There have been three Baronetcies created for the family of Walker, later known as Forestier-Walker.
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The Family
The Walker, or Forestier-Walker, family is one of the unsung families of English history. Over the course of three centuries the family have quietly given continuous and distinguished service to their country, whilst deftly avoiding being rewarded with any peerage or otherwise gaining widespread recognition. In almost every generation of the last two centuries, the family have provided notable officers for the Army, plus the occasional naval and – latterly – air-force officer, and many of these have reached General officer rank.
Several members of this family have received personal recognition, in the form of received individual knighthoods and other honours, in addition to the family's three hereditary knighthoods: the baronetcies.
The journalist and TV presenter Robin Forestier-Walker is also a member of this family. His father, Alan, is first cousin to the 6th Baronet and therefore the heir presumptive after Joseph Forestier-Walker; Robin would be the next in succession after Alan.
The Baronetcies
The original title was in the Baronetage of England and the other two in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. The earliest and the latest are both extinct, but one baronetcy is still extant.
The English Walker Baronetcy was created in 1679, for Sir George Walker of Bushey Hall in the County of Hertford. Sir George, the first baronet, was the son of Sir Walter Walker, the legal adviser to Queen Catherine of Braganza from 1661, who received a knighthood for his services. Sir Walter's grandson was named after him and, in turn, inherited the Walker baronetcy. This Sir Walter, the second baronet, was the last holder of the title: upon his death without an heir, the Bushey Hall baronetcy became extinct.
The brother of Sir Walter Walker, Kt. – Thomas Walker – is the ancestor of the United Kingdom baronetcies of this family: the Monmouthshire baronetcies.
The United Kingdom Walker – later Forestier-Walker – Baronetcy, of Castleton in the County of Monmouth, was created on 28 March 1835, for the soldier George Walker. The second baronet assumed by deed poll the additional surname of Forestier. Another member of the family, George Edmond Lushington Walker, fourth son of the first baronet, was a Major-General in the Army.
The Forestier-Walker Baronetcy, of Rhiwderin in the County of Monmouth, was created in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom on 9 July 1929 for the Conservative politician Sir Leolin Forestier-Walker. The title became extinct on his death in 1934.
Walker Baronets, of Bushey Hall (1679)
Forestier-Walker Baronets, of Castleton (1835)
The heir apparent to the baronetcy is Joseph Alan Forestier-Walker (born 1992), only son of the 6th Baronet.