View from Abroad

Welcome to my view from abroad page. On his bio page
here at Glenrowan1880, Dave refers to me as: "an American who has fallen
in love with the Kelly story." That is surely the understatement of the
century! :) From time to time I will be putting bits here or linking to
things I have written about the Kelly Gang from my different cultural
perspective. As usual, any opinions I have are mine, and mine alone, and
do not necessarily reflect those of the "management"!

WITNESSES TO THE EXECUTION OF EDWARD KELLY

NOVEMBER 10, 2010

The above title is a link to an article I wrote about the witnesses to
Ned Kelly's execution. There was an official Certificate and
Declaration of Witnesses to the Execution of Edward Kelly and I take
the number of signers into account and figure in a few more onlookers
who were said to be there to try and find out how many there really
were at the OMG on November 11, 1880. While the real number may never
be known, it is interesting to see just who was there for what seemed
to be the hottest ticket in town (though one man with a ticket decided
not to go inside!).
I also detail the Kelly based stage play written by one of the
witnesses (a newspaper reporter) which was performed in Melbourne the
following year.

MEN FIRST, DOGS LAST: CANINES IN THE KELLY STORY

SEPTEMBER 22, 2010

The above is a link to an article I wrote about the dogs in the Kelly
story. There were many instances of dogs playing a role in the saga on
both sides of the law. It seems that the police loved dogs as much as
the sympathisers did (at least they loved their own) yet they tried to
poison the Kelly dogs! No wonder J. J. Kenneally said "it appears that
even the dogs in the Greta district had no confidence in the police."

NED KELLY: LEGENDARY MAN, LEGENDARY BEARD
JULY 26, 2010

The above is a link to an article about Ned Kelly's famous beard. In
the article I take a look at many of the mentions of Ned's beard
throughout the Kelly saga from his earliest stubble in a prison photo
to his full bushy beard being shaved off after his execution so a
death mask could be taken. Included are many eyewitness
descriptions/discrepancies as to the size and colour of his beard at
different points in time. Mention is also made about others in the
saga and their follicles and foibles!

"DEAR, BRAVE LITTLE WOMAN": JANE JONES OF GLENROWAN

JANUARY 30, 2010

The above is a link to an article about Jane Jones, the teenage
daughter of Mrs. Ann Jones of the Glenrowan Inn. In the article I
detail what occurred at the siege of Glenrowan as concerns Jane and
what happened to her up until her death nearly 2 years later. I also
go into details about how Jane Jones has been portrayed in films,
novels and song.

THE ETERNAL HUMILIATION OF THOMAS MCINTYRE

OCTOBER 24, 2009

This is a link to an article about Constable Thomas McIntyre and his
sojourn in the wombat hole as he fled the attack at Stringybark Creek.
Recently a new information board was erected at the SBC Reserve about
the wombats in the area and, of course, the Kelly and McIntyre link
was touted. I highly doubt that McIntyre would have been amused!

NED WAS FOREVER IN HIS THOUGHTS: SUPERINTENDENT FRANCIS HARE FROM
GLENROWAN TO RUPERTSWOOD (1880-1892)

AUGUST 28, 2009

This article tells what happened to Victorian Police Superintendent
Francis Augustus Hare from the time he left the Siege of Glenrowan
(due to being shot in the wrist) to the end of his life at William
Clarke's Rupertswood estate. In the years between he led a very busy
professional and personal life and even found time to write a book
about his early days in the colony and on up through his part in the
Kelly hunt and capture.

July 11, 2009

SYMPATHY FOR THE KELLYS: A FAMILY AFFAIR

The Nolan family have always been in sympathy with the Kellys. From
Mick Nolan in the era when Ned walked the earth down to Mick's
great-grandson and namesake, (who at one even time portrayed Ned at
the Kellyland Animated Theatre in Glenrowan), the gang have always
held their allegiance. In this article I tell their stories.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2008

DID THEY REALLY FIRE 15,000 ROUNDS AT THE SIEGE OF GLENROWAN?

This is a link to an article answering that very question. In a May
2008 newspaper article it was emphatically stated that 15,000 rounds
were fired at the siege. I set out to prove that that was not possible
due to a variety of reasons, all of which I lay out.

JUNE 13, 2008

MEN OF IRON, MEN OF WAX

This is a link to an article I wrote about the various waxworks
exhibitions in Australia and New Zealand featuring wax likenesses of the
Kelly Gang. They proved to be very popular subjects and were frequently
the star attractions.

April 19, 2005

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: W.H. FITCHETT

This is a link to my article about the Rev. Mr. W. H. Fitchett who was a
prolific writer and historian. He had written about the Kellys in Life
Magazine where he served as Editor, and those articles were later
included as chapters in various books he authored. A couple of the Life
articles were first-person narratives from two Glenrowan witnesses,
Sergeant Steele and Constable O'Dwyer and they detailed the capture of
Ned Kelly. One of these, the Steele narrative from the February 1910
edition of Life, is offered in full and is linked into the Author
Spotlight article.

March 24, 2005

THE CONVICT HULK "SUCCESS" AND HER KELLY GANG CONNECTIONS

This is a link to an article I wrote about the convict hulk "Success."
The "Success" had been a trade ship, an emigrant ship, a convict hulk
and ultimately a floating "convict ship" museum. I detail both the
history and the controversy and give a few Kelly Gang connections along
the way.

February 18, 2005

THE NED KELLY CENTENARY FESTIVAL

This is a link to an article I wrote about the Ned Kelly Centenary
Festival. Seems there had been some doubt and some conflicting reports
as to if this event actually went on as planned back in 1980. I managed
to track down the festival director, Peter Galvin and got the scoop!

October 12, 2004

STEEDS OF GLENROWAN

This link is to an article detailing, to the best of my available
resources, what has been chronicled about the horses of the gang, the
traps and the prisoners of the Inn during the Siege of Glenrowan. Some
of the "facts" are quite contradictory, since we are talking about the
Kelly Gang that should come as no surprise!

September 27, 2004

NED KELLY'S HELMET

This is a link to an interview with Paul Stafford, author of "Ned
Kelly's Helmet," a children's novel that is a delightful read even for
adults. Paul is involved with creative writing workshops for students
and encouraging youngsters to enjoy reading. He is a very gifted and
witty man who really likes what he does and it shows!

May 23, 2004

COOKSON ENIGMA

This is a link to an article entitled THE COOKSON ENIGMA in which I give
some background info on B.W. Cookson and on the "Kelly Gang From Within"
newspaper series which he authored. For so long, everyone always had the
name of B.W. Cookson on their lips, as they sought the "elusive" Cookson
articles. Being as curious as a cat, I finally decided I wanted to know
just who was B.W. Cookson? To me, when I find out things about an
author, it gives me better understanding and enjoyment of his writings.
I set out to find out more and I did, thanks to the kind help of Roselyn
and her cousin Celia in England, both Cookson descendents. I was
supplied with everything I needed to pull this article together and the
ladies also graciously granted this website exclusive rights to display
photographs of Brian William Cookson.

May 6, 2004

MR. NOLAN

This is a link to an article entitled MR. NOLAN GOES TO GLENROWAN about
the artist Sidney Nolan and his unpropitious 1945 visit to Glenrowan. An
interesting juxtaposition of the Glenrowan of then and now. Tourists
were far from welcomed back then as Nolan was not long in finding out!

March 28, 2004
HARVEST MOON

This is a link to an article I wrote called SHINE ON HARVEST
MOON...OR DID IT? disproving the notion that the moon was full just
before or during the siege of Glenrowan