|
Steve Hart was born in Wangaratta on 13th Feb 1859 ,his family
had a 230 acre selection on Three Mile Creek. Not a great deal is known about Steve,
however it is known that he entered towns in disguise as a female in order to scout
banks. He was able to get by with this due to his slight and youthful appearance.
The police thought that dressed in such a fashion he was actually Ned's sister
Kate, hence Kate received credit for the actions of Steve on occasion.
In
1877 Steve was sentenced in to a years' gaol for illegally using horses. He
entered Beechworth gaol on 30 July 1877 and was released on 7 June 1878. Steve
lived close to the race track and was know as a great rider-jockey. Max Brown
said that Steve was the only person to manage the feat of jumping a horse over
the Wangaratta railway gates.
Descendents of Steve's carried Joe Byrne's original armour into the crowd of
guests at the Glenrowan Siege Anniversary dinner in June 2003.
STEVE HART
"Steve
Hart was born at Wangaratta in the year 1860, and, after
leaving school at early age, worked on his parents’ farm on the
Three-mile Creek. He became an expert bushman and an accomplished
horseman. He fell in with the suggestion to join the Kelly youths
when they were seeking alluvial gold on the Stringybark and Kelly’s
Creeks. He, too, had experienced a period of police persecution, and
doubtless found in the Kellys friends in need. He appears to have been
possessed of considerable courage and resource, and during the
period
of his outlawry frequently rode about in feminine attire. So successful
was this disguise that
he was taken to be one of the Kelly sisters, and
the police attributed many of his daring exploits
to Kate Kelly. Steve
Hart was never prominent as the Kelly brothers were, but he was at
all times a faithful follower and courageous ally".
Source:
J.J. Kenneally.'The
Inner History of the Kelly Gang' 1969 edit.
 The Albury Banner & Wodonga Express.
(July 17th 1880)
STEPHEN HART'S BOYHOOD.
The other outlaws who were mates of the Kellys, and
perished at Glenrowan
were Stephen Hart and Joseph Byrne. The former was born at the Three-Mile Creek,
near the racecourse, South Wangaratta, and at the time of his death was
twenty-one
years of age. His father, who is a farmer, and has been in the district
twenty-two years,
came originally from New South Wales, and is now nearly sixty years of age while
his
mother is about fifty. There were four boys and three girls---Mrs. O'Beaty is
the eldest,
Richard next, Ettie (Edith)(sic), and another sister, and Nicholas, a jockey, who
died at Wagga
from inflammation on the lungs, consequent on heavy cold, acquired while going
with
Mr. Hoysted to Wagga races about eighteen months ago.
Richard is still working about the district, and has a selection near his
father, while Ettie
is at service at Wangaratta.....................
Steve went to the Wangaratta Roman Catholic School,
till about fifteen years of age,
and then got with T.Obrien, Bill Monaghan, and the Clancy's, all of whom were
horse-
dealing. The first time he got into trouble he was arrested by Sergeant Steele
for stealing
horses from David Green of Winton, but was convicted of illegally using, and
sentenced
to four months' imprisonment. After this he received similar sentences on two
other
charges----in all, twelve months, which he served in Beechworth Gaol. He met Dan
Kelly there,
he having been convicted of riotous assault and indecent conduct at Winton, it
was at this time
that both lads laid the foundation of their friendship , which lasted til death.
When Steve came out of gaol, Sergeant Steele advised
him to be housed, and got his promise
that he would. He commenced to work with his brother at fencing, but one day he
took a
sudden break, and giving a few blows with the axe, threw it down, swearing he
would
have a short life and a merry one, saddled his chestnut mare, and told his
brother he would go
shearing in New South Wales.
|
