Thomas Faulkner was an English topographer of Chelsea

Chelsea, London

Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...

 and other localities about London.

Life

Faulkner belonged to a family involved in the building trade in the west of London. He for many years kept a small bookseller's and stationer's shop at the corner of Paradise Row, at the west end of the footpath running past Chelsea Hospital. Without much education, he acquired sufficient knowledge of French and Spanish to obtain some employment as a translator.

Faulkner was a member of the Society of Antiquaries of Normandy. He died at Smith Street, Chelsea, on 26 May 1855, at the age of seventy-eight.

Works

He began his literary career in October and November 1797 by communications to the Gentleman's Magazine, to which he was an occasional contributor for over half a century. He was also a contributor to the earlier series of the New Monthly Magazine.

In 1805 he published a ‘Short Account of Chelsea Hospital,’ and in 1810 produced his major work, ‘A 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,’ London. It was dedicated to Brownlow North

Brownlow North

Brownlow North was a bishop of the Church of England.-Life:He was a half-brother to Frederick North, Lord North, both being sons of Francis North, 1st Earl of Guilford....

, bishop of Winchester

Bishop of Winchester

The Bishop of Winchester is the head of the Church of England diocese of Winchester, with his cathedra at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire.The bishop is one of five Church of England bishops to be among the Lords Spiritual regardless of their length of service. His diocese is one of the oldest and...

, who then had an official house in Chelsea. Faulkner is said to have been assisted in the compilation by the Rev. Weedon Butler, the younger, a local schoolmaster. A second edition of the work, in 2 vols. and dedicated to the Hon. G. Cadogan, appeared in 1829.

In 1813 Faulkner published ‘Historical and Topographical Account of the parish of Fulham, including the hamlet of Hammersmith,’ dedicated to John Randolph

John Randolph (bishop)

John Randolph was a British scholar, teacher, and cleric who rose to become Bishop of London.-Early life and academic career:...

, then bishop of London

Bishop of London

The Bishop of London is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 458 km² of 17 boroughs of Greater London north of the River Thames and a small part of the County of Surrey...

; 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,’ London. This work was dedicated to George IV. The plates in general were poor; but some etchings, illustrative of the work, were published by Robert Banks, from original drawings in the possession of W. Simonds Higgs, F.S.A., then a resident in Kensington, and in 1831 eight views of Kew Gardens were published from drawings by J. Sargeant, engraved by H. Waller and John Rogers.

In 1839 Faulkner brought out his ‘History and Antiquities of Hammersmith,’ London, dedicated to Queen Victoria and in 1845 ‘History and Antiquities of Brentford, Chiswick, and Ealing,’ London. Both these works contain biographical notices of local notabilities during the three preceding centuries. A complete list of Faulkner's works, including several minor publications not in the ‘British Museum Catalogue of Printed Books,’ is given in the obituary notice in the Gentleman's Magazine for June 1855.

Two portraits of him exist—an expressive one in 8vo, with his coat of arms, and a 4to lithograph inscribed ‘J. Holmes, ad vivum del.’