Review:
Bob Cummins' Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt: a biography of the last of New South Wales’ notorious bushrangers
By Bob Cummins
Self-published 1988
By Bob Cummins
Self-published 1988
Catalogued Genre: History
True Genre: History
Research: Extensive
Source-references: Detailed but not always reliable
Accuracy: Variable
Cummins’ Thunderbolt biography was clearly extensively researched and is the only Thunderbolt work that explores the historical backdrop of bushranging in the 1860s, so it is a worthwhile addition to the library of Thunderbolt publications. However it cannot be classified as accurate because it lacks the attention to detail necessary to ensure accuracy.
Take page 17, for example, which refers to Fred Ward’s 1856 crime, trial and sentence. The book states the following (note that the words in italics list errors and corrections):
- “[Fred] referred the operator to his nephew John [Garbutt] who had assumed the identity of Mr Charles Ross …” In fact, Fred’s nephew was calling himself “Mr William Ross” at that time.
- “At Windsor, Garbutt made an appointment which was a cause of their downfall. He engaged auctioneer Mr Charles Martin to advertise the mob for auction. Soon after Mr Ross discovered Martin was Tocal’s auctioneer and surreptitiously approached another auctioneer Mr Dodds.” In fact, Garbutt made the appointment with auctioneer Martyn in Sydney, and when he discovered the problem he then engaged Mr Seymour at Windsor. Mr Dodds was the auctioneer Garbutt used when he attempted to auction another group of stolen horses under a completely different name.
- “Meanwhile, Tocal’s superintendent, Mr Henry Lowcock, realised the theft of his horses and rushed to Sydney to inform police,” says Cummins, then repeats a story from Brennan’s police history (see Review) that Lowcock, while on a ferry, overheard associates of the gang discussing the theft, allowing the thieves to be caught. In fact, another victim, William Zuill, notified Lowcock that horses with his HL brand and his employer’s CR brand had been sold at auction at Windsor, and the pair travelled to Windsor to identify them. The claim regarding the ferry is pure fiction – as most of Brennan’s Police History proves to be.
- “Meanwhile the auctioneer Mr Martin was travelling by the new steam train to Windsor.” The new steam train travelled from Sydney to Parramatta.
- “[Fred] was bound over to the May 1857 Criminal Sessions of the District Court”. In fact, he was bound over to the next Maitland Quarter Sessions which took place in August 1856.
- “[At Fred’s trial] New South Wales Chief Justice Sir Alfred Stephen presided …”. In fact, Justice Stephen presided over John Garbutt’s trial, while Justice Alfred Cheeke presided over Fred’s trial.
- “Ward’s counsel claimed that his client had acted only as a servant to James Garbutt, who was tried with him.” In fact, while James Garbutt was indeed tried with Fred, Ward’s counsel claimed that Fred had acted only as a servant to the ringleader, John Garbutt, who had been tried at the Supreme Court in Sydney two months previously.
- “William Ward, who alone of the defendants was released on bail fled, probably to Queensland.” In fact, while William Ward was indeed released on bail, he actually testified in Fred’s defence at his trial. Their brother Joshua fled before he could be apprehended.
- “James Garbutt testified on behalf of the defendant.” In fact, James Garbutt was tried at the same time as Fred. John Garbutt testified on behalf of both Fred and James.
- “Sir Alfred instructed the jury that charges of receiving and stealing be considered against John Garbutt.” In fact, Justice Cheeke instructed the jury regarding James Garbutt. John Garbutt had indeed faced Sir Alfred two months previously but he had wisely pleaded guilty.
- Ward and Garbutt were sentenced to 10 years hard labour at Cockatoo Island Gaol, known by the Aboriginals as Biloela or Isle of the Dead. In fact, the island had previously been known by the Aboriginals as biloela, their word for the cockatoos nesting there.
While Cummins attempted to source-reference his book using a blind endnote system (source-references listed as a batch at the end of the book), many of the source-references contain typographical errors, referring to newspaper issues that never existed. Others list sources at State Records of New South Wales without providing the full references, information that needs to be provided in order to access the records.
Cummins admitted that his book was rushed to press when he realised that two other Thunderbolt books were being published and that his two decades of research would be wasted if he did not promptly produce his own book. This was an unfortunate decision as the errors undermine his hard work. He clearly undertook extensive research and tried not to repeat the unsubstantiated Thunderbolt myths. In fact, he was the only Thunderbolt researcher to determine that Mary Ann Bugg did not die in 1867 – as all other Thunderbolt works claim.
