a day ago
- General
- Edinburgh Reporter
Professor Sir Geoff Palmer, KT, OBE, 1940
Sir Geoff Palmer a distinguished scientist, academic and human rights activist has died aged 85.
He was an adopted son of Edinburgh, originally coming to the UK from Jamaica where he had been born, to join his mother who had come here several years previously as part of the Windrush generation. He was not quite 15 years of age.
The Rt Hon Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Robert Aldridge, said: 'I was deeply saddened to learn of Sir Geoff Palmer's passing. A tireless advocate for equality and a pioneering academic, Sir Geoff was a true inspiration and will leave a lasting impression on Edinburgh.
'In 2022 I was honoured to present Sir Geoff with the Edinburgh Award in recognition of his academic achievements and his passionate defence of human rights and justice in the city and beyond. His handprints remain immortalised alongside those of other Edinburgh Award recipients and will give passers-by pause to reflect on the huge impact he had here.
'In chairing the Edinburgh Slavery and Colonialism Legacy Review Sir Geoff made a vital contribution to recognising and profiling the Capital's links with Slavery and Colonialism in the public realm.
'I know Sir Geoff's legacy in academia and activism will live on for years to come, inspiring future generations. He will be dearly missed – my thoughts are with his friends, family and all those who knew him.'
Heriot-Watt
Professor Richard A. Williams, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Heriot-Watt University, led the tributes to Sir Geoff who was Chancellor of the university since 2021. He said: 'Today marks a sad day for this University and for everyone who knew Sir Geoff.
'He was an inspiration not just to me but to colleagues past and present, and countless students around the world. His infectious enthusiasm and passion for education was impossible to ignore and this University was all the richer for having such a strong association with him over the years.
'He will be dearly missed, and our thoughts are with his loved ones at this difficult time.'
Distinctions
His distinctions were many, but the most recent was becoming a knight of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle (KT), the highest order of chivalry in Scotland. This honour which is in the gift of the King was bestowed upon him in July 2024 at a ceremony in St Giles' Cathedral.
About this honour he said he found it striking that he was a recipient some three centuries after an Order – The Royal African Company – was established by King James VII. He said: 'In 1697 the Royal African Company existed. The company bought and sold slaves, probably including some of my ancestors. I am sure James VII never imagined that a black person would receive this great honour.'
As the first African member, he reckoned that his admission into the Order of the Thistle marked a watershed moment for Scotland in continuing to reckon with its complicated imperial past.
Sir Geoff was a known activist in the areas of slavery and colonialism. He was very gracious during an interview last year, saying it was a result of The Edinburgh Reporter video of his speech during the Black Lives Matter campaign in 2020 that the discussion of slavery in the capital was progressed by the council.
He claimed it was after watching the video from that day that Adam McVey, then council leader, contacted him to discuss the possibility of rewriting a new memorial plaque to put at the base of the Melville monument in St Andrew Square. Whether or not that is the case, the debate has certainly moved on and there is a new plaque. Sir Geoff was instrumental, drawing on his own life story and his knowledge as a researcher to inform the debate – particularly on Henry Dundas.
But it was not without opposition from other academics. He countered those who told him he was wrong by pointing out the importance of research and the truth. He said: 'I was taught how to do research. I came from Leicester University where I got my first degree. I was trained in research at Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt. I looked at Dundas and at the Scottish history. Others have not for example quoted Pitt the Prime Minister who said Dundas was a gradual abolitionist 'prescribing some condition, waiting for some contingency, or by refusing to proceed, till a thousand favourable circumstances unite together'. And gradual abolition meant never. There are similarities with climate change today.'
Coat of Arms
The emeritus professor was not sure at first that he would need a coat of arms on his 'stall' in the Thistle Chapel in St Giles'. But The Lord Lyon King of Arms, Dr Joseph Morrow, confirmed before the investiture that all knights and ladies are assigned this space. He said: 'It's normal practice that the stall plate which consists of a person's coat of arms is put on that specific stall. All the plates stay there so giving the history of all those who have been knights or ladies in that particular stall.
