Evangeline Phyllis (Callan) Bonham (1915 - 1947)

Born 1 Apr 1915 in Blayney, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Died 7 Oct 1947 at age 32 in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Evangeline was the daughter of James Arnold and Annie (Campbell) Callan.

Evangeline married Richard Frank Sydney Bonham in 1931.

Phyllis was 32 and Richard was 37 when they died in an apparent murder/suicide.^[1] Their remains were interred at Kelso Anglican Cemetery, Kelso, NSW. Their son was also later interred with them following his death.^[2]

News Clippings

9 October 1947 - The Daily Telegraph

"Girl Finds Parents Shot Dead In Bed

"Maureen Bonham, 15, early yesterday found her mother and father shot dead in their bed at their home at Waltham, Duramana, 14 miles from Bathurst.

"Her father, Richard Bonham, 37, and her mother, Evangeline Bonham, 32, both had bullet wounds in the head.

"A .22 calibre rifle lay on the floor near Bonham's body.

"Maureen discovered their bodies when she went to their room to awaken them.

"When Maureen realised her mother was dead, she screamed, "Mummy's been shot!" and ran from the room.

"She closed the door and prevents her seven-year-old sister Yvonne, and her brothers Hilton, 11, and Vincent, 10, from entering the room.

"A few minutes after Maureen discovered the bodies, Mervyn Smith, a well-known Bathurst footballer, arrived at the house to collect a cow he had bought from the Bonhams.

"Maureen rushed up to him, sobbing: "Quick! Get an ambulance! Daddy's shot mummy!"

"Children Taken Away

"Smith put the four children in his truck and took them to Mr. Jim Brown's farm, a mile away.

"He then drove to the Duramana post office to telephone the Bathurst police.

"Maureen told Detectives McKechnie and McDonald, of Bathurst, that she had not heard any shots during the night.

"But her brother Hilton said he woke up during the night when he heard something fall to the floor, but soon went to sleep again.

"Police inquiries disclosed that Mr. and Mrs. Bonham went to Bathurst on Tuesday afternoon to consult solicitors about "settling their affairs."

"They discussed a property adjustment with her solicitors.

"Maureen told the detectives that her father returned home last Thursday after having been away shearing.

"She said she heard her parents quarrelling several times soon after her father's return.

"She said they quarrelled again on Tuesday before leaving to see their solicitors in Bathurst.

"She said her mother arrived home from Bathurst first, and her father returned about 9 p.m., while her mother was preparing to go to bed.

"Mrs. Bonham went to bed in her own room. Bonham went to bed in his son Hilton's room.

"Police believe that about an hour later - between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. - Bonham got the rifle, when to his wife's room and shot her while she slept.

"Apparently he then lay down beside her and shot himself in the forehead."^[3]

9 October 1947 - Warwick Daily News

"Double Tragedy

"Girl Finds Parents Dead in Home

"SYDNEY: A 15-year-old girl found the bodies of her parents lying side by side on a bed at their country home at Duramana, 14 miles from Bathurst, early yesterday. The victims of the tragedy, both of whom had died from bullet wounds, were: Richard Bonham, 37, a labourer, of Evangeling; Phyllis Bonham, 32, his wife.

"Mrs. Bonham had a bullet in the left temple, while Bonham had a bullet in the forehead. A .22 calibre rifle was found on the floor close to Bonham.

"Maureen Bonham, 15, the eldest of the couple's four children, discovered the tragedy when she went to call her parents. They had been dead for several hours.

"Police were told the couple, who had a number of disagreements this year, visited a solicitor at Bathurst on Tuesday to talk over their domestic affairs. While in Bathurst they had a further argument."^[4]

17 Oct 1947 - Daily Mirror

"FINDING OF MURDER AND SUICIDE

"BATHURST, Friday. - The Bathurst Coroner (Mr. C. Clark) today found that Richard Sydney Bonham (37), grazier, murdered this wife Evangeline (32), at their residence at Duramana on October 8 and then committed suicide.

"Duramana is about 12 miles from Bathurst. The couple were found lying in bed in their night attire with bullet wounds in their heads.

"Sgt. Nixon, of Bathurst, said that when he found the bodies a pearifle was lying nearby in a pool of blood.

