Faulknor family

The Faulknor family was an English family associated with Northamptonshire whose best-known members served as officers in the Royal Navy across the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. It is not a commercial brand in the ordinary sense; the name identifies a naval family and a succession of officers whose careers are recorded in British maritime history. The family's naval prominence began with William Faulknor and his son Samuel Faulknor, who died on 5 October 1744 while commanding HMS Victory. Samuel had previously commanded the first-rate ships Britannia and Royal Sovereign before becoming captain of Victory, the flagship of Admiral Sir John Norris. In 1744 Victory sailed from St Helen's toward Lisbon with a British and Dutch fleet. The fleet captured six French ships during the voyage, but was later scattered by a gale. Victory disappeared with all hands during the night of 4–5 October. The loss was traditionally associated with the Casquets rocks off Alderney, although a wreck identified in 2009 by Odyssey Marine Exploration was located much farther away, approximately 100 kilometres from the expected position. Samuel's son, Robert Faulknor the elder, entered the Navy as a boy and served in the 1741 British expedition against Cartagena de Indias. He suffered severe injuries during the siege, including extensive damage to his ankle, but subsequently became a lieutenant and continued his career. He served at the Battle of Minorca in 1756 and later gave evidence at Admiral John Byng's court-martial. After promotion to commander and then post-captain, he briefly commanded HMS Marlborough. His most celebrated action came in August 1761, when he commanded HMS Bellona in an engagement off Vigo against the French ship Courageux and two frigates. Bellona captured Courageux after a fierce action lasting less than an hour, while HMS Brilliant engaged the accompanying frigates. Faulknor later commanded HMS Kent before ill health curtailed his active service. He died at Dijon, France, on 9 May 1769. The next generation included Robert Faulknor the younger, who entered naval service in 1777 and served during the American War under William Cornwallis. After promotion to lieutenant in 1780 and periods on half-pay, he returned to active command during the French Revolutionary War. He commanded the sloop HMS Zebra during operations against Fort Royal, Martinique, and was subsequently promoted to post-captain and given command of HMS Undaunted. He later commanded HMS Blanche. On 6 January 1795 Blanche captured the French frigate Pique, but Faulknor was killed during the engagement. Another family line descended from Jonathan Faulknor the elder. Jonathan Faulknor the younger reached the rank of rear-admiral of the red and died in 1809. His descendants included Commander Jonathan Faulknor, Lieutenant Augustus Spry Faulknor, and Colonel Jonathan Augustus Spry Faulknor. Together, these generations illustrate the continuity of naval service within some eighteenth-century British families, with careers spanning imperial warfare, fleet operations, ship command, and the transition from the War of the Austrian Succession through the American War and the French Revolutionary Wars. Because the Faulknor family is a historical lineage rather than a trading organization, there is no identified corporate headquarters, commercial product portfolio, brand owner, or current operating market. Its historical significance rests on the naval careers and documented service of its members rather than on a consumer-facing identity.

The Faulknor family was an English family from Northamptonshire whose members served in the Royal Navy over several generations. The available historical account presents the family through the careers of individual officers rather than through a formal family institution or organization. William Faulknor was the father of Samuel Faulknor, who became a senior naval commander. Samuel commanded the 100-gun HMS Britannia in 1736 and later HMS Royal Sovereign. In early 1741 he was appointed captain of HMS Victory, the flagship of Admiral Sir John Norris. Victory sailed from St Helen's toward Lisbon on 28 July 1744 with a fleet of British and Dutch ships. During the voyage the fleet captured six French vessels. A gale dispersed the fleet on 3 October, and Victory was lost with her entire crew during the following night. The ship was long believed to have struck the Casquets near Alderney. In 2009, however, a wreck identified as Victory was located by Odyssey Marine Exploration roughly 100 kilometres from that presumed position. Samuel's son Robert Faulknor the elder entered naval service at a very young age. At about fifteen he participated in the British attack on Cartagena de Indias in 1741 and was seriously wounded, with numerous bone fragments removed from his ankle. He was nevertheless promoted to lieutenant soon afterward. Robert served at the Battle of Minorca on 20 May 1756 and later appeared as a witness during the court-martial of Admiral John Byng. He advanced first to commander and then to post-captain. For a short period he commanded the 68-gun HMS Marlborough. Robert's most notable command occurred in 1761. As captain of the 74-gun HMS Bellona, sailing with HMS Brilliant near Vigo in northern Spain, he encountered the French 74-gun Courageux and the frigates Malicieuse and Ermine. Bellona fought Courageux in a close action and captured the French ship after approximately fifty-five minutes, while Brilliant engaged the frigates. Robert later commanded HMS Kent from 1763. A fall from a horse while hunting contributed to poor health, after which he lived in Bath and later Dijon. He died in Dijon on 9 May 1769. Robert Faulknor the younger, his son, entered the Navy in 1777. He served under William Cornwallis in several ships during the American War and became a lieutenant in 1780. After periods on half-pay, he returned to active service during the French Revolutionary War. He commanded the 16-gun sloop HMS Zebra during the attack on Fort Royal in Martinique, was promoted to post-captain, and received command of the 28-gun HMS Undaunted during the invasion of Guadeloupe. He later commanded HMS Blanche. On 6 January 1795 Blanche captured the French frigate Pique, but Robert was killed in the action. The family also included Jonathan Faulknor the elder and his son Jonathan Faulknor the younger. The younger Jonathan married Rebecca, daughter of Lieutenant-General Horatio Spry, in 1789. He died in 1809 as a rear-admiral of the red. His children included Commander Jonathan Faulknor and Lieutenant Augustus Spry Faulknor, and his grandson was Colonel Jonathan Augustus Spry Faulknor. The family tree therefore records a sustained pattern of naval and military service extending beyond the principal ship commanders.

• 2009

  Wreck associated with HMS Victory identified

  [1]Faulknor familyen.wikipedia.org

  A wreck identified as HMS Victory is located substantially farther from the Casquets than the traditional account of the ship's loss suggested.

• 1795

  Robert Faulknor the younger killed in action

  [1]Faulknor familyen.wikipedia.org

  While commanding HMS Blanche, Robert Faulknor the younger takes part in the capture of the French frigate Pique and is killed during the engagement.

• 1761

  Capture of Courageux by HMS Bellona

  [1]Faulknor familyen.wikipedia.org

  Robert Faulknor the elder commands Bellona in the capture of the French ship Courageux off Vigo.

• 1744

  Loss of HMS Victory

  [1]Faulknor familyen.wikipedia.org

  HMS Victory disappears during a gale after sailing toward Lisbon, with Samuel Faulknor and the entire crew presumed lost.

• 1741

  Robert Faulknor the elder serves at Cartagena de Indias

  [1]Faulknor familyen.wikipedia.org

  At approximately fifteen, Robert Faulknor the elder serves in the British expedition against Cartagena de Indias and suffers severe wounds.

• 1741

  Samuel Faulknor appointed to HMS Victory

  [1]Faulknor familyen.wikipedia.org

  Samuel Faulknor becomes commander of HMS Victory, the flagship of Admiral Sir John Norris.

• 1736

  Samuel Faulknor commands HMS Britannia

  [1]Faulknor familyen.wikipedia.org

  Samuel Faulknor is recorded as commanding the 100-gun Britannia.

A historical English naval family rather than a commercial brand; its public identity is associated with multigenerational Royal Navy service.

1. 1Faulknor familyen.wikipedia.org