Career
He was baptised in Cholderton, Wiltshire, England in December 1804. Zillwood also worked as Akaroa"s postmaster. Later that year the local police force was halved and Zillwood lost his job.
After arranging his affairs, he shot himself in the mouth on Friday 13 October 1854 while on suicide watch and died of his wounds after several days of suffering.
His body was buried at night without funeral rites after an inquest found him guilty of felo de se. This appears to be the earliest reported felo de se in New Zealand.
