1881: Merrythought Bone

From the Blandford Express May 21st 1881.

Mysterious Case – Some few days ago as two men were emptying a closet vault at a place called “Burts Close” (which lies between Thornecombe Bottom and Charlton Marshall) they discovered something wrapped in a cloth, which upon examination was declared by them to be the remains of an infant! Information was at once given to the nearest policeman, who, as in duty bound, communicated with his superintendent and the coroner – W. H. Atkinson Esq., who directed him to take possession of the suspected parcel and its contents, and take them to the coroner’s house. This having been done, the remains were shortly afterwards examined by Dr. E. M. Spooner and the coroner in person, who discovered leg and thigh, side and other bones, including a very fine merrythought bone, clearly showing they were the remains of what appeared to be an ancient rooster of the Chochin China, Bramah Pootra, or other large breed. We are informed the coroner declined to put the county to the expense of an inquest, consequently to whom the poor chanticleer belonged, or how he came to his final unsavoury resting place must remain a matter of conjecture. R. I. P.

I have kept the language, punctuation, and spelling as it is in the newspaper. The ‘merrythought bone’ is what we call the ‘wishbone’.