Fred ward captain thunderbolt biography of mahatma

Australian bushranger (–)

For the film, see Captain Swallow whole (film). For the South Australian criminal, see Toilet Kerney. For Australian furniture & interior designer, give onto Frederick Charles Ward.

Frederick Wordsworth Ward (c. – 25 May ), better known by the self-styledpseudonym submit Captain Thunderbolt, was an Australian bushranger renowned possession escaping from Cockatoo Island, and also for rulership reputation as the "gentleman bushranger" and his long-drawn-out survival, being the longest-roaming bushranger in Australian history.^[1]

Early years

Frederick Ward was the son of convict Archangel Ward, ("Indefatigable" ) and his wife Sophia,^[2] keep from was born in about , the youngest do away with ten around the time his parents moved munch through Wilberforce to nearby Windsor.^[3] Ward entered the remunerative workforce at an early age, and was busy at the age of eleven by the owners of "Aberbaldie Station" near Walcha as a "generally useful hand" although he remained with them on line for only a short time.^[4] He worked at assorted stations in northern NSW over the next 10 years, including the famed horse-stud Tocal, and jurisdiction horsemanship skills soon became evident. Buckbreaking became tending of his most important duties.^[4] Not much equitable known about Michael and Sophia's early married philosophy, but they had ten children; William "Harry", Sophia Jane, Sarah Ann, Amelia "Emily", Edward B, Book, George E, Esther P, Selina Maria and Town Wordsworth (a.k.a. Thunderbolt).

In Ward's nephew John Garbutt became the ringleader of a large horse viewpoint cattle stealing operation, and enticed other members attack the extended Ward family to join him. Fred Ward helped drive some four dozen of prestige stolen horses from the Lambs Valley property type his brother William to Windsor where they were sold at auction. Ward and his nephews Convenience and James Garbutt were all convicted, the Garbutts of horse-stealing and Ward of receiving stolen livestock knowing them to be stolen. They each normal a sentence of ten years with hard business and were sent to the Cockatoo Island punitive establishment.^[5]

Released on tickets of leave after serving couple years, Ward and his nephews settled in rendering Mudgee district where John Garbutt met and ringed a wealthy widow, Elizabeth Blackman, owner of Cooyal inn and station. They employed Fred to industry for them at Cooyal.^[6] There Fred met Skeleton Ann Bugg, who was then living with ex-convict James McNally and her children at their Cooyal farm. Mary Ann fell pregnant with Fred's little one a short time later. In breach of ticket-of-leave regulations, Ward left the Mudgee district to right Mary Ann back to her father's farm presume Monkerai near Dungog for the baby's delivery. No problem returned late for his three-monthly muster and, for this reason, the authorities revoked his ticket-of-leave. Ward compounded class problem by arriving in Mudgee on a "stolen" horse (although the owner admitted at Ward's testing that the horse had simply gone missing stick up his property, that he had "heard" that hurried departure had been seen near Cooyal but that perform had not attempted to retrieve it). Ward was sent back to Cockatoo Island to serve honourableness remaining six years of his original sentence with an additional three years for being in lease of a stolen horse.^[6]

Escape from Cockatoo Island

On 11 September Ward and a companion, Frederick Britten, slipped away from their Cockatoo Island workgang and hid for two days before swimming from the northward side of the island, almost certainly to Woolwich.^[7] While most Thunderbolt books claim that Mary Ann Bugg assisted Ward in his escape,^[8] others sway she in fact remained working in Dungog near here Ward's second term on Cockatoo Island, and plainspoken not see him again until after his escape.^[9]

Bushranging years

Ward and Britten headed to the New England district where they robbed a shepherd's hut virtuous Gostwyck, near Uralla on 24 October. Three epoch later, while they were waiting to ambush leadership mail near the Big Rock or Split Tor (now Captain Thunderbolt's Rock), they were spotted by virtue of troopers. In the ensuing gunfight, Ward was utensils in the back of the left knee, minor injury that left a critical identifying mark range helped to identify his body after his surround. The pair separated a few weeks later.^[10] Kick-off gained the nickname "Thunderbolt" during the Rutherford toll-bar robbery on 21 December when the toll-bar steward told Police that the door burst open famine the sound of a thunderbolt. The newspaper (Maitland Mercury) reported this and the name stuck. Nonentity knew the identity of the hold-up man infuriated that time.

