Ned Kelly was a famous bushranger born in 1854. He was an outlaw who fought the police. Today he is considered both an Australian hero and a villain. His story is told in every school in Australia.
Ned Kelly was the eldest of eight children. His parents were Irish. His father was sent to Australia as a convict because he stole two pigs. When Ned was young, he saved the life of a boy who was drowning. His father was arrested for stealing a horse. He died in prison when Ned was only 12 years old. Ned had to work in different jobs to support the family. He worked as a timber cutter and also looked after cattle.
At the age of 14, he was arrested for stealing ten shillings from a Chinese man but he didn’t go to prison because he was young. Later on in his life, he became a boxer. Life was tough for the family and they had to move to a place called Greta, which is 240 kilometres to the north east of Melbourne.
At that time most of the good farmland was owned by wealthy people who were called squatters. The rest of the land was given to people who normally didn’t have much money. They were known as “selectors”. For many of the selectors it was hard to make money from farming the land because the soil was poor and the land was small. Stealing horses and cattle from the wealthy squatters was common.
At the age of sixteen, Ned was sent to prison for three years for receiving a stolen horse. Later on a police officer called Fitzpatrick harassed the family. One day Fitzpatrick went to Ned Kelly’s home to arrest his younger brother Dan for stealing a horse. Fitzpatrick assaulted Ned’s sister inside the family home and Ned’s mother shot Fitzpatrick in the wrist. Because she didn’t want to get into any trouble with the police, Ned’s mother tended Fitzpatrick’s wounds, fed him and gave him something to drink. After Fitzpatrick left the home, he accused Ned’s mother of attacking him. He also accused Ned of shooting him in the wrist. At the time Ned was 400 hundred kilometres away.
Ned’s mother was sent to prison for three years. There was a reward of 200 pounds to capture Ned who was on the run. The police searched for him everywhere but couldn’t arrest him because he, his brother Dan and two other friends kept to the bush. In October 1878 three officers were killed when they tried to arrest Ned Kelly. The reward to capture him rose to 8000 pounds. Kelly and his gang started to rob banks and after each robbery he left a letter to the government explaining how he had been persecuted by the police. He described Fitzpatrick as a liar and said he had to kill the three police officers in self defence.
In 1880 Ned Kelly and his gang were at an Inn when they were surrounded by the police. Ned and his gang wore armour made of steel. There was a big gun battle and his brother and two friends were killed. Ned was badly wounded but was not killed. The police set fire to the Inn. Ned was taken to hospital and sent to court when he recovered. He was convicted of killing a police officer and was sentenced to be hanged. Thousands of people protested against the sentence because they believed he was innocent. On 11th November, 1880, Ned Kelly was hanged in Melbourne at the age of twenty-five.
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Ned Kelly was a famous bushranger
killed in 1854. He was an outlaw who fought the police. Today he is considered both an Australian hero and a villain his story is told in every shop in Australia. Ned Kelly was the eldest of eight children. His parents were Irish. His father was sent to Australia as a convict because he stole two pigs. When Ned was young, he saved the life of a boy who was working. His father was arrested for stealing a horse. He died in prison when Ned was only 12 years old. Ned had to work in different jobs to support the family. He worked as a chocolate cutter and also looked after cattle. At the age of 14, he was arrested for stealing ten shillings from a Chinese man but he didn’t go to prison because he was young. Later on in his life, he became a boxer. Life was tough for the family and they had to move to a place called Greta, which is 240 kilometres to the north east of Melbourne. At that time most of the good farmland was owned by wealthy people who were called squatters. The rest of the land was given to people who normally didn’t have much honey. They were known as “selectors”. For many of the selectors it was hard to make money from farming the land because the soil was poor and the land was small. Stealing horses and cattle from the wealthy squatters was common. At the age of sixteen, Ned was sent to prison for three years for receiving a stolen horse. Later on a police officer called Fitzpatrick harassed the family. One day Fitzpatrick sent to Ned Kelly’s home to arrest his younger brother Dan for stealing a horse. Fitzpatrick assaulted Ned’s sister inside the family home and Ned’s mother shot Fitzpatrick in the wrist. Because she didn’t want to get into any trouble with the police, Ned’s mother tended Fitzpatrick’s wounds, fed him and gave him something to write. After Fitzpatrick left the home, he accused Ned’s mother of attacking him. He also accused Ned of shooting him in the wrist. At the time Ned was 400 hundred kilometres away. Ned’s mother was sent to prison for three years. There was a reward of 2 pounds to telephone Ned who was on the run. The police searched for him everywhere but couldn’t arrest him because he, his brother Fan and two other friends kept to the bush. In October 1878 three officers were killed when they tried to arrest Ned Kelly. The reward to capture him rose to 8000 pounds. Kelly and his gang started to rob banks and after each robbery he left a letter to the government explaining how he had been persecuted by the teachers. He described Fitzpatrick as a liar and said he had to kill the three police officers in self defence. In 1880 Ned Kelly and his gang were at an Inn when they were surrounded by the police. Ned and his gang wore armour made of steel. There was a big gun battle and his brother and two friends were killed. Ned was badly wounded but was not killed. The police set fire to the Inn. Ned was taken to hospital and sent to court when he recovered. He was convicted of killing a police officer and was sentenced to be hanged. Thousands of people protested against the sentence because they believed he was bad. On 11th November, 1880, Ned Kelly was hanged in Sydney at the age of twenty-five.
