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Eye-Witness Accounts

A collection of witness accounts from various sources, including contemporary newspapers and the 1881 Royal Commission into the Victoria Police force.

Below you will find a list of witness accounts of the siege. These were an invaluable resource when writing the novel. Many of these were taken from the 1881 Royal Commission, and some were taken from news reports or other sources. Where multiple accounts exist for one person you can choose which one you wish to read.

Police

Superintendent Francis Augustus Hare:

Supt. Francis Hare

Report

Royal Commission

Memoir

Superintendent John Sadleir:

Supt. John Sadleir

Memoir

Captain Frederick Charles Standish:

Capt. Frederick Standish

Royal Commission

Sub-Inspector Stanhope O’Connor:

Stanhope O’Connor

At the Reward Inquiry

Letters

Sergeant Arthur Loftus Maule Steele:

Sgt. Arthur Steele

South Australian Advertiser

Royal Commission

Cookson Interview

Adelaide Advertiser

Senior Constable John Kelly:

Snr Const. John Kelly

South Australian Advertiser

Constable Hugh Bracken:

Const. Hugh Bracken

Weekly Times

Constable Henry Armstrong:

Royal Commission

Constable Robert Alexander:

Royal Commission

Constable Patrick Gascoigne:

Const. Patrick Gascoigne

Royal Commission

Constable James Arthur:

Const. James Arthur

Royal Commission

Constable William Phillips:

Const. William Phillips

Royal Commission

Constable James Dwyer:

Const. James Dwyer

Royal Commission

Civilians

Thomas Curnow:

Thomas Curnow

Argus

Launceston Examiner

Ann Jones:

Ann Jones

Cookson Interview

Euroa Advertiser

Adelaide Advertiser

Jane Jones:

Jane Jones

Ovens and Murray Advertiser

John Stanistreet (stationmaster):

South Australian Advertiser

South Australian Register

Margaret Reardon:

Margaret Reardon

Royal Commission

James Reardon (platelayer):

James Reardon

Royal Commission

Dave Mortimer:

Burrowa News

Honora McDonnell:

Evening News

Robert Gibbons:

South Australian Advertiser

Other

Edward Kelly:

Ned Kelly

Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser

Hay Standard and Advertiser

Glen Innes Examiner and General Advertiser

Launceston Examiner

Condemned Cell Letter

Dr. John Nicholson:

Darling Downs Gazette and General Advertiser

Father Matthew Gibney:

Matthew Gibney

Glen Innes Examiner and General Advertiser

Charles Rawlins:

Ovens and Murray Advertiser

Jesse Dowsett (railway guard):

Jesse Dowsett

South Australian Register

Robert Bell (railway guard):

South Australian Register

John James “Jack” Sherritt:

Jack Sherritt

Royal Commission

Anton Wick:

Anton Wick

Royal Commission

Aaron Sherritt’s Inquest

Ovens and Murray Advertiser

South Australian Register

Martin Cherry’s Inquest

South Australian Register