J. Meade Falkner
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John Meade Falkner (8 May, 1858 - 22 July, 1932) was an English novelist, best known for his 1898 swashbuckler, Moonfleet.
He was born in Manningford Bruce, Wiltshire, and educated at Marlborough College and Hertford College, Oxford. After Oxford, he went to Newcastle as tutor to the family of Sir Andrew Noble, who ran Armstrongs of Newcastle, one of the largest arms manufacturers in the world. Falkner eventually followed him as chairman in 1916, hard though this is to equate with his interest in poetry, architecture and heraldry. In his business travels round the world, Falkner brought back antiquarian treasures of all kinds.
Falkner fell in love with Durham and, after becoming honorary librarian to the Dean and Chapter, he lived from 1902 in the Divinity House on Palace Green in front of the cathedral. There is a commemorative plaque there, while his monument is in the South Cloister of the cathedral.
In addition to his poetry, he wrote three novels: