Palmer, Herbert Richmond

Palmer was born in 1877 in Kirkby Lonsdale, Westmoreland to the family of banker Robert Palmer. He was educated at the school Oundle ( Northamptonshire ), where he was actively involved in sports ^[2] . In Cambridge, he played rugby for the University of Cambridge and was invited to the demonstration matches in the team "Barbarians" ^[3] .

Palmer made a trip to San Francisco , where in 1903 he worked as a fireman in order to study the technologies of the mining industry.

In 1904 he joined the bar, and in 1910 received a Master of Arts degree.

Nigeria

Palmer spent most of his long career in colonial Nigeria . He entered under the leadership of Frederick Lugard , 1st Baron Lugard, High Commissioner of the Protectorate of Northern Nigeria Protectorate. In 1904, 27-year-old Palmer was appointed assistant resident (representative of the high commissioner, then - the governor) in one of the provinces of Nigeria. One of his first initiatives was the idea of ​​abolishing the slavery that existed at that time in the northern provinces of Nigeria .

The appointment of Palmer as a resident in 1905 was a turning point in the history of British rule in the state of Katsin . Lugard was transferred to Hong Kong during this period. Immediately after taking office, Palmer reorganized the territorial administration, forming nineteen new districts. Each of them was under the jurisdiction of one or another head of the region responsible to the emir. The newly created districts were also divided into districts to ensure proper management of the emirate ^[4] . In 1906, Palmer appointed Emir of Katsina to Muhammad Dicco, largely due to his collaboration with the British administration. This was one of the first examples of the doctrine of “indirect control” borrowed by Palmer from Lugard ^[5] .

In 1912, Lugard returned from Hong Kong to Nigeria as governor of the northern and southern protectorates. The main mission of Lugard was to complete their unification into one colony . With the exception of Lagos , where he was opposed by a significant part of the political elite and the media, the union did not provoke protests in the country. From 1914 to 1919, Frederick Lugard was Governor General of the Nigeria Single Colony.

Palmer during this period worked as a resident in the province of Kano , in 1917 he was promoted to the resident of the province of Born . He strengthened the relationship established by Lugard with the Sokoto caliphate, in close contact with Nigerian tribal rulers. Palmer was a staunch supporter of the principles of indirect governance implemented in Nigeria by Lugard. This policy greatly increased the prestige and influence of the local Muslim emirs and contributed to the rapid spread of Islam . Palmer also strongly opposed the activities of Christian missionaries, for example, Hugh Clifford, who worked contrary to the position of governor in the province of Bourne. ^[6]

During the First World War, the work of British administrators in Northern Nigeria became particularly difficult. By the end of 1917, about 6,600 Nigerian soldiers were sent to East Africa to participate in operations against Paul von Lettow-Forbeck , and another 1,800 were waiting to be sent, which seriously depleted the country's military resources ^[1] . Palmer seriously worried about the consequences of the war for the Muslim provinces, harshly criticized the activities of the administration of the neighboring French colonies ^[7]

Palmer studied African culture, languages ​​and literature, becoming an outstanding expert in the field of civilization and literature of the Haus and Fulani peoples . On his initiative, thousands of Muslim schools were opened in the northern provinces of Nigeria , whose students were studying the Koran . To improve the education system, Palmer undertook a difficult journey in 1918 through Central Africa to Sudan . From Gordon Memorial College in Khartoum, he brought valuable experience, which allowed the Teachers College to be opened for Muslim teachers in 1922 in Katsina ^[1] .

Since 1921, Palmer served as vice-governor of Northern Nigeria with a residence in Kaduna .

He was the first administrator to whom the characteristic of Lucius Arrontius the Elder “capax imperii” (“able to control”) could be attributed, with his understanding and learning of local languages ^[8] and attention to local traditions.

Since 1919, measures have been taken in Nigeria to develop promising industries - the production of cotton and peanuts . Later, in 1926, work began on organizing the use of the water of the Kaduna River for the needs of the city. Progress was also made in the construction of new hospitals in the provinces of Enugu , Jos and Kano . Another important event was the journey undertaken by Palmer from Lagos to Lake Chad , which was the first time that the entire distance was traveled by road ^[1] .

