John Faunthorpe
Encyclopedia
John Champion Faunthorpe (30 May 1871 – 1 December 1929) was a British
Army
officer
, big game hunter and sport shooter
.
Faunthorpe was born in Battersea
and educated at Oxford
. He served in the Indian Civil Service, arriving in India in 1892. While there he established a formidable reputation as a big game hunter, bagging (among other things) more than three hundred tigers. He was posted to various locations in India, including Bahraich
(1901), Muzaffarnagar
(1905) and Kheri
(1907), though he was on leave in England in 1914 when World War I
broke out. He was transferred to the General Staff and among other things was Military Director of Cinematograph Operations. For his service he was named C.B.E. and awarded the Military Cross
, and in 1922 was appointed aide-de-camp
to King George V.
When he returned to India after the war he worked closely with Arthur Stannard Vernay to collect specimens for the Natural History Museums of Chicago
and New York
. Their Vernay-Faunthorpe Expedition (1922–1923) was made into a movie called Hunting Tigers in India
Faunthorpe was also an accomplished athlete. With the British team at the 1924 Summer Olympics
he finished fourth in the team 100 metre running deer, single shots competition
and 21st in the individual 100 metre running deer, single shots event
.
Faunthorpe retired from the Indian Service in 1925 and died in Lucknow
, British India, of pneumonia
later that year.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
, big game hunter and sport shooter
Shooting sports
A shooting sport is a competitive sport involving tests of proficiency using various types of guns such as firearms and airguns . Hunting is also a shooting sport, and indeed shooting live pigeons was an Olympic event...
.
Faunthorpe was born in Battersea
Battersea
Battersea is an area of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is an inner-city district of South London, situated on the south side of the River Thames, 2.9 miles south-west of Charing Cross. Battersea spans from Fairfield in the west to Queenstown in the east...
and educated at Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
. He served in the Indian Civil Service, arriving in India in 1892. While there he established a formidable reputation as a big game hunter, bagging (among other things) more than three hundred tigers. He was posted to various locations in India, including Bahraich
Bahraich
Bahraich is a city and a municipal board in Bahraich district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Located on the Saryu River, a tributary of river Ghaghra, Bahraich is 125 km north-east of Lucknow, the state capital. The towns of Barabanki, Gonda, Balrampur, Lakhimpur and Sitapur share...
(1901), Muzaffarnagar
Muzaffarnagar
Muzaffarnagar is a major city and a municipal board in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The city was established in Mughal period by a Sayyid Jagirdar, Munawar Lashkar Ali, and so named in honour of his father, Muzaffar Ali Khan. It is the headquarters of the Muzaffarnagar district. It is a...
(1905) and Kheri
Kheri
Kheri is a town and a nagar panchayat in Lakhimpur Kheri district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Geography:Kheri is located at . It has an average elevation of 148 metres .-Demographics:...
(1907), though he was on leave in England in 1914 when World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
broke out. He was transferred to the General Staff and among other things was Military Director of Cinematograph Operations. For his service he was named C.B.E. and awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, and in 1922 was appointed aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to King George V.
When he returned to India after the war he worked closely with Arthur Stannard Vernay to collect specimens for the Natural History Museums of Chicago
Field Museum of Natural History
The Field Museum of Natural History is located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It sits on Lake Shore Drive next to Lake Michigan, part of a scenic complex known as the Museum Campus Chicago...
and New York
American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History , located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States, is one of the largest and most celebrated museums in the world...
. Their Vernay-Faunthorpe Expedition (1922–1923) was made into a movie called Hunting Tigers in India
Faunthorpe was also an accomplished athlete. With the British team at the 1924 Summer Olympics
1924 Summer Olympics
The 1924 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VIII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1924 in Paris, France...
he finished fourth in the team 100 metre running deer, single shots competition
Shooting at the 1924 Summer Olympics - Men's 100 metre team running deer, single shots
The men's 100 metre team running deer, single shots was a shooting sports event held as part of the Shooting at the 1924 Summer Olympics programme. It was the fourth appearance of the event. The competition was held on July 2, 1924 at the shooting ranges at Versailles...
and 21st in the individual 100 metre running deer, single shots event
Shooting at the 1924 Summer Olympics - Men's 100 metre running deer, single shots
The men's 100 metre running deer, single shots was a shooting sports event held as part of the Shooting at the 1924 Summer Olympics programme. It was the fifth appearance of the event. The competition was held on June 30, 1924 at the shooting ranges at Versailles...
.
Faunthorpe retired from the Indian Service in 1925 and died in Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
, British India, of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
later that year.