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 of an old Bath family. His mother, Jane, was one of the Longs of Wraxall Manor, Wiltshire [see ], and she and her husband are commemorated on a tablet in the chancel of Weston Church, Bath. John Palmer the elder died on 18 April 1788, aged 68, and Jane Palmer on 4 Jan. 1783, also aged 68. Young Palmer was educated at first privately at Colerne, and afterwards at Marlborough grammar school. His father designed him for the church, but, although he preferred the army, he was ultimately placed in the counting-house of the brewery. He kept up his spirits by hunting with a pack of hounds which belonged to a clerical relative; at the end of a year's hard work, however, his career as a brewer was terminated by incipient consumption, and he was compelled to leave Bath.

His father had in 1750 become proprietor of a new theatre in the centre of Bath, and, encouraged by its success, had opened in 1767 another theatre in Orchard Street in a new district of the city, which also proved a profitable speculation. In 1768, having the support of the corporation, he accordingly obtained from parliament (8 Geo. III, cap. 10) an act granting him a practical monopoly of theatrical property in Bath for twenty-one years. The young Palmer acted throughout this business as agent for his father in London, where he made some important friendships, but soon after his return to Bath, with restored health, he took the main control. The elder Palmer withdrew from the affairs of the Bath theatre in 1776, and on 12 April in that year a new patent was granted to 'John Palmer the younger, citizen of Bath,' and his executors, licensing him to establish a theatre at Bath for eight years, from 26 March 1789 (Patent Rolls, 16 Geo. III, pt. iv.) In 1779 Palmer became lessee also of the Bristol theatre, but he confided the management to others (, Annals of Bristol in the Eighteenth Century, p. 439). By working the two houses together, however, he was able to give excellent entertainments in each city, usually on alternate days. The Bath theatre became famous for the performances of Henderson, King, Abingdon, Elliston, Siddons, &c., whom it introduced to public notice.

In the course of his journeys on business connected with the theatre, Palmer had observed that the state post was the slowest mode of conveyance in the country. The mail took three days between London and Bath, a journey Palmer frequently accomplished in one; and letters of importance were constantly sent by stage-coach, in spite of heavy fees. Palmer was well acquainted with the wealth which had been acquired by Ralph Allen [q. v.], of Prior Park, through the institution of cross-posts, and in 1782 he prepared a plan for the reform of the postal service, the main idea of which was that the mails should be conveyed by stage coaches instead of by postboys on worn-out horses. The coach was to be guarded, to carry no outside passengers, and to travel at a speed of eight or nine miles an hour; and the mails were to leave London at eight in the evening, instead of after midnight, and were not to be detained for government letters. In October the plan was brought under the notice of Pitt, then chancellor of the exchequer, through Mr. Pratt, afterwards Lord Camden, Palmer's friend. One of Palmer's arguments was that the service would be so much improved that an increase of the postage would be justified; and Pitt, anxious to avoid an increased coal-tax, at once took up the question, which was referred to the post office for observations. In August 1783 the post office declared that the plan was impracticable. But on 21 June 1784 Pitt held a conference, at which were present the postmasters-general, Palmer, and the officials who had reported against the scheme, with the result that Pitt directed that the plan should be tried on the London and Bristol road. Palmer assisted at the departure of the first mail-coach from Bristol on 2 Aug. Every obstruction was placed in the way by the local postmasters on the route, but they were at once warned to strictly obey Palmer's orders. On 23 Aug. the treasury suggested that the mail-coach service should be extended to Norwich, Nottingham, Liverpool, and Manchester, By the autumn of 1785 mail-coaches were running, not only to those towns, but also to Leeds, Gloucester, Swansea, Hereford, Milford Haven, Worcester, Birmingham, Shrewsbury, Holyhead, Exeter, Portsmouth, Dover, and other places. A service to Edinburgh was established in 1786. In February 1785 the Bristol merchants and the Bath corporation passed resolutions of thanks to Palmer (Bath Chronicle, 24 Feb. 1785).

The services to places lying off the main roads were for a time thrown into much disorder. But these difficulties were gradually overcome, and the post-office revenue during the quarter ended 5 Jan. 1787 was 73,000l., as compared with 51,000l. in the corresponding quarter of 1784. The number of letters conveyed grew larger in spite of the increase in the rate of postage, the explanation being that the temptation to send correspondence clandestinely at a heavy charge was now removed.

Palmer was not a disinterested reformer, and he pressed for a substantial 