Gladys Milton Palmer

Gladys Milton Palmer, Dayang Muda of Sarawak, also known as Khair-ul-Nissa and Khair un-nisa binti 'Abdu'llah, (8 January 1884 – 12 June 1952) was a British film producer and heiress. Through her marriage to Bertram Willes Dayrell Brooke, she was a member of the ruling dynasty of Sarawak.

This article is about the Sarawak princess. For the American social statistician, see Gladys L. Palmer.

Gladys Milton Palmer
Dayang Muda of Sarawak
Born	(1884-01-08)8 January 1884
Died	12 June 1952(1952-06-12) (aged 68)
Spouse	Bertram Brooke, Tuan Muda of Sarawak
Issue	Jean Brooke Elizabeth Brooke Anne Brooke Anthony Brooke
Father	Sir Walter Palmer, 1st Baronet
Mother	Jean Craig
Religion	Islam (previously Quaker)
Occupation	Film producer

Biography

Early life and family

Palmer was born on 8 January 1884 into a prominent Quaker family. She was the only child of Sir Walter Palmer, 1st Baronet and Jean Craig.[1] Her paternal grandfather was George Palmer, a proprietor of Huntley & Palmers. Her maternal grandfather was the engineer and politician William Young Craig. She was a niece of George William Palmer and a great-niece of William Isaac Palmer.

Marriage and issue

On 28 June 1904 Palmer married Bertram Willes Dayrell Brooke, the son of Charles Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak and Margaret de Windt. Through this marriage she became a member of the ruling dynasty of the Raj of Sarawak. After her father-in-law died in 1917, her husband's older brother, Charles Vyner Brooke, succeeded the throne. Her husband was made heir presumptive and accorded the title Tuan Muda of Sarawak and style of Highness. As the wife of the Tuan Muda, Palmer was accorded the title Dayang Muda and the style of Highness.

Palmer and Brooke had four children:

• Jean Margaret Palmer Brooke
• Elizabeth Brooke
• Anne Elaine Primula Brooke
• Anthony Walter Dayrell Brooke

Career

In 1922 Palmer formed a film company called Big Four Famous Productions Company. She produced one film, Potter's Clay which featured the actress Dame Alice Ellen Terry.[2]

Later life and death

In 1932 Palmer converted from Christianity to Islam. Stating that she wished her "conversion to be performed on no earthly territory", she chartered an Imperial Airways 42-seat airliner to fly from Croydon Airport to Paris. Another British Muslim convert, Khalid Sheldrake, conducted the ceremony over the English Channel.[3] Sheldrake gave her the Arabic name "Khair-ul-Nissa" ("fairest of women")[3] or "Khair un-nisa binti 'Abdu'llah".[2]

Palmer died on 12 June 1952 and was buried at St Leonard's in Sheepstor, Devon.

References

1. "Anthony Brooke". 6 March 2011 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
2. Watson, Clare. "Mrs Bertram Brooke". Women and the Silent British Cinema.
3. French, Paul (2 March 2019). "The last king of Xinjiang: how Bertram Sheldrake went from condiment heir to Muslim monarch". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 20 July 2019.