Thomas Faulkner (1777–1855) was an English bookseller and

topographer Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area may refer to the land forms and features themselves, or a description or depiction in maps. Topography is a field of geoscience and planetary scie ...

of West London. He is known for three principal works that were to become standard 19th-century references for the localities of

Chelsea Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to: Places Australia * Chelsea, Victoria Canada * Chelsea, Nova Scotia * Chelsea, Quebec United Kingdom * Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames ** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...

Fulham Fulham () is an area of the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham in West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, bordering Hammersmith, Kensington and Chelsea. The area faces Wandsworth ...

and

Kensington Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in the West End of London, West of Central London. The district's commercial heart is Kensington High Street, running on an east–west axis. The north-east is taken up b ...

. Faulkner was a member of the ''Société des Antiquaires de Normandie'' - Society of Antiquaries of Normandy.

Biography

Faulkner was born into a family involved in the building trade in the west of London. He branched out of the family business and, for many years, kept a small bookseller's and stationer's shop at the corner of Paradise Row, at the western end of the footpath running past

Chelsea Hospital The Royal Hospital Chelsea is a retirement home and nursing home for some 300 veterans of the British Army. Founded as an almshouse, the ancient sense of the word "hospital", it is a site located on Royal Hospital Road in Chelsea, London, Che ...

. Without much formal education, he was an

autodidact Autodidacticism (also autodidactism) or self-education (also self-learning and self-teaching) is education without the guidance of masters (such as teachers and professors) or institutions (such as schools). Generally, autodidacts are individua ...

and acquired sufficient knowledge of French and

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

to obtain employment as a translator. He died at Smith Street, Chelsea, on 26 May 1855, at the age of seventy-eight.

Literary career

His literary career began in October and November 1797 with pieces for the ''

Gentleman's Magazine ''The Gentleman's Magazine'' was a monthly magazine founded in London, England, by Edward Cave in January 1731. It ran uninterrupted for almost 200 years, until 1922. It was the first to use the term ''magazine'' (from the French ''magazine'' ...

'', to which he was to be an occasional contributor for over half a century. He was also a contributor to the series of the ''

New Monthly Magazine ''The New Monthly Magazine'' was a British monthly magazine published from 1814 to 1884. It was founded by Henry Colburn and published by him through to 1845. History Colburn and Frederic Shoberl established ''The New Monthly Magazine and Univer ...

''. In 1805 he published a 'Short Account of Chelsea Hospital,’ and in 1810 produced his first work, 'An Historical and Topographical Account of Chelsea and its Environs. With biographical anecdotes of illustrious and eminent persons who have resided in Chelsea during the three preceding centuries', published in London. It was dedicated to

Brownlow North Brownlow North (17 July 1741 – 12 July 1820) was a bishop of the Church of England. Early life, family and education Brownlow was born on 17 July 1741 in Chelsea, London, Chelsea, Middlesex, Great Britain, the only son of Francis North, 1st ...

bishop of Winchester The Bishop of Winchester is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Winchester in the Church of England. The bishop's seat (''cathedra'') is at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire. The Bishop of Winchester has always held ''ex officio'' (except dur ...

, who then had an official residence in Chelsea. Faulkner is said to have been assisted in the compilation by the Rev.

Weeden Butler the younger Weeden Butler the younger (1773–1831) was an English cleric and author. Life He was the eldest son of the Rev. Weeden Butler (1742–1823), and George Butler was his brother; he was educated by his father. In 1790 he entered Sidney Sussex Colle ...

, a local schoolmaster. A second edition of the work, in two volumes and dedicated to the Hon.

George Cadogan General Sir George Cadogan (2 December 1814 – 27 January 1880) was a general in the British Army. Life The fifth son of George Cadogan, 3rd Earl Cadogan and Honoria Louisa Blake (and thus the younger brother of the 4th earl). He joined the ...

, appeared in 1829. In 1813 Faulkner published his major work, 'An Historical and Topographical Account of the parish of Fulham, including the hamlet of Hammersmith,’ dedicated to John Randolph, then

Bishop of London A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

; and in 1820 his 'History and Antiquities of Kensington, with Biographical Anecdotes of Royal and Distinguished Personages, and a Descriptive Catalogue of the Pictures in the Palace from a survey taken by the late Benjamin West, P.R.A., by command of his Majesty'. This work was dedicated to

George IV George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from the death of his father, King George III, on 29 January 1820, until his own death ten y ...

. In 1839 Faulkner published his 'History and Antiquities of Hammersmith', dedicated to

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...

. In 1845, he followed this with his 'History and Antiquities of Brentford, Chiswick, and Ealing'. Both these works contain biographical accounts of local notabilities of the three preceding centuries. His obituary notice in the ''Gentleman's Magazine'' for June 1855 contains a complete list of Faulkner's works, including several minor publications not in the 'British Museum Catalogue of Printed Books'.Two portraits of Thomas Faulkner exist—an expressive one in octavo size, with his coat of arms, and a quarto lithograph inscribed 'J. Holmes, ad vivum del.'

References and notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Faulkner, Thomas 1777 births 1855 deaths People from Chelsea, London English topographers 18th-century English people 19th-century English people Writers from London History of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham Chelsea, London Kensington Fulham Hammersmith