Robert Whitfield Falconer was a Gosforth resident who lived in the area during the late Victorian and Edwardian period. Born in 1885, he worked as a shipbroker’s clerk, was an active bell-ringer at All Saints Church and served with the 16th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers during the First World War. He was killed at Thiepval on 1 July 1916, aged 31.
His story survives in a remarkable range of historical records, including census returns, trade directories, parish magazines, bell-ringing records, his will and military records.
Following these records allows us to discover not only where Robert and his family lived, but also something about his work, his interests, his community and the legacy he left in Gosforth.
This is the kind of research that sits at the heart of house history. Behind an address is a person, and behind that person is a story.
Robert Whitfield Falconer at a glance
- Born: 1885, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne
- Occupation: Shipbroker’s clerk
- Home addresses: High Street, Ivy Road and Linden Road, Gosforth
- Church: All Saints, Gosforth
- Interest: Bell-ringing
- Military service: 16th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers
- Died: 1 July 1916 at Thiepval, France
- Age: 31
- Legacy: His will provided £175 towards two additional bells for All Saints Church, Gosforth
- Remembered: Thiepval Memorial and All Saints Church, Gosforth
Robert Whitfield Falconer of Gosforth
1911 census returns showing Robert Falconer, his parents, James and Isabella, and sister, Mary, living at 22 Linden Road, Gosforth.
Robert Whitfield Falconer was born in Gosforth and baptised at St Nicholas Church on 29 March 1885.
His parents, James William Falconer and Isabella Nixon, had married at the same church the previous year. At the time of Robert’s baptism, the family were living at 29 High Street, Gosforth.
In 1890, Robert’s sister Mary Isabella was born.
The census allows us to follow the family as they moved around Gosforth. By 1891 they were living at 38 Ivy Road, where the household included a female live-in servant.
By 1901 they had moved to 4 Linden Terrace, which appears to have been a misrecording of Linden Road. Once again, the family shared their home with a servant.
By 1911 they were living at 22 Linden Road, Gosforth.
These addresses might initially appear to be little more than facts to record in a family history. But when we are researching the history of a house, they become much more interesting.
They show us how a family moved through the neighbourhood over time and give us different places from which to explore their story.
Census records are just one of the many sources that can help us understand the history of a property. If you’re beginning to investigate your own home, our guide to finding out when your house was built is a useful place to start.
The Falconer family and Newcastle’s shipbroking trade
The census records also tell us about the family’s working life.
James Falconer’s occupation was recorded as a shipbroker in both the 1901 and 1911 census. Robert was a shipbroker’s clerk.
A shipbroker acted as an intermediary between the owner of a ship and a client wishing to transport goods by sea.
Trade directories provide another layer to the story.
During the 1890s, James worked for J.G. Charlton & Company, shipbrokers of Cails Buildings, Newcastle.
By 1906, Ward’s Directory records James’s own business, Falconer, Ross & Company, based at Sandhill in Newcastle.
This is a good example of why we rarely rely on a single historical source.
The census gives us a snapshot of a household at a particular moment. Directories can then help us follow a person’s occupation and place of work through the years.
Together, the records begin to reveal something about the family’s working life.
Robert Falconer and All Saints Gosforth
Contemporary photograph of All Saints Parish Church, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne
The establishment of the new parish of Gosforth All Saints in 1906 brought the Falconer family into another part of the local historical record.
James William Falconer served as a member of the parish vestry from 1906 until 1917 and, for part of that time, served as People’s Warden.
Robert was a keen bell-ringer.
The parish magazines contain references to bell-ringing and, occasionally, to Robert himself.
An article from August 1913 records a quarter-peal of bells being rung to mark the departure of one of the ringers, Mr A.M.C. Field, who was leaving for South America. Robert was one of the ringers taking part.
The Annual Report of the Durham and Newcastle Association of Change Ringers also records Robert ringing at churches in Gosforth, Gateshead and Whitley Bay in 1913.
These records give us something that a census return cannot.
They show Robert not simply as a name in a household, but as an active member of his local community.
Visitors to All Saints church in Gosforth may notice a memorial plaque that reads:
‘To The Glory of God and in the memory of Lieut. Robert Whitfield Falconer, 16th Northumberland Fusiliers, one of the original bellringers of this church who fell at Thiepval, France, 1 July 1916, aged 31 years. In his will, he made provision for two new bells to be added to the existing peal in the tower’.
Robert Falconer and the First World War
Robert’s life changed dramatically with the outbreak of the First World War.
The memorial plaque at All Saints Church records that he served with the 16th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers.
The battalion was raised in Newcastle in September 1914 by the Gateshead and Newcastle Chamber of Commerce. It was one of twelve so-called Pals battalions raised by the Northumberland Fusiliers.
Pals battalions were formed largely from groups of friends, neighbours and work colleagues. In Robert’s case, it is possible that some of the men he served alongside were people he already knew through his working or social life in Newcastle.
There was, however, a terrible consequence to this type of recruitment.
When a battalion suffered heavy losses, the impact was concentrated within particular communities and groups of friends.
The 16th Battalion began its service in France in November 1915.
On 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, Robert Falconer was killed.
Five fellow officers also lost their lives that day, along with more than 350 men from the battalion.
Robert was 31 years old.
Robert Falconer’s will and the bells of All Saints Gosforth
Extract from the Annual Report of Durham and Newcastle Association of Change Ringers, 1920, reporting on presentation of the bells to All Saints Parish Church, Gosforth.
One of the most revealing documents in Robert’s story is his will.
He signed it on 3 September 1915, shortly before the 16th Battalion left for France.
His executors were his father, James, and John Frederick Bird, a friend and fellow bell-ringer.
Among the beneficiaries were his father, John Bird, John’s infant son and Robert’s sister Mary.
But the will also contained a very personal request concerning All Saints Church.
Robert left £175 to provide two additional bells for the church.
His father ensured that his son’s wishes were carried out.
The two bells were eventually dedicated to Robert’s memory by Bishop Wild on 3 October 1920.
A document written shortly before Robert went to war had therefore left a lasting mark on the church and community that had been part of his life.
Remembering Robert Falconer at Thiepval
Robert Falconer is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial in France.
His story survives in many different places: census returns, trade directories, parish magazines, bell-ringing records, his will, military records and the memorials created in his memory.
None of these records, on their own, tells us everything about Robert.
But together they allow us to build a much more detailed picture.
We can follow his family through the streets of Gosforth. We can discover how his father made his living, where Robert worked, the church he attended and the activity he enjoyed. We can follow him from his local community into military service and finally discover how his own wishes resulted in two bells being added to All Saints Church.
And this is what makes the people behind the houses so interesting.
What Robert Falconer’s story shows us about house history
Robert Falconer’s story began with addresses.
29 High Street.
38 Ivy Road.
4 Linden Terrace.
22 Linden Road.
On their own, these are locations recorded in historical documents. But following the family from one address to another led us into a much wider story, their occupations, church life, friendships, interests and connections with the wider Gosforth community.
This is why people are such an important part of house history.
When we research an old house, we are not simply trying to establish who lived there and when. We are looking for evidence that helps us understand the lives connected with the property.
Sometimes that evidence is found in a census. Sometimes it is a directory, newspaper, parish record, map, photograph or will.
And sometimes several apparently ordinary records come together to reveal a surprisingly detailed story.
A house history is never really just about bricks, walls and dates.
Behind an address there may be a family. Behind a name in a census there may be a working life, friendships, interests and ambitions. Sometimes the records allow us to glimpse moments of those lives that would otherwise have disappeared.
Robert Falconer’s story is one example.
His homes, his work, his church and his community were all part of his life. More than a century later, those connections can still be traced through the historical record.
The bells he helped to provide are still part of Gosforth’s soundscape today.
The people who lived in a house are only one part of its story. Other records can reveal how a property changed, what stood nearby and what life was like in the surrounding neighbourhood. You can see more examples in Inside Your House History.
The records behind Robert Falconer’s story
Robert’s story has been pieced together from a range of historical sources, including census returns, trade directories, parish records, parish magazines, bell-ringing records, his will and military records.
His service is also recorded by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and The National Archives.
This is the same principle we use when researching the history of a house: we follow the evidence, bringing together different records to build a picture of the people and places connected with it.
Where the records provide an answer, we tell the story. Where they don’t, we don’t fill the gaps with assumptions.
That is how a name in an old record can become a glimpse into a real life.
Robert’s addresses are a reminder that a house history can bring together people, places, documents and maps to create a much fuller picture of the past. See examples of the house histories we create.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Robert Whitfield Falconer?
Robert Whitfield Falconer was a Gosforth resident born in 1885. He worked as a shipbroker’s clerk, was a bell-ringer at All Saints Church and served with the 16th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers during the First World War. He was killed at Thiepval on 1 July 1916.
Where did Robert Whitfield Falconer live?
Census records place Robert and his family at several Gosforth addresses, including 29 High Street, 38 Ivy Road and 22 Linden Road.
What was Robert Falconer’s occupation?
Robert was recorded as a shipbroker’s clerk. His father, James William Falconer, was a shipbroker and later established the firm Falconer, Ross & Company in Newcastle.
Did Robert Falconer serve in the First World War?
Yes. Robert served with the 16th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, one of the Northumberland Fusiliers’ Pals battalions. He was killed at Thiepval on 1 July 1916.
What connection did Robert Falconer have with All Saints Church in Gosforth?
Robert was a bell-ringer at All Saints Church. His will also provided £175 towards two additional bells for the church. The bells were subsequently dedicated to his memory in 1920.
Where is Robert Falconer remembered?
Robert is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial in France and at All Saints Church in Gosforth.