Charles Palmer (engineer)
Encyclopedia
Charles George Palmer, C.I.E.
, (15 October 1847 – 13 August 1940), civil engineer, was the last surviving man to hold the Lucknow medal
for his role in the defence of the Residency in Lucknow
during the Indian Rebellion of 1857
.
in the province of Punjab
in north-west India
. He was the son of General Henry Palmer of the 48th Native Infantry. The family were based at Lucknow when the siege
began on 30 June 1857 and Palmer, then just nine years old, was a pupil at La Martinière College
. In the Residency Palmer was put on routine duties which included grinding corn. After a few days he was attached to the battery of his brother-in-law, Captain Ralph Ouseley, and helped to carry ammunition and messages to the guards. On the second day of the fighting Palmer's 19-year-old sister, who had only recently arrived from England, was killed by a cannon ball. She is commemorated by a tablet on the school walls. A second sister and her two small children were killed in the later stages of the hostilities. In 1858 after the relief of the garrison Palmer was sent to England
to complete his education. He attended Sherborne School
in Dorset for five years, leaving in 1863.
, north India. Two years later in 1868 he took up a position with the Public Works Department in Chakrata
. By 1876 he was in charge of the Ganges division of the Etawah
Canal and the next year he was involved in the relief work following the famine. He briefly moved to Australia to set up a brick-making business in Adelaide
but by 1880 had returned to India. He was responsible for the construction of 60 miles (96.6 km) of the Lower Ganges Canal which commanded an irrigable area of 42200 acres (170.8 km²) and had 180 miles (289.7 km) of distributaries. He was also in charge of the construction of the Eastern Jumna (or Yamuna
) Canal.
Palmer was in charge of the relief works during the great famine of 1896, for which he received the thanks of the Lieutenant-Governor and of the Government of India. The following year he became a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire
(C.I.E.).
By 1900 Palmer was the head of the Public Works Department and was also the Chief Engineer and Secretary to the Government. He retired in 1900, and in 1910, at the age of 63, he emigrated to Duncan
on Vancouver Island
in Canada
where he became a farmer. Palmer died on 13 August 1940 at the age of 92.
, Australia
. They had two sons and three daughters. One of their sons, C H Palmer, was a Major with the Royal Engineers
, and the other son, J H G Palmer, served in the British Indian Army
.
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
, (15 October 1847 – 13 August 1940), civil engineer, was the last surviving man to hold the Lucknow medal
Indian Mutiny Medal
The Indian Mutiny Medal was a campaign medal approved in 1858, for issue to officers and men of British and Indian units who served in operations in suppression of the Indian Mutiny....
for his role in the defence of the Residency in Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
during the Indian Rebellion of 1857
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
.
Early life
Palmer was born on 15 October 1847 at JalandharJalandhar
Jalandhar is a city in Jalandhar District in the state of Punjab, India. It is located 144 km northwest of the state capital, Chandigarh...
in the province of Punjab
Punjab (British India)
Punjab was a province of British India, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British rule. With the end of British rule in 1947 the province was split between West Punjab, which went to Pakistan, and East Punjab, which went to India...
in north-west India
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
. He was the son of General Henry Palmer of the 48th Native Infantry. The family were based at Lucknow when the siege
Siege of Lucknow
The Siege of Lucknow was the prolonged defense of the Residency within the city of Lucknow during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. After two successive relief attempts had reached the city, the defenders and civilians were evacuated from the Residency, which was abandoned.Lucknow was the capital of...
began on 30 June 1857 and Palmer, then just nine years old, was a pupil at La Martinière College
La Martiniere Lucknow
La Martinière College is an educational institution located in Lucknow, the capital of the Indian State of Uttar Pradesh. The college consists of two schools on different campuses for boys and girls. La Martinière Boys' College was founded in 1845 and La Martinière Girls' College was established...
. In the Residency Palmer was put on routine duties which included grinding corn. After a few days he was attached to the battery of his brother-in-law, Captain Ralph Ouseley, and helped to carry ammunition and messages to the guards. On the second day of the fighting Palmer's 19-year-old sister, who had only recently arrived from England, was killed by a cannon ball. She is commemorated by a tablet on the school walls. A second sister and her two small children were killed in the later stages of the hostilities. In 1858 after the relief of the garrison Palmer was sent to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to complete his education. He attended Sherborne School
Sherborne School
Sherborne School is a British independent school for boys, located in the town of Sherborne in north-west Dorset, England. It is one of the original member schools of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference....
in Dorset for five years, leaving in 1863.
Career
In 1866 Palmer joined the Thomason Civil Engineering College in RoorkeeRoorkee
Roorkee is a city and seat of a municipal council in Uttarakhand, in far northern India. It is located on the banks of the Ganges canal on the national highway between Delhi and Dehradun. Roorkee is known for Roorkee Cantonment, one of the country's oldest cantonments, and the headquarters of...
, north India. Two years later in 1868 he took up a position with the Public Works Department in Chakrata
Chakrata
Chakrata or Chakrauta is a cantonment town in Dehradun district in the state of Uttarakhand, India.It is situated between the Tons and Yamuna rivers, at an elevation of 7000–7250 feet, 92 km from state capital, Dehradun, it was originally a cantonment of British Indian Army...
. By 1876 he was in charge of the Ganges division of the Etawah
Etawah
Etawah is a city on the Yamuna River in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. It is the administrative headquarters of Etawah District. The city was an important center for the Revolt of 1857 . Also is the place of sangam or confluence between Yamuna and Chambal...
Canal and the next year he was involved in the relief work following the famine. He briefly moved to Australia to set up a brick-making business in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
but by 1880 had returned to India. He was responsible for the construction of 60 miles (96.6 km) of the Lower Ganges Canal which commanded an irrigable area of 42200 acres (170.8 km²) and had 180 miles (289.7 km) of distributaries. He was also in charge of the construction of the Eastern Jumna (or Yamuna
Yamuna
The Yamuna is the largest tributary river of the Ganges in northern India...
) Canal.
Palmer was in charge of the relief works during the great famine of 1896, for which he received the thanks of the Lieutenant-Governor and of the Government of India. The following year he became a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
(C.I.E.).
By 1900 Palmer was the head of the Public Works Department and was also the Chief Engineer and Secretary to the Government. He retired in 1900, and in 1910, at the age of 63, he emigrated to Duncan
Duncan, British Columbia
Duncan is a city on southern Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.-History:The community is named after William Chalmers Duncan . He arrived in Victoria in May 1862, then in August of that year he was one of the party of a hundred settlers which Governor Douglas took to Cowichan Bay...
on Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
where he became a farmer. Palmer died on 13 August 1940 at the age of 92.
Family
Palmer married Annie Isabel Porter in AdelaideAdelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. They had two sons and three daughters. One of their sons, C H Palmer, was a Major with the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
, and the other son, J H G Palmer, served in the British Indian Army
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
.