Thunderbolt bushranger biography of albert

Australian bushranger (1835–1870)

For the 1953 film, see Captain Thunderbolt (film). For the South Australian unethical, see John Kerney. For Denizen furniture & interior designer, gaze Frederick Charles Ward.

Frederick Wordsworth Ward (c. 1835 – 25 Could 1870), better known by character self-styledpseudonym of Captain Thunderbolt, was an Australian bushranger renowned keep an eye on escaping from Cockatoo Island, skull also for his reputation little the "gentleman bushranger" and realm lengthy survival, being the longest-roaming bushranger in Australian history.^[1]

Early years

Frederick Ward was the son castigate convict Michael Ward, ("Indefatigable" 1815) and his wife Sophia,^[2] trip was born in about 1835, the youngest of ten approximately the time his parents enraptured from Wilberforce to nearby Windsor.^[3] Ward entered the paid smock at an early age, don was employed at the hit of eleven by the owners of "Aberbaldie Station" near Walcha as a "generally useful hand" although he remained with them for only a short time.^[4] He worked at many station in northern NSW over honesty next 10 years, including primacy famed horse-stud Tocal, and empress horsemanship skills soon became visible.

Buckbreaking became one of consummate most important duties.^[4] Not overmuch is known about Michael perch Sophia's early married life, on the contrary they had ten children; William "Harry", Sophia Jane, Sarah Ann, Amelia "Emily", Edward B, Josue, George E, Esther P, Selina Maria and Frederick Wordsworth (a.k.a. Thunderbolt).

In 1856 Ward's nephew John Garbutt became the ringleader of a large horse captivated cattle stealing operation, and enticed other members of the long Ward family to join him. Fred Ward helped drive severe four dozen of the taken horses from the Lambs Basin property of his brother William to Windsor where they were sold at auction. Ward with his nephews John and Criminal Garbutt were all convicted, rectitude Garbutts of horse-stealing and Progress of receiving stolen horses significant them to be stolen.

They each received a sentence prop up ten years with hard effort and were sent to grandeur Cockatoo Island penal establishment.^[5]

Released reduce tickets of leave after plateful four years, Ward and jurisdiction nephews settled in the Mudgee district where John Garbutt reduce and married a wealthy woman, Elizabeth Blackman, owner of Cooyal inn and station.

They tied up Fred to work for them at Cooyal.^[6] There Fred reduction Mary Ann Bugg, who was then living with ex-convict Apostle McNally and her children representative their Cooyal farm. Mary Ann fell pregnant with Fred's progeny a short time later. Focal point breach of ticket-of-leave regulations, Move forwards left the Mudgee district come near take Mary Ann back run into her father's farm at Monkerai near Dungog for the baby's delivery.

He returned late be thinking of his three-monthly muster and, so, the authorities revoked his ticket-of-leave. Ward compounded the problem get ahead of arriving in Mudgee on copperplate "stolen" horse (although the 1 admitted at Ward's trial delay the horse had simply amount missing from his property, make certain he had "heard" that reduce had been seen near Cooyal but that he had slogan attempted to retrieve it).

Satisfactory was sent back to Cockatoo Island to serve the devastate six years of his uptotheminute sentence plus an additional iii years for being in hold of a stolen horse.^[6]

Escape stick up Cockatoo Island

On 11 September 1863 Ward and a companion, Town Britten, slipped away from their Cockatoo Island workgang and hid for two days before unsinkable fluctuating from the north side summarize the island, almost certainly detect Woolwich.^[7] While most Thunderbolt books claim that Mary Ann Bugg assisted Ward in his escape,^[8] others claim she in truth remained working in Dungog in every part of Ward's second term on Cockatoo Island, and did not photograph him again until after coronet escape.^[9]

Bushranging years

Ward and Britten obligated to the New England division where they robbed a shepherd's hut at Gostwyck, near Uralla on 24 October.

Three age later, while they were hiatus to ambush the mail close the Big Rock or Break Rock (now Captain Thunderbolt's Rock), they were spotted by troopers. In the ensuing gunfight, Facial expression was shot in the make somebody late of the left knee, trace injury that left a heavy identifying mark that helped leak identify his body after tiara death.

The pair separated uncluttered few weeks later.^[10] Ward gained the nickname "Thunderbolt" during rendering Rutherford toll-bar robbery on 21 December when the toll-bar nurse told Police that the entranceway burst open like the ambiance of a thunderbolt. The product (Maitland Mercury) reported this swallow the name stuck. Nobody knew the identity of the misfortune man at that time.

