November 11th, 1880
Edward Kelly (December 1854 – 11 November 1880) was an Australian bushranger, outlaw, gang leader and convicted police-murderer. One of the last bushrangers, he is known for wearing a suit of bulletproof armour during his final shootout with the police.
Kelly was born in the then-British colony of Victoria as the third of eight children to Irish parents. His father, a transported convict, died shortly after serving a six-month prison sentence, leaving Kelly, then aged 12, as the eldest male of the household. The Kellys were a poor selector family who saw themselves as downtrodden by the Squattocracy and as victims of persecution by the Victoria Police.
Ned Kelly became a notorious figure for his involvement in a series of criminal activities, including bank robberies and clashes with the police.
While a teenager, Kelly was arrested for associating with bushranger Harry Power and served two prison terms for a variety of offences, the longest stretch being from 1871 to 1874 on a conviction of receiving a stolen horse. He later joined the “Greta Mob”, a group of bush larrikins known for stock theft.
A violent confrontation with a policeman occurred at the Kelly family’s home in 1878, and Kelly was indicted for his attempted murder. Fleeing to the bush, Kelly vowed to avenge his mother, who was imprisoned for her role in the incident. After he, his younger brother Dan, and two associates—Joe Byrne and Steve Hart—shot dead three policemen, the government of Victoria proclaimed them outlaws.
One of the most well-known incidents was the Kelly Gang’s last stand at Glenrowan in June 1880, where they donned homemade plate metal armor during a shootout with the police. The gang was eventually captured, and Ned Kelly was tried and found guilty of murder.
On November 11, 1880, at the Old Melbourne Gaol, Ned Kelly was executed by hanging. His life and exploits have become a significant part of Australian folklore, and he is a controversial and iconic figure in Australian history.
Heath Ledger, an Australian actor, played the role of Ned Kelly in the 2003 film titled “Ned Kelly.” The movie explores the life of the infamous Australian outlaw, and Ledger’s performance was widely praised for its depth and authenticity.
