[2] His father died in 1826, and he was educated at Sidcot School near Weston-super-Mare, before becoming an apprentice to his uncle, who was a miller and confectioner.

Whilst it was Joseph Huntley's innovation in the introduction of the biscuit tin and in the sale of biscuits to stage coach travellers that created the business, George Palmer is generally credited with making it a major Victorian success through industrial manufacturing techniques, and by using the railways for distribution.

[6] With the engineer William Exall, Palmer invented new machinery to manufacture biscuits on an industrial scale.

By the time of his death in 1897, the business had an annual turnover of more than £1.25 million, selling around 23,000 tons of biscuits each year.

Palmer stood as a candidate for the new constituency of Newbury in 1885, one of three created from the former county seat of Berkshire, but he was not elected.

His son George William Palmer was twice elected to represent Reading, serving from 1892 to 1895 and from 1898 to 1904.