On this day, John Linley Cantelo, who was from Bath in England, and served as a purser on an East India Company ship and later joined the company’s Bengal Marine as a lieutenant, wrote his will leaving his property to his wife Eleanor.

But in February 1805, sailing from England to Calcutta, Cantelo amended his will to add instructions to bury him at the sea in his piano if he died before reaching the port. Cantelo came from a musical family. In June 1804, he got married in Bath and three months later, he was returning to Calcutta.

His pregnant wife had stayed back in England.

He was bringing with him a special piano that was hardy and could be played at sea.

He survived the journey and added another codicil in July, identifying a spot to be buried and wanting nothing but a square tomb in English fashion with the least expenditure.

His final codicil in July 1805 included a bequest to Lascelles, his son by an Indian woman, and the gift of the piano and two books for it were made to the daughter of his executor.

He died the next day, on July 29, 1805, and was buried in South Park Cemetery in Calcutta. His tomb bares the simple inscription: “John Linley Cantelo Obit July 29 1805”.

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