Born of an old Kentish family; studied at King's College and Hospital, of which he became an Associate. In 1850 and 1851 he was a student of human and comparative anatomy at the Royal College of Surgeons, and acted as Hunterian Prosector. His *Diary of Occupation* in MS is in the Library of the College. He then settled in practice at Rugeley, Staffordshire, where he was Physician to the Staffordshire General Infirmary, Medical Officer of Health to the Lichfield Rural District, Surgeon to the Rugeley Convalescent Home, to the District Hospital, Provident Dispensary, and Sister Dora Convalescent Hospital. From Rugeley he moved to Maidstone, where he became Surgeon Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding the Maidstone County Volunteer Medical Staff Corps. He died at Maidstone on March 26th, 1896. William Palmer, MRCS, in practice at Rugeley, had in 1854 or 1855 murdered his wife, his brother Walter, and his friend Cook, presumably by administering strychnine, although no strychnine was found in the bodies, only antimony. The evidence upon which Palmer was hanged was wholly circumstantial. Monckton made a post-mortem examination of Cook's body on January 25th, 1856, and gave evidence as reported by the *Illustrated Times*.