Thursday 13th August 1915
Mr. Thomas Ponting, of Ponting & Marshall, solicitors (which later became Farnfield & Nicholls), High Street, Warminster, journeyed to London to attend the trial of George Joseph Smith, of the notorious Brides-In-The-Bath murders. (Smith was hanged for his crimes on 13th August 1915).
Beatrice ‘Bessie’ Mundy, daughter of a Warminster bank manager, was one of Smith’s victims. George Smith and Bessie Mundy were married at Weymouth in 1910. It was in connection with the murder of Bessie that Thomas Ponting set off for London to attend the trial. While there he contracted a severe chill, from which he died on his return to Warminster. He died on 22nd April 1915. He was 73 years old.