Lyneham Village Online has spent over three years collating and arranging information on the Button-Walker-Heneage families, which have significant associations with the history of Lyneham village.

The Walker family
The Walker family was one of weight and repute as early, at any rate, as the time of Queen Elizabeth. Thomas Walker, described as of Westminster, esquire, born in 1558 was the first of the name who held the office of Chief Usher of the Exchequer having purchased it from William Maddocks or Maddox in 1603 for £1475. He was probably the son of Anthony Walker, of County of Yorkshire to whom was granted in the time of Queen Mary I a patent to bear arms. This Patent adorned with a fine border in colours is now framed and hanging in the Muniment Room. His wife was Frances Byllesby, widow of John Maddox, both of which families held the office before Thomas Walker's acquisition of it.

It was Thomas Walker's son Clement who married as his second wife Mary Button the eldest of the three daughters of Sir William Button, 1st Baronet, and it was their son John Walker, of Hadley who married Cecil the eldest of the three daughters of Sir Michael Heneage, Chief Usher of the Exchequer. The Walkers, therefore, father and son appear to have done well for themselves.

This branch of the Heneage line had not altogether merged into the Walker line, for Charles the only son of Sir Michael was still living at the time of his sister's marriage, not dying till 1722. He left two daughters only, Elizabeth and Cecil, and it was the elder who being anxious to preserve the name of Heneage, instigated, in 1777, her kinsman John Walker grandson of John and Cecil to petition the Crown to be allowed to take the name of Heneage. The reasons as set forth in the petition were, that he John Walker, "being grandson and heir of Cecil Heneage, deceased, daughter of Sir Michael Heneage, Knight, and also cousin to Mrs Elizabeth Heneage, of West Hall, Mortlake, who is the only survivor and sole heiress of Charles Heneage Esquire, son of the above mentioned Sir M. Heneage" and also "that as there are not any issue remaining of the above mentioned branch of the Heneage family except the said Elizabeth, she is desirous that the petitioner and the issue of his body may take, use and bear the surname, arms and crest of Heneage". The Licence was duly granted on 8th March, 1777 signed by George III and Henry, Earl of Suffolk, Secretary of State.

This John Walker the grandson had married Arabella Cope, daughter of Jonathan Cope and of Lady Arabella Howard, the connection being as follows:-

Charles Spencer 3rd Earl of Sunderland married Lady Arabella Cavendish daughter of Henry, Duke of Newcastle.
Their daughter Lady Frances Spencer married Henry Howard, 3rd Earl of Carlisle.
Their daughter Lady Arabella Howard married Jonathan Cope, son and heir of Sir Jonathan Cope of Brewerne, Baronet.
Their daughter Arabella Cope married John Walker afterwards Heneage.

Unfortunately there was no issue to this marriage, and there remained a danger of the name disappearing again, John's two brothers also died without issue but his eldest sister another Cecil was married to Thomas Calcraft, of whose several children Mary Dionysia was married in 1776 to the Reverend George Wyld, of Speen, County of Berkshire, Vicar of Chlevely. It was he who was the means of procuring for the second time in fifty years a special Licence from the Crown to change the family name, this time to Walker-Heneage, not however, for himself but for his son George Heneage Wyld.

Curiously enough, this second change also was made at the desire of an aged female relative expressed in her Will dated 25th May 1813. This is clear from the wording of the Herald's College exemplification [dated 22nd August, 1818] which records that the Prince Regent by warrant under his Majesty's Royal Signet had signified to the Duke of Norfolk, Earl Marshal, that he had been pleased to grant to the Reverend G. Wyld "for and on behalf of his eldest son George Heneage Wyld a Minor" that he "and his issue might take, use and bear the surname and arms of the family of Walker-Heneage only, in compliance with the proviso and direction contained in the last Will and Testament of Arabella Walker-Heneage late of Compton House".

The 1901 England Census record shows Clement W Heneage aged 70 living at Compton House, Compton Bassett with his wife Henrietta LVW Heneage. Clement was recorded as a Justice of the Peace and born c1831 in Compton Bassett, Wiltshire. His wife was seven years younger, born in Singleton, Glamorgan, Wales and the couple had two children, both born in Christchurch, Hampshire, England, John VW Heneage aged 31, and Alice DW Heneage 23 years. Remarkably there was 14 servants recorded as residing in Compton House, namely Percy Badminton, Annie Bates, Rosa Beaton, Louis Bubb, James Burchell, Emma Clarke, Annie Collins, George Hickson, Harter May, Sarah Parks, Emily Tanner and Alfred Thompson aged between 38 to 19 years.

