It is with great regret that the news of the death of the Past Provincial Grand Master, RWBro Richard Augustus (Peter) Palmer BA MA OBE TD DL is announced.
He died on 7 February 2015 - just days before his 103rd birthday. Born on 11 March 1912 at Church Brampton, Northamptonshire, he attended Jesus College, Cambridge, where he read law and economics. Whilst at Cambridge his sporting prowess came to the fore as he was awarded his blue in rugby, hockey and cricket.
Upon leaving University he joined the family firm of Chartered accountants, AC Palmer & Co, founded by his grandfather. In 1937 he married Nancie White and they subsequently had a daughter, Primrose.
During the Second World War he served as a Major in the Royal Artillery.
Initiated into De La Pre Lodge No 1911 in 1938 he became Master in both 1952 and 1959. He joined the Northamptonshire & Huntingdonshire Lodge of Installed Masters No 3422 in 1953 and became its Master in 1980. He was also
- a founder of both Dr Field Lodge No 8158 and Webb Ellis Lodge No 9740
- Deputy Provincial Grand Master from 1963 to 1971
- Provincial Grand Master from 1971 to 1984
He was a massive figure in local Freemasonry and the driving force behind the move of Provincial Headquarters in Northampton from Princes Street to St George’s Avenue. This was a major (and sometimes turbulent) project for which he started the building fund and which he drove to a successful conclusion.
He was a keen proponent of better communication within Freemasonry and the concept of the Provincial family. He worked hard at this, bringing all parts of the Province closer together. In the times of rampant inflation which featured during his tenure, the general welfare of Brethren in the Province was also a prime concern for him.
When he first joined the Provincial Executive in 1963, RWBro Peter did so as Deputy Provincial Grand Master. Because the number of Lodges within the Province was not sufficient to merit it, the office of Assistant Provincial Grand Master did not exist.
He consecrated eighteen Lodges during his thirteen years as Provincial Grand Master and was also part of the team that consecrated the Palmer Lodge of Provincial Grand Stewards No 8995 in 1981. He gave Provincial Grand Stewards wider Provincial responsibilities than had hitherto been the case. Two of the first four Provincial Grand Stewards he appointed under this revised system were RW Bro Brian Smith Past Provincial Grand Master and the late WBro Brian Huckle.
In 1974, because of this increase in Lodge numbers, RWBro Peter invested the Province’s first Assistant Provincial Grand Master - the late RWBro Richard Sandbach, who as to succeed him as Provincial Grand Master in 1984.
In 1950 he was exalted into Eleanor Cross Chapter No 1764 and served as the Most Excellent Grand Superintendent from 1973 to 1978. On his investiture as Most Excellent Grand Superintendent he, in turn, invested E Comp CE Jones as Deputy Grand Superintendent - the first time such an appointment had been made in the Province. It was also the first time since 1936 that the offices of Provincial Grand Master and Most Excellent Grand Superintendent had been vested in the same person. In 1967 he was appointed Principal Grand Sojourner in Supreme Grand Chapter and was Consecrating Officer of Chicheley Chapter No 607 in March 1974. In June 1975 he presented a Centenary Charter to Montagu Chapter No 446.
He also achieved high rank in many other Masonic orders.
Besides his University caps he has many sporting achievements to his name. Between 1933 and 1939 he played Rugby Union for both Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers and was later Treasurer, Committee member and President of the Saints. (On his 97th birthday he watched a Saints game.) He was also a single handicap golfer, President - and later Honorary Life Member - of Northamptonshire Golf Union.
In 1981 he was appointed Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire and for 27 years he served as a Justice of the Peace but he still found time for fly fishing, gardening and support for his local church.
