Mr. Joseph Shirley Buxton, who was long a personality in Christchurch, and an old Colonist of over forty years' standing, was born at Wootton, Bedfordshire, England, in 1833, served his apprenticeship as a saddler with his father, and came to Lyttelton in 1858 by the ship “Westminster.” Soon afterwards Mr. Buxton opened business on his own account in Manchester Street, being one of the first to commence that line of business in Christchurch, and after conducting it successfully for fourteen years, he retired on account of ill-health, and purchased a farm on the outskirts of the city, where he lived for about two years. Mr. Buxton subsequently resided at Heathcote for about twenty years, and had many property transactions, by which he acquired a great knowledge of values, his services being frequently called into requisition as a valuer on that account. In 1895, Mr. Buxton built the charming residence at the corner of Office and Boundary Roads, St. Albans. He took part in local politics, having been a member of the first Sydenham Borough Council, and subsequently of the Spreydon and other road boards. Mr. Buxton was married in 1857 to a daughter of Mr. Gallimore, of Elleston, Staffordshire. This lady died in 1879, leaving three sons and three daughters. His second marriage took place in 1886, with the daughter of Mr. William Bonnily, of Deloraine, Tasmania, by whom he had one daughter. Mr. Buxton died on the 22nd November, 1898, aged sixty-five years.