William Fox nursed his wife through a long and painful illness.
They had not been married long and she died at the young age of 25. They were childless and he did not remarry. William was a successful wine merchant in Melksham and was considered “gentry” in town. Sometime after 1842, he moved to No. 5, Cleveland Place, Bath, where he died on 8th October 1849 at the age of 60. His grave is one of the magnificent-looking large enclosures in the old St. Michael’s cemetery near the church, where his and Charlotte’s remains are kept.
He died intestate, without a will, but his wealth was well known to the residents of Melksham. With no one coming forth to claim his estate, the assets would go to his nearest relative.
In liquidating the estate, an advertisement titled “elegant and costly furniture” listed by the auctioneer some of the items to be sold, including nearly 300 ounces of “fashionable plate,” a small cellar of wines, bed and table linen, two expensive fireproof safes and other valuable effects.
A few hours after William Fox’s death at 3pm, Charles Fox, a pauper, who at the time was living in Melksham Forest, was enticed to the King Street home of William Shepherd by his son Giles, under the pretence of finding him work. Giles and his brother Joseph then offered him beer, of which he drank three pints.
Around 8pm that evening, William Jones, a tallow chandler who lived on King Street, was called upon to go to William Shepherd’s home, where he saw the Shepherd brothers, solicitor Alexander B Smith and Albert Ashley. Jones asked Smith, who was writing up some papers, if he had heard the news about the death of William Fox. Smith replied that he had not. After Smith finished writing, Joseph said, “Suppose we call in the old gentleman” (meaning Charles Fox), who was in the back room.
A deed was put in front of Fox to sign, which was assigned to the brothers Fox’s interest as one of the next of kin to William Fox, so they would receive a weekly payment of eight shillings and a cottage, totalling more than £5,000.
The document was read to him, and, according to Jones, Fox appeared perfectly willing to sign it. Ashley asked Smith how long it would take to get it ready, and Smith replied, “About twenty minutes.”
Jones and Ashley went into the White Hart and Jones told Ashley he would have nothing to do with the business, and he refused to go back into the Shepherd home to be a witness. William Buckland, innkeeper of the White Hart, was then asked if he would witness the deed, and he refused as well.
Fallout from the actions of the Shepherd brothers and their solicitor followed. Solicitor Smith wrote a letter to the editor justifying his character. He explained there was no indication that Fox was drunk when he signed the papers and had repeatedly stated that he never expected to receive one farthing from William Fox for his estate.
As a testimonial of the town’s approval of their conduct in refusing to witness the signing of the deed by Charles Fox, Jones and Buckland were each given a richly bound quarto bible, which was purchased by voluntary contributions.
Following their good fortune, Giles Shepherd and his brother Joseph prospered with their businesses. Giles became a corn dealer and seed merchant, able to retire and live on his own means. Joseph had a grocery shop and bakery and later became the town crier.
Charles Fox was listed as an annuitant on the census, where he lived a modest life at 41 Semington Road. He died in 1864 at the age of 74, survived by his wife Hannah; they had nine children.
A column about days gone by in Melksham by local historian Lisa Ellis
