Sir Herbert Richmond Palmer

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Sir Herbert Richmond Palmer (April 20, 1877 - May 22, 1958) was colonial governor of Cyprus in the years following the 1931 uprising against the British rule.

Palmer was educated at Oundle and Trinity Hall, Cambridge. He became Assistant Resident of Nigeria in 1904, Resident of Bornu Province in 1917, Lieutenant-Governor of Northern Provinces, Nigeria, from 1925-1930 and Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Gambia Colony from 1930 until 1933.

In 1933, in the aftermath of the 1931 uprising against the British rule, he was appointed colonial governor of Cyprus, a position he would hold until 1939. Palmer ran Cyprus with absolute authority: Freedom of the press was supressed and all political parties were banned as were political demonstrations, parades and gatherings of any sort. Many political and religious figures were exiled with Palmer himself retaining a veto on the election of Bishops and even that of the office of Archbishop. His rule has come to be known as Παλμεροκρατία (Palmerocracy) in Cypriot history.

He died on May 22, 1958.