Timeline: 1869
This Timeline documents all the information discovered for bushranger Frederick Ward for the year 1869, with associated source-references. Many of the referenced newspapers are now accessible online (see Online Newspapers).
Copyright Carol Baxter 2011
Copyright Carol Baxter 2011
1869 Feb 13c On or before 13 Feb, Thunderbolt stole racehorse Talleyrand owned by Frank Wyndham Esq of Coolatie near Warialda, from Gragine, Reedy Creek; Wyndham offered reward; report that Ward’s niece [daughter of his sister Sarah Ann Ward] was married to stockman on Gragine station[1]
1869 Mar 24 Fred Ward charged with stealing horse &c. owned by Charles Fendelow of Gineroy at Burning Mountain Inn near Murrurundi; horse later found in the bush[2]
1869 Apr 5 Joseph Bellinger convicted of being an accessory before and after the fact in a mail robbery committed by Frederick Ward and William Tavener in January 1868 and of feloniously harbouring and maintaining the felons; sentenced to two years hard labour in Parramatta Gaol[3]
1869 Apr 24 At Tabbill Creek, Hanley’s Flat near Dungog, Alexander Allen robbed Ann McNamara while claiming to be Thunderbolt[4]
1869 Jun 9 Thunderbolt robbed Warwick Chaffe at Tarpaulin Creek, ten miles south of Barraba[5]
1869 Jun The Argus reported that Thunderbolt had reappeared in his old haunts and resumed his criminal career but was probably referring to Rutherford who in other reports claimed to be looking for Thunderbolt[6]
1869 Jul mid Thunderbolt has robbed the northern mail near Cassilis, according to Argus, but no similar reports in other Online Newspapers[7]
1869 Sep Report that concerns about activities of Thunderbolt and others in the north had led the NSW and Queensland governments to work together to apprehend them[8]
1869 Sep late Reports that two armed men robbed a hawker named Gordon on the Mehi (Gwydir) River; a couple of days later a coloured man named Allen was robbed on the Barwon River, fourteen miles from Collarenebri; 28 Sep: Mr Bagot’s Gundabluie station was robbed; no suggestion in the various reports that Thunderbolt was one of these men and the description indicates that the man aged about 30 was clean shaven while the other had a thin fair beard so probably not Thunderbolt but probably the same men committing all three crimes[9]
1869 Oct 9 Robbery of Walcha-Armidale mailman claimed by some to be Thunderbolt but the bushranger said to his victim that it was his first mail robbery and the description said “black hair and whiskers” so was unlikely to be Thunderbolt[10]
1869 Nov 8+ Thunderbolt stuck up Mr Brown’s store at Little River and stole two Crimean shirts, a pair of tweed trousers, a pair of elastic side boots and a small looking glass; he then left and crossed over the Leather Jacket range to the Clarence river district[11]
1869 Nov 11 Thunderbolt called at Mr Devlin’s in the Clarence river district and purchased some rations[12]
1869 Nov 12 Thunderbolt visited Newton Boyd station in the same district and enquired for the superintendent, Mr Skinner, who was absent, then said that he only wanted horse-nails; the servant pointed them out and he took a few; he called at the camp of Road Superintendent Mr Houison and enquired if he was around; took letters from camp to Mrs Brown at Broadmeadows[13]
1869 Nov 12-14 Seen loitering in the bush between Broadmeadows and Newton Boyd stations[14]
1869 Nov 15 Thunderbolt bailed up the Browns at Broadmeadows then Road Superintendent Houison’s camp where he stole a revolver and some cartridges for a needle gun and Mr Houison’s horse Regulator; then asked for bread at Brown senior’s residence before galloping off into the bush; Mr Houison, Sub-Inspector Wright and a trooper pursued Thunderbolt for a couple of days but could not find him[15]
