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The life of Ned Kelly

  • Birth of Edward Kelly

    June 1855 - Edward Kelly is born in Beveridge, about 30 miles north of Melbourne. He was the eldest son of eight children to John "Red" Kelly, an Irish convict exiled to Australia, and Ellen Quinn.
  • Ned kelly saves Dick Shelton from drowning

    1865 - 1866 Ned Kelly (aged ~11) saved Richard (Dick) Shelton from drowning in Hughes Creek, Avenel, at considerable risk to his own life. (Ned was formally thanked by the Shelton family with a green silk sash with gold fringe, which he later wore under his armour at the Siege of Glenrowan.)
  • His father dies

    December 1866 - After his father dies, Kelly leaves school to help his grandfather with the family's cattle. He is often in trouble with the police.
  • first arrest

    1969 - Kelly, aged 14, is arrested and sentenced to seven weeks in jail for the assault of a Chinese pig farmer.
  • Arrested for assault and horse thieving

    1870 - Kelly is jailed for three years for assault and for being in possession of a stolen horse.
  • Wrongful conviction

    1865 - 1866 Ned Kelly (aged ~11) saved Richard (Dick) Shelton from drowning in Hughes Creek, Avenel, at considerable risk to his own life. (Ned was formally thanked by the Shelton family with a green silk sash with gold fringe, which he later wore under his armour at the Siege of Glenrowan.)
  • Three years of honest work

    1874 February - Ned (pictured right) was freed early from Pentridge Goal and returned to Eleven Mile Creek. The next 3 years were without criminal conviction and he spent them doing 'honest' labour, (e.g. working as a tree-feller in a sawmill).
  • Kelly shoots a policeman

    1878 - Kelly shoots Constable Alexander Fitzpatrick in the wrist after he becomes too friendly with his sister Kate. Kelly and his brother Dan, along with friends Joe Byrne and Steve Hart - the members of "The Kelly gang" - go into hiding. Shortly later they ambush and killed three policemen. A month later the gang commit a string of armed robberies at banks in rural towns. During one, Kelly writes a famous letter telling his side of the story, including the ill treatment suffered by his family
  • Create famous armour

    1879 - The Kelly gang create their famous steel armour, bought with proceeds of the bank robberies.
  • Gang membes killed and Kelly wounded

    June 1880 - After trying to derail a police train, Kelly, wearing a home- made suit of armour, is captured after shootout at Glenrowan in Victoria. Kelly is seriously wounded. All other members of the gang are killed.
  • Death of Ned Kelly by hanging

    11 November, 1880 - Ned Kelly is hanged at Old Melbourne Gaol and buried in a mass grave there.