John Palmer, 4th Earl of Selborne

John Roundell Palmer, 4th Earl of Selborne GBE FRS DL FIBiol (born 24 March 1940), is a British peer, ecological expert and businessman. He is one of the hereditary peers elected to remain in the House of Lords after the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999.

Background and education

The son of Captain William Palmer, Viscount Wolmer, in turn son of Roundell Palmer, 3rd Earl of Selborne, and the Honourable Grace Ridley, Lord Selborne succeeded to his grandfather's titles in 1971. He was educated first at St. Ronan's School, Hawkhurst, and at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1961, proceeding to complete a Master of Arts.

Career

Lord Selborne was Treasurer of King Edward's School, Witley between 1972–83, and a member of the Apple and Pear Development Council between 1969-73. He was chairman of the Hops Marketing Board from 1978–82, of the Agricultural and Food Research Council (AFRC) from 1982–89 and of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) from 1991-97. He was also a member of the NEDC Food Sector Group in 1991-92 and a member of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution 1993 to 1998. From 1994-95, he was director of the Lloyds Bank and between 1995 and 2004 of Lloyds TSB Group.

Selborne was President of the Royal Agricultural Society of England from 1987–88, of the Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene from 1991 to 1997 and of the Royal Geographical Society from 1997-2000. From 1996-2006 he was the Chancellor of the University of Southampton and between 2003-09 he was chairman of the trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew. In 1989 he was Master of the Worshipful Company of Mercers. In 1991, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society. He is also a Fellow of the Linnean Society and the Institute of Biology, Vice-Patron of the Royal Entomological Society, and Patron of the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management.

Selborne was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in 1987 and Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) in the 2011 New Year Honours for services to science.^[1][2]

Family

Since 1969, he has been married to Joanna van Antwerp James (Countess of Selborne, Lady Selborne).

The couple have four children:

• Lady Emily Palmer,
• William Palmer, Viscount Wolmer,
• Hon. George Palmer,
• Hon. Luke Palmer.

The family live near Selborne, Hampshire.

References

• "DodOnline". Retrieved 2007-03-07. 

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Earl of Selborne

Presidents of the Royal Geographical Society 19th century Frederick John Robinson, 1st Viscount Goderich George Murray Sir John Barrow, 1st Baronet William Richard Hamilton George Bellas Greenough Roderick Murchison Charles Abbot, 2nd Baron Colchester W. J. Hamilton William Henry Smyth Roderick Murchison Francis Egerton, 1st Earl of Ellesmere Frederick William Beechey Roderick Murchison Bingham Baring, 2nd Baron Ashburton Roderick Murchison Sir Henry Rawlinson, 1st Baronet Henry Bartle Frere Sir Henry Rawlinson, 1st Baronet Rutherford Alcock Thomas Baring, 1st Earl of Northbrook Henry Bruce, 1st Baron Aberdare John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne Richard Strachey Mountstuart Elphinstone Grant Duff Sir Clements Robert Markham 20th century George Taubman Goldie Leonard Darwin George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston Douglas Freshfield Thomas Holdich Francis Younghusband Lawrence Dundas, Earl of Ronaldshay David George Hogarth Charles Close William Goodenough Percy Zachariah Cox Henry Balfour Philip Chetwode, 1st Baron Chetwode George Clark Francis Rodd, 2nd Baron Rennell Harry Lindsay James Wordie James Marshall-Cornwall Roger Nathan, 2nd Baron Nathan Raymond Priestley Dudley Stamp Gilbert Laithwaite Edmund Irving Edward Shackleton, Baron Shackleton Duncan Cumming John Hunt, Baron Hunt Michael Wise Vivian Fuchs George Bishop Roger Chorley, 2nd Baron Chorley Crispin Tickell George Jellicoe, 2nd Earl Jellicoe John Palmer, 4th Earl of Selborne 21st century Ronald Urwick Cooke Neil Cossons Gordon Conway Michael Palin Judith Rees