On the 18th June this year I set out for Devizes on my bicycle, to try and find a newspaper report of Alonzo’s death. I made the journey of 64½ miles in 10 hours using the Kennet and Avon towpath. I was to return home on the Thursday using a combination of minor roads and the towpath in 8½ hours. I had also picked the best week in the month for the trip. The weather was excellent!

On a previous visit to Devizes I had learned that their Museum and Archive Library had a newspaper archive for Wiltshire, amongst much other material. It turned out that the newspapers for the dates that I was interested in had been lost.

Somewhat dejected, I decided to take the bus to Trowbridge, a trip of only 25 minutes. There I consulted the archives of the Wiltshire County Records Office, having been issued with a temporary pass.

No, they did not have the coroners report for that date, but they did have the newspapers. The archivist filled out my form and I placed it in the rack. I noticed some activity in the office. Shortly after that the archivist came to me to say that they did not have the local newspaper, but did have the Salisbury Journal for 1862.

A large bound volume arrived for that year. It was a weekly publication, so the relevant issue was Saturday the 15th February 1862.

I searched the pages diligently until the eighth and last page. Under the title MELKSHAM was the article Deplorable Accident at Rood Ashton. I had found it!

Salisbury and Winchester Journal, Saturday February 15,
1862 page 8, column 3

DEPLORABLE ACCIDENT AT ROAD (sic) ASHTON,—A most distressing accident and one which has plunged the whole town and neighbourhood of Melksham into grief, took place on Monday last, by which Mr. Alonso (sic) Badham, son of the late Secretary of the Bristol and Exeter Railway Company, and the proprietor of Shaw House School, has been shot dead. It appears that after the regular shooting is over, on the 1st Feb., Mr. Long, M.P., has for many years been accustomed to allow his tenants to shoot the rabbits upon his estates, and parties have usually been formed for the enjoyment of this privilege, which has been looked forward to as a pleasant annual recreation. Mr. Theobald, of Semington, had his day on Monday last, and as usual invited a party of friends to join him, amongst whom were the deceased (Mr. Badham), Mr. Eyles (a clerk in Mr. Theobald’s service), Mr. Eyres, of Lacock, Mr. Plummer, Mr. Blanchard (of Steeple Ashton), and others. They separated themselves from the rest of the party, and were walking along an open space in the woods, each of them carrying a loaded gun. Mr. Eyles was in the centre of the three, and was carrying his gun in a horizontal position, or what is better known as a position of “slope arms.” Mr. Badham, who was on the right of Mr. Eyles, thinking he saw a rabbit in the underwood, suddenly stooped down, and at that instant Mr. Eyles’s gun exploded, and the whole charge was lodged in Mr. Badham’s neck and head, entirely carrying away the base of the skull and causing instantaneous death. The body was removed to an adjoining farm house, where an inquest was held on the following day, before G. Sylvester, Esq., coroner, and a verdict of “Accidental death” returned. Mr. Badham had received an excellent education at a Moravian establishment in Germany, and was for many years connected with tuition in Bristol, having removed to the principalship of the school at Melksham some two or three years ago. He has, we regret to hear, left a widow and five children, with a sixth shortly expected. There seems to have been a fatality connected with his death, for had any other day during the past or coming month been fixed for the party he would not have been able to be present, but Monday being the monthly holiday at Shaw School, he unfortunately made up his mind for a few hours’ recreation, and hence his untimely and melancholy end. We understand that Mr. Smith, the late proprietor of the school (who, since his retirement, has been residing at Nailsworth), was immediately telegraphed for, and will take charge of the school until some arrangement can be made with regard to its future conduct.