George Lewis Coke

Afterwards and alternatively

In 1860, the fabric of Melbourne church was restored and this involved the removal of "hundreds of skulls"; the first coffin to be removed was that of George Lewis Coke which was unusual in shape. This was recorded by the local historian John Joseph Briggs who also noted the story about his valet, John Lewis Pasteur. According to Briggs, Coke had returned from abroad in the coffin, 109 years before, with Pasteur as valet. It was Pasteur who went on to be a shepherd in Bredon. Briggs indicates that Coke never returned alive from his foreign tour and that his coffin was of "foreign" construction. Others agree with Briggs and say that "J.L.Pasteur" set out on the journey with him.