"On a pillow he found a letter in a pink envelope. He believes it was in Bonham's hand-writing. There were no signs of a struggle, he said.

"Maureen Ann Bonham (15), the eldest daughter of the family of four, said that the day before the tragedy her mother drove her in a motor truck to Bathurst. Later her mother and father met at a solicitor's office, and she heard them talking afterwards about having fixed up the property."^[5]

18 October 1947 - National Advocate

"MURDER AND SUICIDE

"VERDICT IN DURAMANA TRAGEDY

"EVIDENCE OF MOTIVE EXCLUDED

"At the inquiry at the Bathurst Court House yesterday into the deaths of Richard Frank Sydney Bonham (38), a well known Bathurst resident, and his wife, Evangeline Bonham, who were found dead in bed, each with bullet wounds in their heads, at their residence at Duramana, some 12 miles from Bathurst, on October 8 last, the course was taken by the Coroner (Mr. Cripps-Clark, of Hill End), at the request of the police, to prevent the publication of a letter, on the grounds of public policy, written by Bonham and which was found enclosed in a pink envelope on a pillow at the head of the bed on which the bodies were found.

"It was also announced at the conclusion of the evidence by Sergt. Newlond, who represented the police, that he had excluded evidence establishing a motive for the tragedy indicating that the motive was obvious from the contents of the letter.

"From the evidence given by the eldest daughter of the deceased it was made plain that the tragedy was premeditated as she stated that on the Sunday prior to the deaths she had seen her father writing the letter and then enclose it in an envelope similar to that found on the pillow. However, she was not aware of the contents.

"The Coroner, after hearing the evidence tendered said he was satisfied that on the night of October 7 Bonham feloniously slew his wife and then took his own life. Both had died as a result of bullet wounds inflicted by shots from a pea rifle.

"THE EVIDENCE

"In evidenced Sergt. Nixon of Bathurst police, said that at about 10.30 a.m. on October 2 he went ot a property, called "Waltham," at Duramana.

"When he entered a bedroom of the homestead, he discovered the bodies of a man and woman, later identified as Bonham and his wife.

"Their bodies were both lying on a double bed; Bonham's head was hanging over the side of the bed.

"On examination he found a hole in the centre of Bonham's forehead.

"The mark on the forehead was consistent with a bullet wound, caused by a shot from a .22 calibre pea rifle fired at a very close range. The flesh near the wound showed powder marks.

"Investigations showed that the body of Bonham's wife, was resting face downwards on the other side of the bed.

"She had a bullet wound in the hair near her left temple.

"From examination of the bodies it appeared that death was instantaneous.

"There was a bullet hole in one of the blankets, Sergt. Nixon said.

"Bonham and his wife were dead for a number of hours when police arrived.

"I made a search of the room and discovered a rifle lying on the floor, close to Bonham's head. A spent shell was still in the breech of the rifle. The lock of the rifle was closed. I also found a second spent shell in the bedclothes, on the side of the women's body, Sergt. Nixon said.

"He added that on examination of the rifle he found that the marks inflicted by the firing pin on both shells were similar.

"On the pillow at the head of the bed he found a sealed pink envelope.

"It contained a letter signed Richard Frank Bonham, with the letter H after that name, followed by the name Evangeline Phyllis Bonham, followed by the letter W - indicating that both letters represented the words 'husband' and 'wife'.

"A medium sized open pink envelope and Bonham's letter were admitted as evidence.

"Sergt. Newland: The letter speaks for itself - we don't want to publish it.

"Sergt. Nixon said he also found an inventory of the property in the envelope.

"On making inquiries, he discovered that the handwriting of the letter was Bonham's.

"There are witnesses here in court today who saw him write that letter, Sergt. Nixon said.

"He added that the room showed no signs of a struggle.

"The bodies of Bonham and his wife were clad in night attire, indicating that both had retired for the night.

"Dr. R. Mulvey, of Bathurst, said that at about 11.30 a.m. on October 8, he examined the two bodies at Duramana.

"He said death had taken place in both cases about 12 to 16 hours previously.

"There was a perforating wound in the left temple of Bonham's wife, and also a penetrating wound in the centre of Bonham's forehead.

"The wounds in both cases were caused by a bullet of small calibre, Dr. Mulvey said.

