Who were the women involved in the Siege?
There were the obvious ones, like the owner of the Inn, Mrs. Jones, however there were others such as the female prisoners and the women who arrived on the police special.
Prisoners:
Mrs. Reardon,
shot at by Sgt Steele whilst trying to escape the shooting.
Link to Reardon family family history.
Mrs. Curnow, the schoolmaster's wife. She was ill and would wait in sheer terror as her husband Thomas stopped the police special.
Mrs. Ann Jones. Ann was the publican of the Glenrowan Inn.
Jane Jones, Ann Jones's daughter, was extra friendly with Steve Hart during the
ripping up of the railway lines. She would be lightly wounded at Glenrowan and
would die a couple of
years later.
Photo left: Jane Jones at the Inn dance with Ned Kelly.
Photo far left: Jane Jones, courtesy Keith McMenomy (Ned Kelly 1984)
Others:
Mrs. Stanistreet, the stationmaster's wife. Many prisoners were held at her residence.
Mrs. Bracken, the policeman's wife. She was to stay at home terrified as to the fate of her brave husband.
Mrs. McDonnell, the wife of the publican on the other side of the railway line to Mrs. Jones.
Arriving on the special:
Along with the police and
reporters that arrived at Glenrowan by rail were two females. Mrs. O'Connor, the
wife of Sub Inspector Stanhope O'Connor from Queensland. She was related to
Superintendent Nicholson. Also on the train was Mrs. Webb, O'Connor's
sister-in-law. The ladies were on the train heading to Beechworth for a few days
as this is where the train was expected to go. Unfortunately the train was not
to go directly to Beechworth. Eventually, and after a false start they made it
safely to their destination.
Most newspapers recorded Mrs Webb as Miss Smith.
Mrs. O'Connor, the
Queensland police officer's wife.
She arrived via the special train on a trip to Beechworth,
or so she thought.
Mrs.
Webb, the
sister-in-law of Sub Inspector O'Connor.
She also arrived on the special train.
Arriving during the siege.
The Kelly women:
Kate (Catherine) Foster nee Kelly
Kate was Ned's young sister. She was naturally a great help to the doings of her brothers and their friends. However the myth makers have given her a much more significant role than she probably truly deserves. Without detracting from her terrific riding abilities it was more likely Maggie who accomplished the feats we have read about. (if anyone did) Kate fits the mythical mould of the heroine of her time.
Kate was one of the main persons behind the petition for a reprieve of Ned Kelly.
Margaret (Maggie) Skillion nee Kelly.
Maggie Skillion (nee Kelly) arrived at Glenrowan with her Gainsborough hat complete with white feather. Maggie most probably was the one who supplied the boys with food and other supplies and in doing so was able to outrun the authorities.
Maggie requested the police that she be allowed to see Dan and Steve in the Inn but the police forbade her.
Maggie was responsible for Ellen Kelly's selection as well as her own at a time when everyone seemed to be behind bars.
When a wake was held for Dan and Steve, it was held at Maggie's house.
The Geelong Advertiser
June 30 1880.
The Kellys' Sisters
After the final act of the tragedy yesterday, the charred remains of Dan
Kelly
and Steve Hart were laid out on the platform of the
Railway station.
Kate Kelly and Mrs. Skillion were there, and were terribly affected. They cried
bitterly, and repeatedly kissed the burnt bones of Dan.
Mrs. Skillion divided her time between Dan's remains and ministering to the
comfort of Ned. She was very violent, and fiercely
cursed and abused the police,
calling upon God to visit them with vengeance for their "bloodthirsty and
cruel
murders."
MRS. REARDON.
The
Albury Banner & Wodonga Express
July 3 1880.
Mrs. Reardon's statement.
She said :
"My husband is a platelayer, em-
ployed on the railway, and we live about a mile
from the station, on the Benalla side. At three
o'clock on Sunday morning, we were all in bed.
We were aroused by Ned Kelly, who knocked a (sic)
the door, and told my husband, when he opened
it to surrender. He advised us to dress, and I
did so. They had also made a prisoner of Sulli-
van, another platelayer, and Kelly brought us to
the station, where I was kept for some hours.
Kelly took my husband and Sullivan down the
line, in order to tear up the line and destroy the
train with the police. He was afterwards taken
to the hotel. There are a lot of innocent people
there now, and they are frightened to come out
for fear the police will kill them. Amongst the
people who are in there are : James and Michael
Reardon, my husband and son, Catherine and
William Rennison, John and Patrick Delaney
(who are here coursing), W.S. Cooke (a laborer),
Martin Sherry(sic) (a platelayer), John Larkins (a
farmer), Edward Reynolds (the brother of the
postmaster), Robt Gibbins, the brothers McAu-
liffe, and other strangers I do not know."