Reportedly Cummins is producing a new edition of his Thunderbolt biography. Hopefully he will go back to the many original records he obviously gathered rather than repeating the same mistakes.
True Genre: History
Research: Extensive
Source-references: Detailed but not always reliable
Accuracy: Variable
Cummins’ Thunderbolt biography was clearly extensively researched and is the only Thunderbolt work that explores the historical backdrop of bushranging in the 1860s, so it is a worthwhile addition to the library of Thunderbolt publications. However it cannot be classified as accurate because it lacks the attention to detail necessary to ensure accuracy.
Take page 17, for example, which refers to Fred Ward’s 1856 crime, trial and sentence. The book states the following (note that the words in italics list errors and corrections):
- “[Fred] referred the operator to his nephew John [Garbutt] who had assumed the identity of Mr Charles Ross …” In fact, Fred’s nephew was calling himself “Mr William Ross” at that time.
- “At Windsor, Garbutt made an appointment which was a cause of their downfall. He engaged auctioneer Mr Charles Martin to advertise the mob for auction. Soon after Mr Ross discovered Martin was Tocal’s auctioneer and surreptitiously approached another auctioneer Mr Dodds.” In fact, Garbutt made the appointment with auctioneer Martyn in Sydney, and when he discovered the problem he then engaged Mr Seymour at Windsor. Mr Dodds was the auctioneer Garbutt used when he attempted to auction another group of stolen horses under a completely different name.
- “Meanwhile, Tocal’s superintendent, Mr Henry Lowcock, realised the theft of his horses and rushed to Sydney to inform police,” says Cummins, then repeats a story from Brennan’s police history (see Review) that Lowcock, while on a ferry, overheard associates of the gang discussing the theft, allowing the thieves to be caught. In fact, another victim, William Zuill, notified Lowcock that horses with his HL brand and his employer’s CR brand had been sold at auction at Windsor, and the pair travelled to Windsor to identify them. The claim regarding the ferry is pure fiction – as most of Brennan’s Police History proves to be.
- “Meanwhile the auctioneer Mr Martin was travelling by the new steam train to Windsor.” The new steam train travelled from Sydney to Parramatta.
- “[Fred] was bound over to the May 1857 Criminal Sessions of the District Court”. In fact, he was bound over to the next Maitland Quarter Sessions which took place in August 1856.
- “[At Fred’s trial] New South Wales Chief Justice Sir Alfred Stephen presided …”. In fact, Justice Stephen presided over John Garbutt’s trial, while Justice Alfred Cheeke presided over Fred’s trial.
- “Ward’s counsel claimed that his client had acted only as a servant to James Garbutt, who was tried with him.” In fact, while James Garbutt was indeed tried with Fred, Ward’s counsel claimed that Fred had acted only as a servant to the ringleader, John Garbutt, who had been tried at the Supreme Court in Sydney two months previously.
- “William Ward, who alone of the defendants was released on bail fled, probably to Queensland.” In fact, while William Ward was indeed released on bail, he actually testified in Fred’s defence at his trial. Their brother Joshua fled before he could be apprehended.
- “James Garbutt testified on behalf of the defendant.” In fact, James Garbutt was tried at the same time as Fred. John Garbutt testified on behalf of both Fred and James.
- “Sir Alfred instructed the jury that charges of receiving and stealing be considered against John Garbutt.” In fact, Justice Cheeke instructed the jury regarding James Garbutt. John Garbutt had indeed faced Sir Alfred two months previously but he had wisely pleaded guilty.
- Ward and Garbutt were sentenced to 10 years hard labour at Cockatoo Island Gaol, known by the Aboriginals as Biloela or Isle of the Dead. In fact, the island had previously been known by the Aboriginals as biloela, their word for the cockatoos nesting there.
While Cummins attempted to source-reference his book using a blind endnote system (source-references listed as a batch at the end of the book), many of the source-references contain typographical errors, referring to newspaper issues that never existed. Others list sources at State Records of New South Wales without providing the full references, information that needs to be provided in order to access the records.
Cummins admitted that his book was rushed to press when he realised that two other Thunderbolt books were being published and that his two decades of research would be wasted if he did not promptly produce his own book. This was an unfortunate decision as the errors undermine his hard work. He clearly undertook extensive research and tried not to repeat the unsubstantiated Thunderbolt myths. In fact, he was the only Thunderbolt researcher to determine that Mary Ann Bugg did not die in 1867 – as all other Thunderbolt works claim.
Reportedly Cummins is producing a new edition of his Thunderbolt biography. Hopefully he will go back to the many original records he obviously gathered rather than repeating the same mistakes.