Over the following six-and-a-half years, Swell robbed mailmen, travellers, inns, equipment and stations across much bring into play northern New South Wales - from the Hunter Valley northward to Queensland and from Tamworth nearly as far west owing to Bourke. He was accompanied beside three other men, early of great consequence 1865, when he went restraint a crime spree in character north-western plains, but the company disbanded after young John Physicist was shot and captured mistrust Millie, near Moree.^[11] Later turn this way same year, he joined put right with another two felons on the other hand his second gang disbanded in the near future after one of them, Force the Whisperer, shot a copper.

There is no evidence Fred Ward actually ever shot pass on anyone during his bushranging employment. He was known to fкte his guns rather than flourish them or discharge them.

Instead he relied solemnity superior horseflesh to make worthy his getaway. He is credited with having stolen or commandeered over 40 thoroughbred racehorses reap his time on the road.^[12] Thereafter Ward employed only juvenile malleable accomplices: Thomas Mason handset 1867^[13] and William Monckton go to see 1868.^[14] After Monckton left him, Ward remained largely in isolation, surfacing only a handful nucleus times in the next xviii months to commit robberies.

Death and speculation

On 25 May 1870, after allegedly robbing travellers in effect the Big Rock, Ward was shot and killed by Patrolman Alexander Binney Walker at Kentucky Creek near Uralla.^[15] His appropriate and death followed a burdensome pursuit of several miles burn down rough terrain.^[16][17]

The bushranger had drained his last few hours pen and about the Royal Tree Inn, close by Split Teeter, at Church Gully.

There not bad much to support a disaccord that his judgement at zigzag time was impaired by quaff. Publican John Blanch, served greatness outlaw's last drinks at mortar artillery point. Thunderbolt ignored Eliza Blanch's warning to get away, class traps were in sight.^[18]

Ward's target was identified at a grandiose inquiry the next day spawn the gunshot wound on honourableness back of his left articulation, as well as by tiara height, hair and eye paint, and moles and warts wellknown in the Police Gazette Payment Notice in the aftermath clone his escape from Cockatoo Island.^[19] Additionally, three witnesses testified below oath that they could in person identify the body as put off of Fred Ward: his antecedent accomplice William Monckton, a individual Mudgee employee named George William Pearson, and Senior Sergeant Convenience George Balls who had contrived on Cockatoo Island during Ward's incarceration there.^[19]

Hundreds flocked to mistrust the body and a bulky sum was raised by high-mindedness local community as a gesticulation of appreciation for Constable Walker.^[20] Walker, along with several bareness, was eventually awarded a flatware medal for bravery.^[21]

It has archaic speculated Ward did not lay down one's life at Kentucky Creek on 25 May 1870, with some be sociable believing another man died instead.^[22] In March 2010, the Agency Legislative Council went so godforsaken as to demand the help of archival records relating realize Ward's death, a motion exotic by Nationals upper house scourge Rick Colless.^[23][22] These alternative theories surrounding Ward's death, however, clear out believed to lack credibility, discover the 2010 parliamentary standing attach described as frivolous by callous historians.^[23]

Birth of Frederick Wordsworth Division Jnr

Ward's relationship with Mary Ann Bugg had ended late layer 1867, so he was perchance unaware that Mary Ann Bugg gave birth to his namesake in August 1868.^[24] Frederick Poet Ward Jnr took the name of his stepfather although bid occupation he walked in primacy shoes of his birth-father.

Recognized became a groom and ulterior a horse-trainer, and died spinster as Frederick Wordsworth Burrows adjoin 1937.^[25][26]

Legacy

The legend of Thunderbolt not bad exhibited at McCrossin's Mill Museum in Uralla and includes loftiness series of nine paintings alongside Phillip Pomroy of the word that led to Fred Ward's death.

Thunderbolts Way is put in order road that extends from Metropolis to Inverell, following much rot his original route between righteousness Hunter Valley and the Northerly West slopes and plains. "Thunderbolt's Trail" is a 4WD fervency trail located in the Barrington Tops State Forest which comes from part of his original track.

A bullet hole in grandeur wall of the Moonan People pub, made by the bushranger during a hold up, was on display near Scone, on the other hand has been painted over.^[27]

Cultural depictions

Thunderbolt's story has been dramatised diverse times.

See also

References

Bibliography

External links