1869 Dec Hawker robbed of £40 in money and goods near Mihi Mihi Creek station; believed to be Thunderbolt[16]
1869 Dec late Thunderbolt said to have recently paid a visit to Rhodes’ station near the Big Hill on the Newton Boyd Road (Clarence River district) “evidently on the lookout for another Regulator”; soon afterwards left the locality and believed to have headed in the direction of Harness Cask River[17]
Sources:
[1] NSW Police Gazette 1869 No.9 (3 Mar 1869) pp.65- 66, No.11 (17 Mar 1869) p.82; Sydney Morning Herald 3 Mar 1869 p.5; Maitland Mercury 4 Mar 1869 p.1
[2] NSW Police Gazette 1869 No.13 (31 Mar 1869) pp.97-98, No.15 (14 Apr 1869) p.111
[3] NSW Police Gazette 1869 No.15 (14 Apr 1869) p.113; Maitland Mercury 25 Mar 1869 p.3, 13 Apr 1869 p.2; Empire 31 Mar 1869 p.4, 14 Apr 1869 p.4; Sydney Morning Herald 24 Mar 1869 p.5, 14 Apr 1869 p.2; CSIL [SRNSW ref: 4/657 No. 69/3361]
[4] Maitland Mercury 5 Jun 1869 p.2
[5] Armidale Express 26 Jun 1869 (from Tamworth Examiner 19 Jun); NSW Police Gazette 1869 p.189
[6] Argus 24 Jun 1869 p.5; see Online Newspapers for references to Rutherford
[7] Argus 15 Jul 1869 p.5
[8] Maitland Mercury 9 Sep 1869 p.1
[9] Armidale Express 16 Oct 1869 p.2 & Sydney Mail 16 Oct 1869 (from Tamworth Examiner); NSW Police Gazette 1869 p.323
[10] Sydney Morning Herald 13 Oct 1869 p.5 (from Armidale Telegraph); Illustrated Sydney News 27 Oct 1869 p.2
[11] Clarence & Richmond Examiner 23 Nov 1869 p.2; Armidale Express 27 Nov 1869 p.2
[12] Clarence & Richmond Examiner 23 Nov 1869 p.2
[13] Clarence & Richmond Examiner 23 Nov 1869 p.2
[14] Clarence & Richmond Examiner 23 Nov 1869 p.2
[15] Clarence & Richmond Examiner 23 Nov 1869 p.2; NSW Police Gazette 1869 No.47 (24 Nov 1869) p.363; Armidale Express 27 Nov 1869 p.2; Brisbane Courier 1 Dec 1879 p.3; Sydney Morning Herald 24 Nov 1869 p.4; NSW Police Gazette 1869 No.47 (24 Nov 1869) p.363
[16] Sydney Morning Herald 23 Dec 1869 p.3 & Empire 23 Dec 1869 p.3 (both from Tamworth Examiner); Hobart Mercury 25 Dec 1869 p.2
[17] Clarence & Richmond Examiner 4 Jan 1870 p.2
1869 Mar 24 Fred Ward charged with stealing horse &c. owned by Charles Fendelow of Gineroy at Burning Mountain Inn near Murrurundi; horse later found in the bush[2]
1869 Apr 5 Joseph Bellinger convicted of being an accessory before and after the fact in a mail robbery committed by Frederick Ward and William Tavener in January 1868 and of feloniously harbouring and maintaining the felons; sentenced to two years hard labour in Parramatta Gaol[3]
1869 Apr 24 At Tabbill Creek, Hanley’s Flat near Dungog, Alexander Allen robbed Ann McNamara while claiming to be Thunderbolt[4]
1869 Jun 9 Thunderbolt robbed Warwick Chaffe at Tarpaulin Creek, ten miles south of Barraba[5]
1869 Jun The Argus reported that Thunderbolt had reappeared in his old haunts and resumed his criminal career but was probably referring to Rutherford who in other reports claimed to be looking for Thunderbolt[6]
1869 Jul mid Thunderbolt has robbed the northern mail near Cassilis, according to Argus, but no similar reports in other Online Newspapers[7]
1869 Sep Report that concerns about activities of Thunderbolt and others in the north had led the NSW and Queensland governments to work together to apprehend them[8]
1869 Sep late Reports that two armed men robbed a hawker named Gordon on the Mehi (Gwydir) River; a couple of days later a coloured man named Allen was robbed on the Barwon River, fourteen miles from Collarenebri; 28 Sep: Mr Bagot’s Gundabluie station was robbed; no suggestion in the various reports that Thunderbolt was one of these men and the description indicates that the man aged about 30 was clean shaven while the other had a thin fair beard so probably not Thunderbolt but probably the same men committing all three crimes[9]
