Charles John Palmer, FSA (1 January 1805 – 1882) was an English lawyer, known as a historian of Great Yarmouth.
He was the only son of John Danby Palmer, by Anne, daughter of Charles Beart, of Gorleston, Suffolk, and was born at Yarmouth on 1 January 1805.
He was educated at a private school run by Mr. Bowles in Queen Street, Great Yarmouth, and in 1822 was articled to Robert Cory, F.S.A., an attorney, under whom he had previously served for two years, in order to qualify himself to become a notary public.
He was the chief promoter of the Victoria Building Company; and as a result of his attention, the Priory Hall was restored and converted to a "National" school, and the whole of the seafront was developed as a seaside resort, with the new Marine Parade and the erection of a series of buildings, notably the Britannia Terrace, the Carlton Hotel (as it became), the Assembly Rooms (Masonic Lodge), and the Wellington Pier.
His other works are: Palmer also edited, with Stephen Tucker, Rouge Croix pursuivant, Palgrave Family Memorials, privately printed, Norwich, 1878, with illustrations.