Major Gerard James Buxton
Master Gerard James Barnes was born 7th April 1870 in Morningthorpe Norfolk, the third son to John Matthew Barnes of the same village.

Gerard James Barnes was educated at Paston Grammar School, North Walsham Norfolk as a full time border. The highly rated grammar school was founded in 1606 by Sir William Paston, a libertarian, local magistrate, landowner and a member of an important local family. The school is famous as the school of Admiral Lord Nelson, who attended the school with his brother William between 1768-1771. The college still holds a small collection of artefacts relating to Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar.

Another famous old boy is Thomas Tenison, Archbishop of Canterbury who attended the school between 1691-1715. Later former pupils include: Stephen Fry, actor and writer who was not so much at the school as near it, inhabiting a small café round the corner for most of his short academic career there owing to the strange decision not to admit him to the sixth form a year early. Ironically, Paston is now a sort of educational institution which Stephen would have enjoyed and excelled in. The headmaster at the time was Henry Wimble aged 34 and was a local vicar.

Ten years later, at the age of 21, the 1891 census illustrates Gerard Barnes had moved to 1a Becketts Lane Pulham St Mary, Magdalen Depwade South Norfolk. He was superintending and managing his father farms.

The next census return of 1901, it shows Gerard was single, staying in a boarding house Oxford House, Princes Lane, Norwich, aged 30 and his profession or occupation was documented as Land Agent. He married Maud Isabel Buxton on the 18 December 1901 daughter to Sir Robert Jacob Buxton 3rd Bt. One of her ancestors had married in 1753 Elizabeth, daughter of John Jacob of The Rocks, near Bath. At that time the Jacob family owned property in Norton, Hullavington, Hilmarton and Tockenham and it was through this marriage that Tockenham Manor came into the Buxton family.

Gerard James Barnes was baptised with the name Gerard James Barnes and on the 26 March 1902 his name was legally changed to Gerard James Buxton by Royal License. Gerard James Buxton was High Sheriff of Wiltshire 1925

In 1905, Major Buxton and his wife came to live at Tockenham Manor, and there he continued to reside for the rest of his life. Soon after coming to the county he joined the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry, served in it till 1919, and remained a keen Yeoman for the rest of his days. To his brother officers he was always affectionately known as Pom-pom from his quick and rather staccato habit of speech which reminded the more senior of them of the Maxim gun of Boer war days.

In his early life he had been a promising ballgames player. The Headmaster of Ipswich Grammar School, where he was educated, reported to his father that if sent to the Varsity he would certainly get a soccer Blue and perhaps a cricket one, but was very unlikely to get a degree. His Victorian parent was not impressed and no athletic honours were to come the young, man's way, although he did play soccer as an amateur for Norfolk, enjoyed all games as long as he could play them, and proved a bold man to hounds in his hunting days. Certainly he was not academically inclined but there was never, any doubt of his quickness of wit, nor of his sense of fun, which remained with him till very nearly the end of his life.

Maud Isabel Buxton was born 25 November 1866 St George Hanover Square Mayfair London. In the 1881 census she was living at Shadwell Court, Rushford, Norfolk. Her father Sir Robert Buxton, then aged 51, was a Member of Parliament. Sir Robert Jacob Buxton, 3rd Bt. was born on 13 March 1829 at London, England. He was the son of Sir John Jacob Buxton, 2nd Bt. and Elizabeth Cholmeley. He married Mary Augusta Harriet Johnstone, daughter of Lieutenant Colonel John Johnstone and Caroline Pankel, on 4 December 1865 at St. Peter's Church, Eaton Square, London, England. He died on 20 January 1888 at age 58 at Shadwell Court, Norfolk, England, without male issue.

Sir Robert Jacob Buxton, 3rd Bt. was educated at Eton College, Eton, Berkshire, England. He succeeded to the title of 3rd Baronet Buxton, of Shadwell Lodge, Norfolk on 13 October 1842. He matriculated at Christ Church College, Oxford University, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, on 27 May 1847. He held the office of Sheriff of Norfolk in 1870. He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) for South East Norfolk from April 1871 to 1885. On his death, his baronetcy became extinct.

Maud Isabel Buxton died aged 84 on the 31st January 1951 and was laid to rest in St Michael and All Angel's Church Lyneham, she conveyed her estate to her husband at their marriage, and on his death in 2nd April 1963 in Tockenham passed to his greatnephew, Mr. David Barnes, who owned the estate in 1968. Major Gerard Buxton was also laid to rest next to his wife, in the graveyard of St Michael and All Angels Church Lyneham.

Major Buxton was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Wiltshire in 1945 and served as High Sheriff in 1925. He sat as Magistrate on the Wootton Bassett Bench for many years, was a County Councillor, and a Governor of Dauntsey's School.

During his lifetime he made a number of local benefactions. He built the parish hall at Lyneham, and presented Wootton Bassett with a cricket ground. The village school at Tockenham was also built by Elizabeth Buxton in the 1840's and she gave it to the Church of England. When the school finally closed in 1950 the building reverted to the Tockenham Manor Estate and Major Buxton converted it to a village hall. Through a covenanted gift to the Historic Churches Trust, Major Buxton re-roofed the north aisle of Lyneham Church and made possible extensive repairs to Tockenham Church. Farming was always a great interest and pleasure to him. In the 1920's when he kept Dairy Shorthorns he had a number of Show successes, including a First at the Royal.

The Gerard Buxton Memorial Ground in Wootton Bassett is another place locally, synonymous with the generosity of this fine gentleman. The name of the ground commemorates the generosity of Major Buxton who gave an 8 acre site consisting mainly of allotments and a nursery garden for the purpose of organised sport. The opening ceremony was performed in May 1930 when Mr Dale accepted the gift on behalf of the governing body which was to be known as the Sports Association. He paid tribute to the expert helpers who had brought the scheme into operation - Mr Hervey White of Midgehall for levelling the field; Mr Harry Wallis for laying the cricket table, which is noted as one of the best in the district; and Mr R.D. Parsons for defraying the cost of the pavillion, £1,000. The Sports Association hoped that many clubs s possible would make use of the facilities.. Membership was 2/6 per annum. Major Buxton was elected the first President; Mr T.R. Hood secretary; and Mr D. Bell treasurer. In 1974 facilities were greatly improved by the addition of the new pavillion, two hard tennis courts and a car park. Football, cricket, tennis and hockey pitches occupied every inch of the ground.

His first wife died in 1951, and he married, secondly, Mirabel Mary Lomer, daughter of Major and Mrs. Robert Lomer.