Melksham Times Past

A column about days gone by in Melksham by local historian Lisa Ellis

Inspector Rich’s Sudden Death

The Saturday edition of the Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard printed a report on 11th August 1883 of the death of 52-year-old Melksham Police Inspector William Rich at Melksham Station on the Tuesday prior. 

The article began by stating the town’s inhabitants were greatly shocked by his very sudden death.

The article continued, “Inspector Rich was promoted from a Sergeant at Ramsbury some two years ago and transferred to Melksham, where by his constant attention to his duties and the consistently courteous but firm manner in which he always carried out those duties he won the respect and esteem of all classes of the town.

“The deceased officer had on the morning of Tuesday attended an inspection by the Chief Constable of the whole of the division at Trowbridge, after which he returned home by train, but wishing to see Supt. White, who he knew would be passing in the down train from Chippenham later in the day, he hurried to the railway station to meet the 5.38 train, and having on arriving at the station road seen the train was already in, he made more haste to catch it, when on reaching the platform he was noticed to fall.

“Some ladies of the town who happened to be getting out of the train immediately ran to his assistance, and Dr King, who was also at the station, rendered professional aid, but life was already extinct. The body was at once removed to the deceased’s home, and on the following day an inquest was held at the Town Hall, when the above facts having been given in evidence, the jury unanimously returned a verdict of death from heart disease.

“The deceased officer, who was about 52 years of age, had served upwards of 30 years in the Wilts Constabulary, and was held in high esteem by officers and men alike. He was a member of the Odd-fellows and Police Mutual Societies. A widow and several children are left to mourn his loss. The funeral takes place on Saturday.”

William and Mary Ann (nee Grainger) had seven children; along with his wife, two of their children had predeceased him. He remarried Annie Watson a year after his first wife’s death; William and Annie did not have children and his death occurred a month before their third anniversary. Annie never remarried and worked as a domestic servant in Keevil Manor before her death in 1915, aged 76.

Pictured: William Rich in his Sergeant’s uniform, possibly when he was just transferred to Melksham c1881