Ned Kelly

Ned Kelly was an Australian bushranger who became a notorious outlaw and a folk hero for many people. He was born in December 1854 or June 1855 in Beveridge, Victoria, as the third of eight children to Irish parents. His father was a transported convict who died when Ned was 12, leaving him as the eldest male of the household. The Kellys were poor farmers who faced discrimination and harassment from the authorities, especially the police. Ned Kelly had several run-ins with the law as a teenager, and was arrested for assault, horse theft and bushranging. He joined a group of cattle rustlers known as the "Greta Mob" and became friends with Joe Byrne, Dan Kelly and Steve Hart, who later formed his gang. In 1878, a violent confrontation with a policeman named Fitzpatrick at the Kelly home resulted in Ned and Dan being accused of attempted murder. The brothers fled to the bush and were declared outlaws by the government. They were joined by Byrne and Hart, and together they formed the Kelly Gang. They embarked on a series of daring robberies and shootouts with the police, killing three officers at Stringybark Creek in 1878. They also raided the towns of Euroa and Jerilderie in 1878 and 1879, taking hostages, robbing banks and burning mortgages. In Jerilderie, Kelly dictated a long letter to Byrne, explaining his motives and grievances against the police and the government. The letter, known as the Jerilderie Letter or the Cameron Letter, is considered a remarkable document that reveals Kelly's eloquence, intelligence and sense of justice. In 1880, Kelly and his gang planned to derail a police train near Glenrowan and ambush the survivors. However, their plot was foiled by a local schoolteacher who warned the train passengers. The police surrounded the gang at the Glenrowan Inn, where a fierce gun battle ensued. Kelly and his gang wore homemade suits of armour made from plough mouldboards, which protected them from bullets but also restricted their movements. Kelly was wounded in the legs and captured, while the rest of his gang were killed by the police fire or their own hand. Kelly was taken to Melbourne and tried for murder. Despite having many supporters who petitioned for his pardon, he was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging. He was executed on 11 November 1880 at the Old Melbourne Gaol. His last words were reportedly "Such is life". He was buried in a mass grave at the prison, but his remains were exhumed and identified in 2011. He was then reburied at Greta Cemetery near his family. Kelly's life and death have inspired countless books, songs, films, artworks and legends. He is seen by some as a rebel who fought against oppression and injustice, and by others as a criminal who defied the law and killed innocent people. He is widely regarded as one of the most iconic figures in Australian history and culture.