Frances Flora Bond, nicknamed "Fanny", was born in Leicester, England, on July 24, 1812. Her father, Robert Bond, had been a prosperous lawyer and left an ample legacy to his children, who grew up very well off.[1] In her youth, Palmer, with her sister Maria, attended Miss Linwood's School for young ladies, a select private school in London run by needlework artist Mary Linwood. There she was instructed in music, literature, and the fine arts.

Despite the high praise, the Palmers' business was unable to support them. Sometime between June, 1843, and January, 1844, the Palmers and Frances' siblings, Robert and Maria, decided to leave England to emigrate to New York in the United States. By moving to a new country, Frances and her family hoped to effect a change in their financial circumstances and to find a better outlet for their artistic talents.[2]