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Bushrangers in NSW

For over 100 years bushrangers roamed throughout the state of NSW. Their exploits entranced the public and names such as Ben Hall, Captain Thunderbolt and Ned Kelly became both heroes and villains for many.

Introduction

From the earliest days of the Colony convicts tried to escape their penal sentences by running away to live in the bush. These early bushrangers were known as ‘bolters’ and they supported themselves by living off the land and stealing what else they needed. One of the first bushrangers on record was John or Black Caesar, who arrived with the First Fleet and continually absconded from penal custody, surviving in the bush around Port Jackson until he was killed in 1796. Bushrangers continued to flourish with 'Bold' Jack Donohoe reaching notoriety in the late 1820s. He was known as the 'Wild Colonial Boy', who escaped his own hanging and was a Robin Hood like figure. The gold rush era of the 1850s and 1860s brought more well-known bushrangers, including Ben Hall, Frank Gardiner, Captain Thunderbolt and John Gilbert. The Felons Apprehension Act 1865 (NSW) allowed for anyone to shoot a bushranger on sight and signals the beginning of the end of the bushrangers era, which draws to a close with Ned Kelly’s death in 1880. 

List of main record series

This table includes references to the more well-known and researched bushrangers that have been found in our collection. These records can be accessed in our Reading Room at the Western Sydney Records Centre.

The Colonial Secretary’s Papers also contains a number of early references to bushrangers under the heading Bushrangers and under the individual names of James Cobb, Dennis Donovan, James Dowden, Michael Howe, Joseph Knowles. John McCabe, Michael Ryan, Robert Storey and John Townsend.

Jack Donohoe 

  • NRS 880 535/1828 T137 Supreme Court, The King v George Kilray, John Donohoe and William Smith, 1828
  • NRS 905 [4/2081] letter 30/6894 and [4/2084] letter 30/7800Jack Donohoe, also includes references to Walmsley and Webber,1830

Frank Gardiner 

  • NRS 880 [9/6459] Case no 6198 Frank Christie, alias Clarke, alias Gardiner - Supreme Court depositions, 1864
  • NRS 880 [9/6461] Case no 6333 Frank Christie, alias Clarke, alias Gardiner - Supreme Court depositions, 1864
  • NRS 906 [4/1880] Reel 2282 References to Gardiner, Paisley, Hall, Gilbert, Dunn, Clarke, Morgan, 1861-67; deaths and injuries sustained by Police 1862-67; Private individuals murdered and wounded, 1862-67
  • NRS 2138 [3/14031] 188a Francis Clarke, Alias: CHRISTIE, Francis Alias: GARDENER, Francis - Gaol photograph 1874
  • NRS 2138 [3/14031] 188b Francis Clarke, Alias: CHRISTIE, Francis Alias: GARDENER, Francis - Gaol photograph 1874
  • NRS 2138 [11/2205] 173 Francis Clarke, Alias: CHRISTIE, Francis Alias: GARDINER, Francis 1874
    (image below)
  • NRS 302 [5/7701.2] Reel 2228 Release of Francis Christie alias Clarke alias Gardiner 1872-75
  • NRS 906 [4/1166.3] Chief Justice, Sir James Martin, dispute with Governor Sir Hercules Robinson re the liberation of Frank Gardiner - Colonial Secretary, Special Bundles 1875

Ben Hall

  • NRS 849 Item 1 p.148 Reel 2760 Ben Hall committed for trial
  • NRS 905 [4/539] letter 64/4642 Ben Hall includes two sketches of Wilson's hut 1864
  • NRS 905 [4/749.1] Ben Hall, Gilbert and Dunn escape capture near Young
  • NRS 906 [4/1880] Reel 2282 References to Gardiner, Paisley, Hall, Gilbert, Dunn, Clarke, Morgan, 1861-67; deaths and injuries sustained by Police 1862-67; Private individuals murdered and wounded 1862-67

Ned Kelly

  • NRS 10923 [SZ 843A-C] Reel 1708 Police papers re hunt and capture of the Kelly Gang
  • NRS 10927 [4/7057] Ned Kelly - Police Registers of communications received, includes bushrangers
  • NRS 905 [1/2463B] letter 79/10148 Ned Kelly - description of Kelly Gang1879
  • NRS 905 [1/2523] letter 82/1396Ned Kelly - re stolen gun1882
  • NRS 905 [4/1882] letters 77/556, 77/795, 77/929, Reel 2282 Ned Kelly Gang 1877
  • SZ 71 Reel 1709 Ned Kelly re reward and capture
  • SR Doc 110 Ned Kelly re Poster advertising the play “Kelly Gang’ to be held at the Opera House July 1860
  • NUA 226 Ned Kelly (Colonial Secretary) material
  • NUA 262Ned Kelly Gang (Police) material

Sam Poo

  • NRS 880 [9/6474] No. 25; [9/6475] Case No. 29 Depositions Bathurst Circuit Court 1865
  • NRS 13492 [9/2630] Reel 1860, pp. 18 & 23 Register of Criminal Indictments, 1865
  • NRS 6304 [2/4469] Justice Hargrave’s Notebook - contains the judge’s handwritten notes and a draft of his speech to be read when sentencing Sam Poo, 1865
  • NRS 1993 [4/8492] Reel 2321 Entrance Book, Bathurst Gaol 1865
  • NRS 905 [4/559] Letter 65/5647 Sam Poo, Chinese; executed Bathurst, 1865
  • NRS 905 [1/2581] Letter 86/2739 Sam Poo, 1886

Andrew Scott (Captain Moonlight)

  • NRS 880 [9/6643] COD 609 Vol 1 & 2 Clerk of the Peace: Regina v Scott December 1879
  • NRS 906 [4/825.2] Reel 2868 COD 291 Andrew Scott - Letters by Scott and Rogan written while awaiting execution in Darlinghurst Gaol
  • NRS 906 [4/825.1] Reel 2868 COD 290 Andrew Scott - Wantabadgery Bushranging Outrage: encounter between Scott’s gang and the Police
  • NRS 2138 [3/6043] photos 2170-73, Reel 5100 Andrew Scott - Gaol photos of Scott, Rogan, Williams and Bennett

Frederick Ward (Captain Thunderbolt)

  • COD 608 Copies of archives in relation to Ward
  • NRS 343 [4/6614] No. 454, Reel 2922 Frederick Ward - Register of Coroners’ inquests, 26 May 1870
  • NRS 905 [1/2282] letter 75/322 Frederick Ward, 1875
  • NRS 905 [1/2360] 77/473 Frederick Ward, 1877
  • NRS 905 [1/23262] letter 70/4440 with 76/2239, COD 604 Frederick Ward - Medals and rewards to persons who distinguished themselves in suppressing bushranging, 1868-76
  • NRS 905 [1/2326] letter 76/2239 Frederick Ward - Listing of bushrangers with personal details, includes a report on Thunderbolt’s fatal shooting, 1876
  • NRS 906 [4/1880] Reel 2282 Frederick Ward - Bushranger returns, June 1867
  • NRS 13843 [7/292] Frederick Ward - Registers of land purchases
  • Colonial Secretary's Correspondence - check Joan Reese’s Index to Convicts & others for more references to Frederick Ward

Various

  • NRS 906 (ML Safe 1/18b), Reel 6037 Capture of John or Black Caesar, 29 Jan 1796
  • NRS 13477 [9/6492] No. 444 Clarke Brothers - Regina v Thomas and John Clarke, 13 May 1867
  • NRS 302 [5/7702] letter 67/1315; letter 75/1920, Reel 2227 Thomas Connell - commutation of death sentence, 1867
  • NRS 905 [4/6671] p.47 Reel 6023 James Neighbour sent to Port Macquarie for being a bushranger
  • NRS 905 [4/1763] p.273 Reel 6056 Francis Walker fined for allowing a bushranger to bake a cake
  • NRS 905 [4/7090] Bushranger apprehensions, 1830-31
  • NRS 905 [1/2326.2] COD 604 Medals and rewards to persons who distinguished themselves in suppressing bushranging, 1868-76
  • NRS 906 [4/7090] Apprehension of bushrangers – confidential letters, 1830-31
  • NRS 906 [4/1133.1] Rewards for capture of bushrangers and runaways, 1831-42
  • NRS 4318 Assistant Gold Commissioner - references bushranger attacks
  • NRS 11095 [4/5515] Binalong Police Diary of duty and occurrences 1863-70 – references to encounters with bushrangers Gilbert and Dunn in entries for weeks ending 28 May 1864, 20 May 1865 and 16 May 1868
  • NRS 369 [2/813] Auditor General: Abstracts of expenditure; includes sums paid to constables for the apprehension of bushrangers
  • NRS 897 [4/1787] pp.142-3 Reel 6064 Castle Forbes Outbreak
  • NRS 905 [5/7360] letter 15/40642 Eugowra Rock robbery

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