1869 Oct 9 Robbery of Walcha-Armidale mailman claimed by some to be Thunderbolt but the bushranger said to his victim that it was his first mail robbery and the description said “black hair and whiskers” so was unlikely to be Thunderbolt[10]
1869 Nov 8+ Thunderbolt stuck up Mr Brown’s store at Little River and stole two Crimean shirts, a pair of tweed trousers, a pair of elastic side boots and a small looking glass; he then left and crossed over the Leather Jacket range to the Clarence river district[11]
1869 Nov 11 Thunderbolt called at Mr Devlin’s in the Clarence river district and purchased some rations[12]
1869 Nov 12 Thunderbolt visited Newton Boyd station in the same district and enquired for the superintendent, Mr Skinner, who was absent, then said that he only wanted horse-nails; the servant pointed them out and he took a few; he called at the camp of Road Superintendent Mr Houison and enquired if he was around; took letters from camp to Mrs Brown at Broadmeadows[13]
1869 Nov 12-14 Seen loitering in the bush between Broadmeadows and Newton Boyd stations[14]
1869 Nov 15 Thunderbolt bailed up the Browns at Broadmeadows then Road Superintendent Houison’s camp where he stole a revolver and some cartridges for a needle gun and Mr Houison’s horse Regulator; then asked for bread at Brown senior’s residence before galloping off into the bush; Mr Houison, Sub-Inspector Wright and a trooper pursued Thunderbolt for a couple of days but could not find him[15]
1869 Dec Hawker robbed of £40 in money and goods near Mihi Mihi Creek station; believed to be Thunderbolt[16]
1869 Dec late Thunderbolt said to have recently paid a visit to Rhodes’ station near the Big Hill on the Newton Boyd Road (Clarence River district) “evidently on the lookout for another Regulator”; soon afterwards left the locality and believed to have headed in the direction of Harness Cask River[17]
Sources:
[1] NSW Police Gazette 1869 No.9 (3 Mar 1869) pp.65- 66, No.11 (17 Mar 1869) p.82; Sydney Morning Herald 3 Mar 1869 p.5; Maitland Mercury 4 Mar 1869 p.1
[2] NSW Police Gazette 1869 No.13 (31 Mar 1869) pp.97-98, No.15 (14 Apr 1869) p.111
[3] NSW Police Gazette 1869 No.15 (14 Apr 1869) p.113; Maitland Mercury 25 Mar 1869 p.3, 13 Apr 1869 p.2; Empire 31 Mar 1869 p.4, 14 Apr 1869 p.4; Sydney Morning Herald 24 Mar 1869 p.5, 14 Apr 1869 p.2; CSIL [SRNSW ref: 4/657 No. 69/3361]
[4] Maitland Mercury 5 Jun 1869 p.2
[5] Armidale Express 26 Jun 1869 (from Tamworth Examiner 19 Jun); NSW Police Gazette 1869 p.189
[6] Argus 24 Jun 1869 p.5; see Online Newspapers for references to Rutherford
[7] Argus 15 Jul 1869 p.5
[8] Maitland Mercury 9 Sep 1869 p.1
[9] Armidale Express 16 Oct 1869 p.2 & Sydney Mail 16 Oct 1869 (from Tamworth Examiner); NSW Police Gazette 1869 p.323
[10] Sydney Morning Herald 13 Oct 1869 p.5 (from Armidale Telegraph); Illustrated Sydney News 27 Oct 1869 p.2
[11] Clarence & Richmond Examiner 23 Nov 1869 p.2; Armidale Express 27 Nov 1869 p.2
[12] Clarence & Richmond Examiner 23 Nov 1869 p.2
[13] Clarence & Richmond Examiner 23 Nov 1869 p.2
[14] Clarence & Richmond Examiner 23 Nov 1869 p.2
[15] Clarence & Richmond Examiner 23 Nov 1869 p.2; NSW Police Gazette 1869 No.47 (24 Nov 1869) p.363; Armidale Express 27 Nov 1869 p.2; Brisbane Courier 1 Dec 1879 p.3; Sydney Morning Herald 24 Nov 1869 p.4; NSW Police Gazette 1869 No.47 (24 Nov 1869) p.363
[16] Sydney Morning Herald 23 Dec 1869 p.3 & Empire 23 Dec 1869 p.3 (both from Tamworth Examiner); Hobart Mercury 25 Dec 1869 p.2
[17] Clarence & Richmond Examiner 4 Jan 1870 p.2