Palmer, Edward Harry (1905-1965)

Transcription of obituary published in the Minutes of Conference

EDWARD HARRY PALMER: born in 1905 at Bradwell near Bury St Edmunds, he began his working life farming, and a deep affinity with the countryside and country people characterised his life and ministry throughout. 

He entered Hartley College in 1926, having served previously as a lay agent following a term at Cliff College. In 1928 he was appointed to the Malmesbury Circuit and subsequently served in Horwich, Thetford, Bristol (Kingswood and South Circuits), Bideford, Holbeach, Grantham, Melton Mowbray, Coningsby, Lincoln North and Spilsby. 

As an administrator he was painstaking and competent. His preaching was always acceptable, and when he turned to the great evangelical themes of the faith could be deeply moving. It was however as a pastor that he excelled, and particularly as a pastor of country societies. Beneath a breezy exterior was concealed a profound devotion to Jesus Christ which revealed itself most noticeably in a great care for people. Social contacts came easily to him; everywhere he went he won boundless affection, and people in trouble never forgot his wealth of sympathy and infinite kindness.

His ministry was always entirely objective; he never talked about himself or what he was doing, but was content to be spent in a service where nothing done in love’s name was ever too much trouble. It was typical that few apart from his friends realised the illness that was his daily companion for many years, or the growing weakness that brought about his untimely death on 23 October 1965, in the sixtieth year of his age and the thirty-seventh of his ministry.

Family

Edward was born on 4 August 1905 at Bardwell, Suffolk, to parents Edward, a press correspondent (1911), and Ann.

He married Gladys Grace Hurrell (1906-2000) in the summer of 1934 in the Bury St Edmunds Registration District, Suffolk.

Edward died on 23 October 1965 at Spilsby, Lincolnshire.

Circuits

• Hartley
• 1928 Malmesbury
• 1929 Horwich
• 1931 Thetford
• 1934 Bristol Kings
• 1937 Bristol South
• 1938 Bideford
• 1941 Holbeach
• 1945 Grantham
• 1949 Melton Mowbray
• 1954 Coningby
• 1960 Lincoln N
• 1965 Spilsby

References

Methodist Minutes 1966/195

W Leary, Directory of Primitive Methodist Ministers and their Circuits, 1990

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers

Note: Edward was born at Bardwell, not Bradwell as stated in the obituary.