Palmer's brothers and sisters were a mixed bunch, some good and some bad. Mary Ann the eldest child led a life of indecent scandal, married a Mr. Heywood from Haywood and drank herself to death.

Joseph Palmer: In the Illustrated Life, Career, and Trial of William Palmer of Rugeley (page 13) published by Ward and Lock in 1856 we learn that Joseph, the eldest son, started out as an apprentice to the firm of Halhead Fletcher and Company timber merchants in Liverpool. After five or six years he returned to Rugeley and started his own timber merchant business like his father before him. Not long after this he was introduced to the family of Mr. Milcrest, of Liverpool and soon married his eldest daughter "with whom he obtained a considerable fortune". Later he bought a colliery on Cannock Chase where he was an unsuccessful colliery manager before marrying a rich lady and retiring from business altogether and going to live with his family in Liverpool. However, Fletcher in his book published in 1925, states that, "Joseph moved early to Liverpool, where he held a good position and reputation". Fletcher also states Joseph was born in 1819 (which disagrees with the baptism records). Joseph died, before the scandal, in about 1853. Fletcher (page 54) tells us that, "Joseph had married a Miss Milcrest, one of the three daughters of a shipbuilder, and was prosperous in business. Walter persuaded a younger Miss Milcrest to marry him much against the advice of her sister and her husband, his brother Joseph".

George Palmer: George was one of the twins born in 1821. In the 1856 book, Illustrated Life and Career of William Palmer of Rugeley (page 13), it states that George was, "an attorney in Rugeley" and, "He is also, by marriage, connected with a Liverpool family, having married Miss Clarke, a daughter of Mr. Clarke, of Seacombe, formerly an iron merchant in Liverpool."

However George Fletcher in his book, The Life & Career of Dr. William Palmer of Rugeley published in 1925 (page 31), tells us that George - "was a solicitor, and helped with family matters and had a fair practice at Uttoxeter where he married Miss Flint, daughter of Mr. A. A. Flint, the Coroner. George Palmer died in 1866 aged forty-six and his wife Eliza Catherine died in 1870. Both were carried to be buried in the family vault at Rugeley."

Sarah: Born 1821, the other twin died aged 11 months. Rugeley burial records show that she was buried on 2nd March 1822.

Walter: Born 1823, the fourth son was a bankrupt and a drunkard who many believe was poisoned by William in 1855 when he was thirty two years old. Others believe that he simply drank himself to death.

Fletcher in his book published in 1925

The book goes on to tell us that Walter never supported his wife financially and after his second attack of delirium tremens*, sometimes referred to as 'the shakes' she was "compelled to separate from him, much to her sorrow, for she seems to have had some affection for him, in spite of his dissolute life".
*Delirium Tremens is the most serious form of acute alcoholism. The tremors or shakes affect the whole body but especially the hands and tongue. The condition is accompanied by horrific hallucinations often referred to as the 'blue-devils'.

William: Born 1824, the subject of this web site.

Thomas: Born 1827, became a clergyman and was twenty eight years old at the time of the trial and living at Coton in the Elms in Derbyshire. For twenty seven years he was the Rector of Trimley St. Martin, near Felixstowe. He died in 1887 and always maintained that he believed that William had not poisoned John Parsons Cook.

Sarah: Born 1832, the last of the children was also named Sarah. She was said to have had a kind heart and devoted herself to good causes. She married Alexander Brodie (1831-1867) in Aldgate, London on 29th December 1856 (the same year in which William was executed). Her husband Alexander went on to become a vicar. Sarah died on 15th January 1907 at Amberley, The Park, Chiselhurst, Kent. Sarah and Alexander had 8 children. * I am indebted to Debra Watkins a genealogist from Western Australia who pointed out that the first daughter who was one of twins died aged 11 months and that when a daughter was born late in 1831 she was also christened Sarah. Ian Brodie one of her descendants also e-mailed me to confirm the information about there being two daughters named Sarah.