In early 1879, Detective Ward received word that the Kelly Gang had been spotted at Gundowring, north of Bright, by a friend of Joe's named Ah Man. According to Ward, "He told me that he saw the four outlaws at Gundowring. I asked him how he knew they were the outlaws. He said he knew … Continue reading A Sighting by Ah Man
For the past three weeks we have been camped up in the Warby Ranges, with a moss eaten cave becoming our home. The weather up here is nothing like it is down among the plains. The winds that flog the mountain side are unrelenting in their torment and not a day goes by when a … Continue reading Sardines and Salted Beef
Telegram from December 1878 informing of Joe’s recent purchase of opium in the Woolshed, it reads: “Detective Eason reports information obtained to Joe Byrne bought opium to which he is addicted last week at Woolshed and requests services of Fook Sing (Chinese detective) for a day or so.” Telegram from the Public Records Office Victoria.
Ellen was born in Sebastopol in 1857, to parents James and Ellen Salisbury. Her father had arrived in Australia from Norfolk, England, and had taken up the occupation of carrier, after trying his hand at mining. Tragically, her mother died in 1866 and James was left to raise the family on his own, which brought … Continue reading Ellen Salisbury
‘Detective Ward indeed made things very warm for the gang in the Beechworth district, and the gang vowed vengeance against him. Ward was continually receiving letters from them in Joe Byrne’s handwriting threatening his life. On one occasion he was informed in this way that if they could lay their hands on him they would … Continue reading Detective Ward
In July 1879, Aaron bought a couple of horses from Edward Barry, Belle’s father, for £6. Unbeknownst to him and Belle, however, these horses had been stolen by Barry and the authorities had been attempting to track their whereabouts for some time, with Barry having since gone to Wagga Wagga.Later, in early March 1880, Aaron … Continue reading Two Chestnut Mares
After the tragedy of April 1878, Joe joined the Kelly brothers in making whisky at Bullock Creek in the Wombat Ranges. Previous to this, he had aided them in their sluicing enterprise, with Ned asserting it had been making them ‘good wages.’ However, now, more than ever, even more money was needed, and the young … Continue reading Sluicing for Gold
One morning while looking for some cows that had strayed, Anne Sherritt passed an unoccupied hut, ‘about six or seven miles from Beechworth’ and saw Joe getting on Music. She asked him what he was doing there and Joe replied that he was “looking for Hare, to shoot him.” After further conversation with Joe, Anne … Continue reading A Search for Stray Cows
‘Dan Kelly was the youngest of “Red” Kelly’s three sons. All accounts of him show that he was of a quieter and less forceful nature than his brother Ned, although the general public have been led, through the vicious misrepresentation by the police, to regard him as a treacherous and bloodthirsty scoundrel. This misrepresentation was … Continue reading Not a Bloodthirsty Scoundrel
On the night of the 3rd of December 1879, Joe and Aaron visited Ye Fang’s store in Sebastopol, where they purchased a bottle of gin, tobacco and opium.During Jack’s evidence at the Royal Commission in 1881 he stated, “I saw the Chinaman at the Chinese store, Ye Fang, I was in there one day. I … Continue reading Tobacco and Gin
An Outlaw’s Journal 