'It doesn't have to be in place by the time of the investiture but Sir Geoff, in common with anyone else wanting a coat of arms, will have to petition me to have a suitable one created.
'As he is at the very top of our honours system in Scotland he is also entitled to two 'supporters' – these are the two beasts or animals on either side of the shield. The process does not take long and usually the stall plate is placed in the chapel within a few months of the investiture.'
The Lord Lyon has expressed his most sincere condolences to Sir Geoff's family on X.
The Lord Lyon and all members of the Lyon Court send their most sincere condolences to the family of the late Sir Godfrey "Geoff" Palmer, Knight of the Thistle and scientist of international reputation. May he rest in peace. — Lyon Court (@LyonCourt) June 13, 2025
Windrush
In 2023, on the 75th anniversary of the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush to Britain in 1948, Sir Geoff was named one of ten pioneering members of the Windrush generation honoured by His Majesty King Charles III with a specially commissioned portrait.
The artwork is part of the Royal Collection, and serves as a lasting tribute to the men, women, and children who journeyed to post-war Britain.
Brewing and Distilling
He studied for his PhD at Heriot-Watt University on grain science and technology after graduating from the University of Leicester with a degree in botany. It was in Leicester that he met his wife Margaret. He worked at the Brewing Research Foundation in Surrey until 1977 developing the barley abrasion process which was adopted by many of the UK's breweries.
He then became the first black professor in Scotland in 1988, and he became Chancellor of Heriot-Watt University, a position he held until he died.
He was honoured in 1998 with the American Society of Brewing Chemists Award of Distinction.
In 2021 he received the Pride of Scotland Lifetime Achievement Award and Midlothian MP, Owen Thompson, who was Sir Geoff's local MP, lodged an Early Day Motion at Westminster to recognise the honour.
Black Lives Matter
Professor Sir Geoff Palmer. Photo taken at BLM protest Holyrood Park 7 June 2020 Photo: Martin P. McAdam
Latterly he became a loud and powerful voice in the Black Lives Matter campaign and later reinterpreted the plaque at the foot of the Melville Monument in St Andrew Square. He was adamant that the monument should not be pulled down or destroyed. His message was quite simple – he felt it was important to record the history of the slave trade, and use the statue as a way of teaching children about it, educating them that this must not be part of anyone's future.
He explained the origins of his activism when he said that it came from his love of Robert Burns – kindled first in his native Jamaica and afterwards when he moved to Edinburgh and began speaking at Burns Suppers. He said Burns himself had wanted to go to Jamaica, but Margaret or Mary Campbell who was to go with him on the adventure died in 1786 of suspected typhus. While Burns had a passage to the Caribbean booked, he did not travel. But Sir Geoff said that he got to know Burns and he used him in his activism.
Sir Geoff said: 'The concept of slavery is that people are superior to other people. That is a myth and a deception. There is no evidence for it.
'I don't mind free speech, but free speech in terms of academia must be very, very special because it kills people.
'Slavery is not evidence based and that is why it has caused all this trouble that we have today – because slavery and racism go together.
'We cannot change the past, but we can change the consequence of the past which is baseless, for the better, using education.
'Burns said 'A man's a man for a' that' and therefore in fact there is no change to my view that we are one humanity, nothing less.'
His speech in Holyrood Park in June 2020, made during lockdown was a response to The Black Lives Matter movement which gathered pace in the wake of George Floyd's death in the US at the hands of the police. His speech was an important one and led to the new plaque explaining Sir Geoff's assertion that Dundas was a 'gradual abolitionist'. It was, he said, due to the delay in implementing legislation to abolish slavery that Dundas caused the deaths of a further 600,000 slaves.
Sir Geoff had told his wife that day in June that he was going to Tesco, but he went to the park instead, telling the audience there: 'What is very sad is that after 300 years black people are still being killed in the United States in a manner where somebody, a policeman, is kneeling on a person's neck for the sole reason that he is black. How can we justify that?'
