. In the winter of 1835-8, two of the three Newcastle ships were beset in the ice of Bafin Bay from 9th October, in Latitude 69 degrees North. When Christmas arrived, with eight dire straights Whalers still accounted for, Hull merchants offered to equip a Vessel for their relief, if the Admiralty could provide a competent commander. Captain James Clark Ross, of North West Passage fame, volunteered, and Spivey and Cooper offered the ex-Newcastle whaler for the task. The Cove sailed from Hull on the 5th January 1836. on the 6th January, The Granvill Bay arrived on the Tyne. 1833. Engaged in the Indian trade as a Merchant, and Ship owner. As Palmer,Beckworth and co., he chartered and then acquired Vessels that sailed both from the Tyne and elsewhere. 1839. The names of George and Charles Mark Palmer are listed as subscribers in Loyd's registry book. Abt 1843 Charles entered George's firm at Dunston, which subsequently became George and C.M. Palmer. 1855. George and C.M. Palmer are listed as subscribers in Loyd's registry book, covering the years 1855-6. 1866. Georges death was reported in the Newcastle weekly Chronicle.
SUDDEN DEATH OF CAPTAIN PALMER. Captain Palmer, father of Charles M. Palmer Esq., and one of the very oldest of our Tyne captains and merchants, died suddenly, on Monday morning, at his residence, Prior's Terrace, Tynemouth, under somewhat painful and affecting circumstances. Captain Palmer will be known to old Tynesiders as the commander of the well known Greenlander the Cove, which, with the Lord Gambier, commanded by the late Captain Wareham and the lady Jane, commanded by Capt.Harrison, represented the Tyne at the Davis Straights whale fishing many years. Captain Palmer was subsequent1y in business on our Quay side, and a few years ago he came from Gateshead to reside at Tynemouth and was well known on the pier as he walked it with telescope in hand. Captain Palmer was 77 years of age. and was a widower. He had been in feeble health some time. but following an old sailor's fashion, he had been in the habit of rousing his people in the morning and on Monday morning he appears to have turned out of his bedroom to do so; but the morning being bitterly cold, and he only half-dressed, he would seem to have taken a fit, and was found on the landing of one of the stairs under circumstances detailed at the inquest held at the Royal Hotel Tynemouth. On Monday. Mr.Cockcroft and a respectable jury having seen the body, the following evidence was taken; Alice Skipsey, Housemaid with the late Mr. Palmer, said that she had been five weeks with him. Saw him last about half-past eight o'clock on Friday night. He was sitting in his chair, looking in his usual way. He seemed cheerful. He went to bed a little before ten o'clock. Witness slept in a room adjoining to the deceased. Heard nothing during the night. Got up this morning at a quarter-past seven. Deceased's door was open. She went down stairs, and found him lying on the first landing, in his nightdress. Deceased was lying with his face against the skirting boards. She got some assistance and had him removed upstairs. He had not taken any medicine lately, and had been in good health during the past five weeks. A pane of glass was broken on the landing above where Mr. Palmer was laid. It was not broken at night when he went to bed. Deceased looked as if he had fallen down stairs. The pane of glass was broken outwardly He must have put his foot through it. Deceased had come down three flights of stairs. There was a light in the bottom of the hall, but it would give no light where he fell. No one slept in the room with Mr. Palmer. He had been in bed. There was no rail where the pane was broken. William Allison, man servant to the late Mr. Palmer, said that deceased went to bed at half past nine. o'clock, on Sunday night. He rung the bell afterwards, about ten minutes before ten o'clock, and witness attended to him. He took him a little brandy and water. He did not take it all. He then went to bed. Witness left him at ten o'clock. He seemed quite composed. The gas was left burning in his room. Witness slept in the Kitchen, at the bottom of the house. He went to bed at ten minutes after eleven. Heard nothing during the night. Dr. Begg said that he was called to attend Mr Palmer at a quarter to eight on Monday morning. He had his night clothes on. He was quite dead. It was a very cold morning. He might have been dead from six o'clock. Saw no marks of blood or injuries about him. There was nothing unusual about him. He could not have fallen downstairs. He could have taken a fit, and for want of assistance must have died. Witness had no reason to believe that his death arose from any other than natural causes. The Coroner said, after this evidence, he thought that the jury must come to the conclusion that Mr. Palmer had died from natural causes.- The jury accordingly returned a verdict of died from natural causes.
George Palmer was the son of a master-mariner in the coal trade from Sunderland, his grandfather was a whaler captain at Hull, and he may have influenced Palmer's entry to the whale trade. George Palmer had small sharing interests in the vessel he commanded to 1833, and became the sole owner of another vessel named, the COVE between 1841 and 1848(1) Much of Palmer's investment, however, was devoted to timber yards and shipbuilding, where his son, Charles Mark Palmer made a success of screw driven iron steamers after 1850. By 1880 Palmer's yard at Jarrow was a fully integrated shipbuilding enterprise well known for warships and merchantmen. By contrast to George Palmer, some whaler captains appear to have developed no permanent interest in ship owning. (1). 1253/7. No. 145, 1841.
COVE - 1840/1848 Master: Captain Palmer Jr. (1840-41); Captain J.W. Smith (1841-42); Captain J. Burfield (1848) Rigging: Snow (1840-42); sheathed in copper in 1839 & yellow metal in1841; Bark (1848); sheathed in copper to the light water mark in 1846 Tonnage: 273 tons using old measurements and 353 tons using new measurements Construction: 1836 in Sunderland; vessel lengthened in 1841; some repairs in 1848 Owners: G. Palmer (1840-42); Snowdon (1848) Port of registry: Newcastle (1840-42); South Shields (1848) Port of survey: London (1840); Newcastle (1841-42); Shields (1848) Voyage: sailed for Mauritius (1840); East Indies (1841-42); Mediterranean Sea (1848)
Eric Palmer May07
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