House & Family History: In 1761 Sir John Philipps purchased and brought to Norbiton Place Cesar Picton, an African slave. Picton lived at Norbiton from the age of six until 35, when he became a successful local coal merchant. Norbiton Place has a long association with slavery. Charles Nicholas Pallmer (1772-1848) was born in Jamaica, the eldest son of Charles Pallmer, the owner of a large Jamaica sugar plantation worked by hundreds of slaves. After his 1808 marriage to Maria Francis Dennis, C.N. Pallmer (who inherited his father’s plantations) moved to Norbiton Place, an estate that his wife had inherited from her mother, Mary Dennis. Pallmer served as a Whig member of parliament, where he vigorously supported the cause of West Indies planters and strongly resisted William Wilberforce's slave registry bill. Though the slave trade had been abolished in the British Empire in 1807, ownership of slaves had continued. Pallmer was among the slave owners who resisted efforts to end slavery, which he, and other slave owners, feared would lead to eventual emancipation. In the event of abolition, Pallmer worked hard to make sure slave owners were financially compensated for their loss of property (slaves). Always the progressive, Pallmer was also against Catholic emancipation, which he believed would be a threat to Protestants. Pallmer was, however, a supporter of welfare and schools for the poor and was particularly interested in relief for boy chimney sweeps,

Garden & Outbuildings: After the demolition of the house, St. Peter's Church (erected 1840) was built on the grounds of the Norbiton Place Estate.

House Listed: Demolished

Park Listed: Destroyed

Past Seat / Home of: Sir John Philipps, until 1764. Mary Dennis, 1797-1808. Charles Nicholas Pallmer (Palmer), 1808-31.

Current Ownership Type: Demolished

Primary Current Ownership Use: Demolished

House Open to Public: No

Historic Houses Member: No