A decade earlier, the 1891 England Census, similarly shows Clement, Henrietta, Alice and John Heneage living in the house along with their son Claud W Heneage, a scholar, aged 15. Likewise there was a large collection of servants, sixteen in total to maintain the upkeep of the magnificent property.

In the 1871 England Census documents changes to the above records notably George H Walker Heneage Esquire was head of the house aged 71. Harriet Walker Heneage, his wife aged 69 lived with their daughter Alice.

Major Clement Walker Heneage, V.C.
Born in Compton Bassett, Wiltshire 6th March 1831, Clement Walker Heneage was the son of George Heneage Walker-Heneage (the Member of Parliament for Devizes) and his wife Harriet. Educated at Eton and Christchurch College Oxford, he was gazetted into the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars as a Cornet on 10th August 1851. On 3rd September 1854, he became a Lieutenant, with which rank he rode in the Charge of the Light Brigade. He served throughout the Crimean War, being present at the Battles of Alma, Inkerman and Tchermaya, as well as the action at Mackenzie's Farm, the siege of Sebastopol and the Kenteh Expedition.

Heneage was a man of strong opinions. Writing after the Crimean War about the recriminations and accusations concerning the loss of the Light Brigade, he had little doubt where the blame lay, observing "It is wonderful to observe the way that fool the "British public" kicks a man directly he is down, as in the instance of unlucky Lucan. I always hated him, and so did the whole Cavalry Division, but for heaven's sake let a man have fair play - here is this unfortunate man catching it over the head and ears, merely because he obeyed an order given by the thick-headed Raglan through his still more stupid Q.M. (quartermaster) General Airey, who is about the worst of the whole headquarters staff".

After his return from the Crimea he was promoted to Captain on 12th May 1857, and once more set out on campaign, this time sailing for India with the Regiment from Cork on the S.S. Great Britain in October 1857. With the rebel leader, the Rhani of Jhansi, safe within the stronghold of Gwalior, the opposing force under Major General Sir Hugh Rose took up position on the plain below the town. Heneage commanded a squadron of 8th Hussars who surprised the enemy with a flanking attack, catching them unawares. "There was no pretence of resistance any longer except from a slight, fully-armed figure that was helplessly whirled along in this cataract of men and horses. Again and again this one leader, gesticulating and vociferating, attempted to stem the torrent of routed rebels, but all in vain. There was no possibility of holding up the broken Mahrattas, and at last a chance shot struck down, across his horse's neck, this one champion of the retreating force. A moment later the swaying figure was overtaken, and one stroke from a Hussar's sabre ended the whole matter. There was no time to halt, for the victory had to be pressed home; but as the Squadron returned, it was discovered that it was the Rhani of Jhansi herself who had thus ended her meteoric career".

The citation for the Victoria Cross appeared in the London Gazette of 26th January 1859. It reads :- "Selected for the Victoria Cross by their companions. In the gallant charge made by a Squadron of the Regiment at Gwalior on 17th June 1858, when supported by a division of the Bombay Horse Artillery, and Her Majesty's 95th Regiment, they routed the enemy, who were advancing against Brigadier Smith's position, charged through the rebel camp into two batteries, capturing and bringing fire from the fort and town." (Field Force Orders by Major General Sir Hugh Henry Rose, G.C.B. Commanding Central India Field Force, dated Camp Gwalior 28th June 1858).

He took the rank of Brevet-Major on 20th July 1858, and on 16th November 1860, purchased the rank of Major in place of Major Edward Phillips who retired by sale of Commission. He retired from the Army by the sale of his own Commission on 20th July 1868.

On 7th December 1865, at St Paul's Church Sketty, South Wales, he married Henrietta Letitia Victoria Vivian the daughter of the MP for Swansea. Their children were Godfrey Clement Walker (born 17th May 1868) later Major Grenadier Guards, D.S.O., M.V.O.; John Vivian Walker (born 27th May 1869); Algernon Walker (born 4th February 1871) later Rear-Admiral, Royal Navy C.B., M.V.O.; Claud Walker (born 24th April 1875) later Barrister at Law; Aline Dulcie Walker (born 18th August 1877). Clement Walker Heneage, V.C. died at Compton Bassett House, Compton Bassett, Wiltshire on 9th December 1901 aged 70 years, 9 months.

Besides his Victoria Cross, Heneage was awarded the Crimea Medal with clasps for Alma, Balaklava, Inkerman and Sebastopol; the Turkish Crimea Medal and the Indian Mutiny Medal with the clasp for Central India.