Francis Palgrave

Background

Francis Palgrave was the son of Meyer Cohen, a Jewish stockbroker, and was born in London, England in July 1788.

Education

He was educated privately and was so precocious a boy as to translate a Latin version of the Battle of the Frogs and Mice into French, which was published by his father in 1797.

Career

In 1803 Palgrave was articled to a firm of solicitors, but was called to the bar at the Middle Temple in 1827. His work as a barrister was chiefly concerned with pedigree cases before the House of Lords. He edited for the Record Commission Parliamentary Writs (London, 1827 - 1834); Rotuli curiae regis (London, 1835); The antient kalendars and inventories of the treasury of his majesty's exchequer (London, 1836); and Documents and records illustrating the history of Scotland (London, 1837), which contains an elaborate introduction.

In 1831 he published his History of England, Anglo-Saxon Period, later editions of which were published as History of the Anglo-Saxons; in 1832, his Rise and Progress of the English Commonwealth, pronounced by Freeman a "memorable book"; and in 1834 his Essay upon the original authority of the king's council.

After serving as one of the municipal corporations commissioners, became deputy-keeper of the public records in 1838, holding this office until his death at Hampstead on the 6th of July 1861.

Palgrave's most important work is his History of Normandy and England, which appeared in four volumes (London 1851 - 1864), and deals with the history of the two countries. He also wrote Truths and Fictions of the Middle Ages (London, 1837, and again 1844); The Lord and the Vassal (London, 1844); and Handbook for Travellers in Northern Italy (London, 1842, and subsequent editions).

Achievements

• Palgrave is considered the founder of the Public Record Office. He is also remembered for his many scholarly publications. He was knighted in 1832.

Works

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• book

  • The Collected Historical Works of Sir Francis Palgrave, K.H.: Volume 6: The Rise and Progress of the English Commonwealth: Anglo-Saxon Period, Part 1

    (Sir Francis Palgrave (1788-1861) was a distinguished Engl...)

  • The History of Normandy and of England Volume 1
  • The Ancient Calendars and Inventories of the Treasury of His Majesty's Exchequer V1: Together with Other Documents Illustrating the History of That Reposi THE ANCIENT CALENDARS AND INVENTORIES OF THE TREASURY OF HIS MAJESTY'S EXCHEQUER V1: TOGETHER WITH OTHER DOCUMENTS ILLUSTRATING THE HISTORY OF THAT REPOSI By Palgrave, Francis ( Author )Nov-01-2008 Paperback

Religion

On his marriage in 1823 he had become a Christian.

Membership

In 1834, he was elected a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a member of the American Antiquarian Society in 1860.

Connections

In 1823 he married Elizabeth, daughter of Dawson Turner of Great Yarmouth and had changed his name to Palgrave, the maiden name of his wife's mother.

Palgrave's four sons were: Francis Turner Palgrave, sometime professor of poetry at Oxford; William Gifford Palgrave; Sir Robert Harry Inglis Palgrave (b. 1827), an authority upon banking and economics generally; and Sir Reginald Francis Douce Palgrave.

Father:

Meyer Cohen

Mother:

Rachel Levien Cohen

child:

Reginald Francis Douce Palgrave

child:

Robert Harry Inglis Palgrave

child:

William Gifford Palgrave

child:

Francis Turner Palgrave

Wife:

Elizabeth Turner