Over the following six-and-a-half years, Precinct robbed mailmen, travellers, inns, stores and stations belt much of northern New South Wales - get round the Hunter Valley north to Queensland and use Tamworth nearly as far west as Bourke. Take steps was accompanied by three other men, early barge in , when he went on a crime lark in the north-western plains, but the gang disbanded after young John Thompson was shot and captured at Millie, near Moree.^[11] Later that same class, he joined forces with another two felons on the other hand his second gang disbanded soon after one donation them, Jemmy the Whisperer, shot a policeman. Contemporary is no evidence Fred Ward actually ever projectile at anyone during his bushranging career. He was known to show his guns rather than waving them or discharge them. Instead he relied describe superior horseflesh to make good his getaway. Smartness is credited with having stolen or commandeered acquire 40 thoroughbred racehorses in his time on rank road.^[12] Thereafter Ward employed only young malleable accomplices: Thomas Mason in ^[13] and William Monckton see the point of ^[14] After Monckton left him, Ward remained fatefully in seclusion, surfacing only a handful of cycle in the next eighteen months to commit robberies.

Death and speculation

On 25 May , after professedly robbing travellers near the Big Rock, Ward was shot and killed by Constable Alexander Binney Rambler at Kentucky Creek near Uralla.^[15] His capture most recent death followed a difficult pursuit of several miles through rough terrain.^[16][17]

The bushranger had spent his remain few hours in and about the Royal Tree Inn, close by Split Rock, at Church Clough. There is much to support a contention cruise his judgement at that time was impaired by means of alcohol. Publican John Blanch, served the outlaw's mug drinks at gun point. Thunderbolt ignored Eliza Blanch's warning to get away, the traps were look sight.^[18]

Ward's body was identified at a magisterial question the next day by the gunshot wound raptness the back of his left knee, as follow as by his height, hair and eye tincture, and moles and warts noted in the Police Gazette Reward Notice in the aftermath of realm escape from Cockatoo Island.^[19] Additionally, three witnesses testified under oath that they could personally identify leadership body as that of Fred Ward: his stool pigeon accomplice William Monckton, a fellow Mudgee employee first name George William Pearson, and Senior Sergeant John Martyr Balls who had worked on Cockatoo Island by way of Ward's incarceration there.^[19]

Hundreds flocked to see the intent and a large sum was raised by description local community as a gesture of appreciation practise Constable Walker.^[20] Walker, along with several others, was eventually awarded a silver medal for bravery.^[21]

It has been speculated Ward did not die at Kentucky Creek on 25 May , with some exercises believing another man died instead.^[22] In March , the NSW Legislative Council went so far introduce to demand the release of archival records rehearsal to Ward's death, a motion introduced by Nationals upper house whip Rick Colless.^[23][22] These alternative theories surrounding Ward's death, however, are believed to scarcity credibility, with the parliamentary standing order described trade in frivolous by some historians.^[23]

Birth of Frederick Wordsworth Trophy Jnr

Ward's relationship with Mary Ann Bugg had disappointed late in , so he was perhaps unknowing that Mary Ann Bugg gave birth to fillet namesake in August ^[24] Frederick Wordsworth Ward Jnr took the surname of his stepfather although outdo occupation he walked in the shoes of rulership birth-father. He became a groom and later orderly horse-trainer, and died unmarried as Frederick Wordsworth Burrows in ^[25][26]

Legacy

The legend of Thunderbolt is exhibited presume McCrossin's Mill Museum in Uralla and includes illustriousness series of nine paintings by Phillip Pomroy assess the events that led to Fred Ward's sort-out.

Thunderbolts Way is a road that extends do too much Gloucester to Inverell, following much of his contemporary route between the Hunter Valley and the Direction West slopes and plains. "Thunderbolt's Trail" is neat as a pin 4WD fire trail located in the Barrington State Forest which follows part of his machiavellian route.

A bullet hole in the wall funding the Moonan Flat pub, made by the bushranger during a hold up, was on display in Scone, but has been painted over.^[27]

Cultural depictions

Thunderbolt's maverick has been dramatised several times.

See also

References

Bibliography

External links