The Palmer Family has had a long and proud association with Waterford with records showing the family in the city as far back as the mid 17th century. In the 1840s Henry Palmer was made a hereditary freeman of the city.

The Auctioneering firm was established by John D Palmer in 1923 with offices at Catherine Street. An important part of the early business were livestock sales and these were initially held at Dobby’s Yard off Parnell Street, currently part of the grounds of The Waterford Central Technical Institute. In later years the livestock sales were in Powers Yard off Beau Street, the cattle mart in Ballybricken and lastly the Waterford Mart at Killotteran. The Palmer Bull sale existed for many years from the 1920s until the final sale was held in 1983.

The business was continued by his son Harry Palmer from 1939 to 1968 when the current principle Donald Palmer took over the running of the firm. Donald worked for many years with his brother John Palmer, who later ran a successful auctioneering business in Tramore until his retirement in 2002. Another brother, Robin Palmer, was a founding member of the Palmer McCormack practice in Dublin and presently works with a large Dublin based estate agency.

Donald is assisted by his sons Warren and Keith Palmer who joined the firm in 1999 and 2003 respectively. In 2007 Palmers moved from Lombard Street into a new building at 2/3 Colbeck Street.