"He added that death was instantaneous in both cases. There were no other marks on the bodies.

"TAXI-DRIVER'S EVIDENCE

"Thomas Weir, taxi-driver, of Piper Street, Bathurst, said at 8.25 p.m. on October 7, he picked up Bonham in George Street.

"He asked me - can you drive me home - and I drove him to the 11-mile peg at Duramana where he left the cab. The far was 22, which Bonham paid. The clock in my car then showed the time as 8.45 p.m. Bonham smelled of intoxicating liquor, but he was quite sober. Bonham hardly spoke on the way out, but indicated he had been away shearing. I asked him what sort of a cricket team they had at Duramana, but he said he had no idea, besides he would be too busy this season to play cricket.

"BROTHER'S STATEMENT

"William Stephen Bonham, laborer of Duramana, said that on October 8, he was at 'Waltham,' in the company of police. He identified bodies discovered by police as his brother and sister-in-law. He had known both for a good many years. Bonham said he had no recollection of unpleasantness in his brother's family. His brother was a man of sober habits and his sister-in-law was also of normal habits.

"ELDEST DAUGHTER'S STORY

"Maureen Anne Bonham, the eldest daughter of the Bonham family, said until October 8, she resided at her parents' home. On October 7, she travelled to Bathurst in a motor truck, in the company of her parents and another person. Her mother drove the truck, they all left home at about 2 p.m. that day. At Bathurst her father and the other person visited two local hotels. A little later her father and mother met at a solicitor's office.

"Some time afterwards the returned to the vehicle and she heard her parents talking about 'fixing up' the property.

"I travelled back to Duramana with my mother and the other person. My mother dropped me at our home, and then took the other person to his place, where she had tea.

"I had tea with my sister and brothers.

"My mother came home later that evening; my father did not return to Duramana with us, but he arrived before my mother went to sleep. There was no unpleasantness between them then.

"She explained that the children and her mother went to sleep in their respective rooms at the same time.

"Her mother slept in her own bedroom but at that time her father had not gone to sleep.

"I heard no disturbance during the night and arose shortly after 7 a.m. the next day. I had fed the fowls and at 7.45 a.m. I went into my mother's bedroom. I saw blood on the floor and discovered both my father and mother dead in the double bed. I sent my brother Hilton, to a neighbor's place and asked him to send word to the ambulance and police. A Mr. Smith came along to pick up a cow and I told him of my discovery, he then rang the police and a doctor. I remained at home until the ambulance arrived.

"I saw my father writing a letter on Sunday morning, October 5. I do not know the contents of the letter but it is similar to the one in the pink envelope, admitted to evidence. He signed the letter and I saw him sealing it using a pink envelope for that purpose.

"Witness said her mother had a life insurance policy amounting to approximately £1000.

"Her father owned the property where the family lived.

"She was not aware that either her father nor mother made a will.

"The coroner announced the verdict as stated."^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ Warwick Daily News (Qld. : 1919-1954) / Thu 9 Oct 1947 / Page 1 / Double Tragedy https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/191853386
2. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/214924617/evangeline-phyllis-bonham: accessed 20 January 2024), memorial page for Evangeline Phyllis Callan Bonham (1 Apr 1915–7 Oct 1947), Find a Grave Memorial ID 214924617, citing Kelso Anglican Cemetery, Kelso, Bathurst Regional Council, New South Wales, Australia; Maintained by Frontierkoala (contributor 50543487).
3. ↑ The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1931-1954) / Thu 9 Oct 1947 / Page 1 / Girl Finds Parents Shot Dead https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/248252523?searchTerm=%22maureen%20bonham%22
4. ↑ Warwick Daily News (Qld. : 1919-1954) / Thu 9 Oct 1947 / Page 1 / Double Tragedy https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/191853386
5. ↑ Daily Mirror (Sydney, NSW : 1941 - 1955) / Fri 17 Oct 1947 / Page 3 / FINDING OF MURDER AND SUICIDE https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/273317538?searchTerm=%22maureen%20bonham%22
6. ↑ National Advocate (Bathurst, NSW : 1889 - 1954) / Sat 18 Oct 1947 / Page 1 / MURDER AND SUICIDE https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/161372525?searchTerm=%22maureen%20bonham%22