Benalla , the town

...a place in the KellyGang story 

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Location

Riverina
Murray
On the old Hume Highway between Euroa and Glenrowan
Beechworth
Glenrowan

Beginings

Greta
Benalla

 

Southern

Importance of Benalla

Mansfield
Melbourne
other areas

The head quarters for the police operation against the KellyGang.

Benalla was the centre of a large farming area. (Argus19/4/80)

Photograph
Map

What was Benalla like in the late 1870s

The railway bridge (Ensign7/5/1872)
The railway line to Melbourne was opened on 18/8/1873. see (Argus28/7/73) (Ensign15/8/1873)

What were the streets and buildings like at the time when the railway arrived (Ensign16/9/1873)
Take a tour around the town (Kilmore31/10/1878)
What was the area like (Argus9/5/79)

Facilities in Benalla in the late 1870s

Population
Hotels
Benalla Hotel (M McNally)
Commercial Hotel (Craven)(RC9518) (Argus12/3/79)
Hamilton's Hotel (Kilmore31/10/1878)
O'Leary's Hotel
(Craven)
Powell's Hotel
Royal Hotel Arundel St
Shamrock
It would be great to know more about the history of Benalla ; can you please help
Churches
Catholic Rev John Scanlon
Church of England Rev Scott
Methodist
Presbyterian
Schools
2 state schools by 1874
Main Streets

Newspapers

Benalla Standard
Ensign

Bank
Bank of New South Wales opened July 1873
Colonial Bank at Benalla, Brock Manager (Kilmore31/10/1878)
The Benalla local government area was formed in 1869
Mr F McDonald, the ex-president of the Shire of Benalla
George Sharpe Shire president 1873 (Argus24/2/73)
Robert Rowe was the President of the Shire of Benalla. 1876
Mr James Knox, Benalla shire secretary
Local Government
Police Station
see also
Railway Station
Mr Stevens
Telegraph Office
see Mr Watt Mr Hollows

Post Office
Mr Saxe. He sent a lot of the telegrams (Argus5/11/78)
(Mr Saxe's application for a share in the reward was rejected by the Reward Board) Did he become an PM?

There was a postal route from Benalla to Cobram via Devenish,
and from Benalla to Shepparton via Devenish, Dookie South, Sumpton's Store, and Pine Lodge
and from Benalla to Lake Rowan via Hill Plains
Other things of interest

The town was split in two by the Broken River. Bridge St was the main street. The Kellys did their shopping there.

Benalla Amateur Coursing Club was active. There was also the Benalla Coursing Club. (OMA5/4/79)

Aerated drinks and Cordials J Webster, on sothern side of the river. (Kilmore31/10/1878)

Autioneer JH Gray and Co

Births Deaths - Registrar
G Lovel

Brewery, