John Meade Falkner (8 May 1858 – 22 July 1932) was an English novelist and poet, best known for his 1898 novel Moonfleet.

An extremely successful businessman, he became chairman of the arms manufacturer Armstrong Whitworth during World War I. Falkner was born in Manningford Bruce, Wiltshire, and spent much of his childhood in Dorchester and Weymouth.

[1] After Oxford, he was a master at Derby School, then went to Newcastle as tutor to the family of Sir Andrew Noble, who ran Armstrong Whitworth Co., one of the largest arms manufacturers in the world.

In his business travels round the world, Falkner brought back antiquarian treasures of all kinds.

Falkner fell in love with Durham and, although he spent his later years travelling frequently, he called Durham his home, living in the Divinity House (now the University Music School) on Palace Green in front of the cathedral from 1902 until his death.