During the 26 years that Palmer spent in various parts of Northern Nigeria , he devoted most of his leisure time to trying to find data to present the complete history of the most numerous peoples of Nigeria — fulbe and kanuri ^[9] . In his trip to Africa in 1918, he had the opportunity to get information on this issue first-hand. The results of these studies were embodied in a book called Sudanese Memories, the last volume of which was published in 1928. In 1936 this book was supplemented with a work entitled “Bornu Sahara and Sudan” ^[1] .

In December 1929, Palmer did not agree with the London policy of cutting funding for the development of the northern provinces ^[10] . Perhaps these differences prompted Palmer to move to the Gambia .

His departure from Nigeria took place in February 1930 .

Gambia

In September 1930, Palmer was appointed governor of the Gambia . In this colony, he faced less significant problems than in the vast expanses of Northern Nigeria . In 1931, he encountered a serious outbreak of cattle plague and contagious pleuropneumonia. In 1932, Palmer began the implementation of administrative reform, creating in each of the four provinces of the representation of the colonial authorities, open to residents all year round ^[1]

April 12, 1933, Palmer left Africa forever.

Cyprus

November 8, 1933, Palmer became governor of Cyprus . Cyprus was annexed by Great Britain when Turkey entered World War I on the side of Germany and Austria-Hungary , and in 1925 became a British colony. In 1931, Greek Cypriot unrest took place on the island, demanding the annexation of Cyprus with Greece . The government house in Nicosia was burned down. Palmer’s arrival also occurred under a two-year drought, which put the Cypriots on the brink of famine ^[11] .

Palmer was forced to manage the colony in the difficult times of high tension caused by the actions of the Cypriots to ensure self-determination. One of the reasons for the dislike of the inhabitants of the island for colonial officials was the unwillingness of administration officials to learn Greek or Turkish and maintain any contact with the Cypriots. Palmer insisted that officials study local languages ^[11] . The strict style of his leadership led to the emergence of a special term - “Palmer dictatorship” ^[12] or “Palmerocracy”.

Palmer also drew up a plan to improve the port of Famagusta . The mapping of the reconstruction and development of the port was begun in May 1931, all the work on the contract was completed in March 1933. The new port, which previously could not accept ships with a displacement of more than 2,000 tons, was expanded to accommodate ships from 8,000 to 9,000 tons ^[1] .

Palmer resigned on July 4, 1939.

Awards

• Order of St. Michael and St. George , Cavalier (CMG), 1922
• Order of the British Empire (CBE), 1924
• Order of St. Michael and St. George Knight (KCMG), 1933
• Order of St. John of Jerusalem , 1936

Palmer returned to Langam House, Oakham in Rutland County. In July 1940, after his family was evacuated to the United States of America , he settled in Creswick and was engaged in advocacy.

Palmer also wrote about his African experiences. ^[13]

Herbert Richmond Palmer died on May 22, 1958.

Palmer translated a number of Arabic texts related to the countries in which he worked:

• Idris Alooma of Bornu , Lagos (1926), reprinted in London (1970)
• Sudanese Memoirs: 3 volumes, Lagos (1928), reprinted in London (1967)
• The Bornu, Sahara and Sudan , London (1936)

He wrote the preface and organized the publication of materials from The Wazir of Sokoto, in 1903 , compiled by Major J. Merrick and translated by H. F. Backwell, Lagos (1927). .

Palmer also wrote articles for anthropological journals:

• Notes on some Asben records , Journal of African Society, Volume 9 - 1909-10 - P. 388–400.
• An early Fulani conception of Islam , Journal of African Society, Volume 14 - 1914-15 - P. 53-59.
• Western Sudan history: the Raudthât'ul Alfâri , Journal of the African Society, Volume 15 - 1915-16, - p. 261-273.
• History of Katsina , Journal of African Society, Volume 26 - April 1927 - p. 216–236.
• The Kano Chronicle , Journal of the Anthropological Institute, 38-1909 - p. 58-98.

Palmer married Margaret Isabel Abel Smith on June 7, 1924 in Waterford. Margaret Isabel was the daughter of Reginald Abel Smith and Margaret Alice Holland, the granddaughter of Henry Holland, 1st Viscount Knutsford and Margaret Trevelyan - niece of Thomas Babington Macaulay , 1st Baron Macaulay. They had two daughters.

• The British Empire - Northern Nigeria