View from Abroad

Home A-Z Names List Celluloid Contact Deaths Injuries Did you know? Furphies Ghosts Glenrowan short films History Interview Last Rest Music Reward Spies Telegraph Odd Spot View from Abroad USS KNOX BIO DAVE BIO SHARON

 

 

Welcome to my view from abroad page. On his bio page
here at Glenrowan1880, Dave refers to me as: "an American who has fallen
in love with the Kelly story." That is surely the understatement of the
century! :) From time to time I will be putting bits here or linking to
things I have written about the Kelly Gang from my different cultural
perspective. As usual, any opinions I have are mine, and mine alone, and
do not necessarily reflect those of the "management"!

 

NED KELLY: LEGENDARY MAN, LEGENDARY BEARD
JULY 26, 2010

The above is a link to an article about Ned Kelly's famous beard. In
the article I take a look at many of the mentions of Ned's beard
throughout the Kelly saga from his earliest stubble in a prison photo
to his full bushy beard being shaved off after his execution so a
death mask could be taken. Included are many eyewitness
descriptions/discrepancies as to the size and colour of his beard at
different points in time. Mention is also made about others in the
saga and their follicles and foibles!

"DEAR, BRAVE LITTLE WOMAN": JANE JONES OF GLENROWAN

JANUARY 30, 2010

The above is a link to an article about Jane Jones, the teenage
daughter of Mrs. Ann Jones of the Glenrowan Inn. In the article I
detail what occurred at the siege of Glenrowan as concerns Jane and
what happened to her up until her death nearly 2 years later. I also
go into details about how Jane Jones has been portrayed in films,
novels and song.

NED WAS FOREVER IN HIS THOUGHTS: SUPERINTENDENT FRANCIS HARE FROM
GLENROWAN TO RUPERTSWOOD (1880-1892)


AUGUST 28, 2009

This article tells what happened to Victorian Police Superintendent
Francis Augustus Hare from the time he left the Siege of Glenrowan
(due to being shot in the wrist) to the end of his life at William
Clarke's Rupertswood estate. In the years between he led a very busy
professional and personal life and even found time to write a book
about his early days in the colony and on up through his part in the
Kelly hunt and capture.

July 11, 2009

SYMPATHY FOR THE KELLYS: A FAMILY AFFAIR

The Nolan family have always been in sympathy with the Kellys. From
Mick Nolan in the era when Ned walked the earth down to Mick's
great-grandson and namesake, (who at one even time portrayed Ned at
the Kellyland Animated Theatre in Glenrowan), the gang have always
held their allegiance. In this article I tell their stories.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2008

DID THEY REALLY FIRE 15,000 ROUNDS AT THE SIEGE OF GLENROWAN?


This is a link to an article answering that very question. In a May
2008 newspaper article it was emphatically stated that 15,000 rounds
were fired at the siege. I set out to prove that that was not possible
due to a variety of reasons, all of which I lay out.

 

JUNE 13, 2008

MEN OF IRON, MEN OF WAX

This is a link to an article I wrote about the various waxworks
exhibitions in Australia and New Zealand featuring wax likenesses of the
Kelly Gang. They proved to be very popular subjects and were frequently
the star attractions.
 

April 19, 2005

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: W.H. FITCHETT

This is a link to my article about the Rev. Mr. W. H. Fitchett who was a
prolific writer and historian. He had written about the Kellys in Life
Magazine where he served as Editor, and those articles were later
included as chapters in various books he authored. A couple of the Life
articles were first-person narratives from two Glenrowan witnesses,
Sergeant Steele and Constable O'Dwyer and they detailed the capture of
Ned Kelly. One of these, the Steele narrative from the February 1910
edition of Life, is offered in full and is linked into the Author
Spotlight article.

March 24, 2005

THE CONVICT HULK "SUCCESS" AND HER KELLY GANG CONNECTIONS

This is a link to an article I wrote about the convict hulk "Success."
The "Success" had been a trade ship, an emigrant ship, a convict hulk
and ultimately a floating "convict ship" museum. I detail both the
history and the controversy and give a few Kelly Gang connections along
the way.

February 18, 2005

THE NED KELLY CENTENARY FESTIVAL

This is a link to an article I wrote about the Ned Kelly Centenary
Festival. Seems there had been some doubt and some conflicting reports
as to if this event actually went on as planned back in 1980. I managed
to track down the festival director, Peter Galvin and got the scoop!

 

October 12, 2004

STEEDS OF GLENROWAN

This link is to an article detailing, to the best of my available
resources, what has been chronicled about the horses of the gang, the
traps and the prisoners of the Inn during the Siege of Glenrowan. Some
of the "facts" are quite contradictory, since we are talking about the
Kelly Gang that should come as no surprise!

September 27, 2004

NED KELLY'S HELMET

This is a link to an interview with Paul Stafford, author of "Ned
Kelly's Helmet," a children's novel that is a delightful read even for
adults. Paul is involved with creative writing workshops for students
and encouraging youngsters to enjoy reading. He is a very gifted and
witty man who really likes what he does and it shows!


May 23, 2004

COOKSON ENIGMA

This is a link to an article entitled THE COOKSON ENIGMA in which I give
some background info on B.W. Cookson and on the "Kelly Gang From Within"
newspaper series which he authored. For so long, everyone always had the
name of B.W. Cookson on their lips, as they sought the "elusive" Cookson
articles. Being as curious as a cat, I finally decided I wanted to know
just who was B.W. Cookson? To me, when I find out things about an
author, it gives me better understanding and enjoyment of his writings.
I set out to find out more and I did, thanks to the kind help of Roselyn
and her cousin Celia in England, both Cookson descendents. I was
supplied with everything I needed to pull this article together and the
ladies also graciously granted this website exclusive rights to display
photographs of Brian William Cookson.

 

May 6, 2004

MR. NOLAN

This is a link to an article entitled MR. NOLAN GOES TO GLENROWAN about
the artist Sidney Nolan and his unpropitious 1945 visit to Glenrowan. An
interesting juxtaposition of the Glenrowan of then and now. Tourists
were far from welcomed back then as Nolan was not long in finding out!

March 28, 2004
HARVEST MOON
 
This is a link to an article I wrote called SHINE ON HARVEST
MOON...OR DID IT? disproving the notion that the moon was full just
before or during the siege of Glenrowan


 

Copyright reserved 2003-2010.