1st or King’s Dragoon Gueards. Death in Derbyshire of a Dragoon Guard 1800

1st or King’s Dragoon Guards. A fascinating piece of paper recording a mysterious shooting at Wirksworth, Derbyshire in 1800. It once contained a pistol ball and reads: December 28th 1800. Martin Bedford about five & twenty Years of Age Shot himself with a Pistol that was found with thie Ball which went through his Body in a Bedroom at the Black Bull in Wirksworth Derbyshire. Martin Bedford was a Common Soldier in 1st or King’s Dragoon Guards Quatered at Wirksworth and Captn. St Paul his Captain there. When folded the reverse reads This Ball Has been the death of a Man. Captain Henry St. Paul was serving at this time. One of our images shows him in our reference copy of the Army List for 1802.  jan15/5

Provenance: This was acquired with other ephemera from the house sale by Henry Spencer & Sons at Strelley Hall, Nottingham. 22-24 November 1978 from the estate of the late Miss E. M. Edge.  we believe this note was probably written by Thomas Webb Edge,