Edinburgh Slavery and Colonialism Legacy Review Group
Sir Geoff was the first chair of the independent Edinburgh Slavery and Colonialism Legacy Review Group. The current chair, Irene Mosota, told The Edinburgh Reporter that 'a great tree has fallen'.
She said: 'It's very sad. What a loss .Sir Geoff will be missed deeply, especially by his family and all who knew him. He was an academic giant and a courageous voice for human rights. If you were in a room with him, you always left feeling a little bit bigger and better. He was generous with his time and wisdom, planting many seeds that will continue to grow. We will never forget him.
'Some of us wouldn't have dared to speak or do what we do if it weren't for him. I will miss him.'
He was also the author of a critically acclaimed book, The Enlightenment Abolished: Citizens of Britishness, in which he argues for maintaining but reinterpreting public monuments associated with the transatlantic slave trade.
The Edinburgh Award 2022
Sir Geoff Palmer who received the Edinburgh Award in 2022
As an important Edinburgh citizen he was honoured with The Edinburgh Award 2022, becoming the 16th recipient. His handprints are preserved for posterity in a flagstone in the quad at the City Chambers.
03/10/2022 Sir Geoff Palmer had impressions taken in clay of his hands which were then engraved in stone by Leigh Bradley of The Colin Braid Stone Workshop as part of the honour of The Edinburgh Award. Pic Greg Macvean
At the Edinburgh Award ceremony Sir Geoff Palmer said: 'This award is more than a great honour. It is a recognition of all the people whose goodness has contributed to my life and work. I arrived in Edinburgh as a research student in 1964 and I thank The City of Edinburgh Council for all it has done for the community.'
He explained the circumstances of his arrival in his acceptance speech, delivered eloquently, with not a note in sight. He recounted: 'I walked up The Mound. There was a smell and I wondered what it was.'
He chuckled at this – the smell was of course hops and beer making which was to become his life's work.
At the same event Vice-Principal, Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Mark Biggs, of Heriot-Watt University lauded Sir Geoff. He said: 'Sir Geoff is a true inspiration to us all and to those of us at Heriot-Watt for many decades. We are hugely privileged to have him back in the role of Chancellor of the University. 'His association with Heriot-Watt has been a long and distinguished one. In all of that time his achievements have been manyfold.
'After all the excellent work at Heriot-Watt he was offered a personal chair at the university.
'The brewing and distilling centre which he founded has gone on to produce many brewers and distillers many of whose names you would recognise.
'It is your inspirational approach, Sir Geoff, which I think is crucial and is the magic ingredient to the many things that have been achieved and that you have produced too.'
As part of the Edinburgh Award ceremony, Hannah Lavery, the Edinburgh Makar, recited a poem in Sir Geoff's honour called Toast.
'Let me hold your beer, Sir, while you hand out the champagne (or prosecco) and let me raise a toast to you, trailblazer, truth teller, gauntlet thrower, the parade passes by you great man.'
ELREC
Sir Geoff Palmer with Foysol Choudhury MBE, MSP
Sir Geoff was Honorary President of Edinburgh and Lothians Racial Equality Council (ELREC).
Foysol Choudhury MBE, MSP knew him well. Mr Choudhury, who is Chair of ELREC, said on X: 'I'm deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of Sir Geoff Palmer. He was not only a distinguished scientist & academic, but also a courageous voice for justice & equality My sincere condolences to his family and all who knew and admired him May his soul rest in peace.
'Geoff wasn't just my dad's best friend, he was a father figure to me, took me under his wing as a teen and continued to inspire me his entire life. It's a huge loss, but I'm grateful for the memories.'
Sir Geoff is survived by his wife, Margaret Palmer, their three children, and grandchildren to whom The Edinburgh Reporter offers our most sincere condolences.
Professor Sir Geoff Palmer in Holyrood Park in June 2020. Photo: Martin P. McAdam
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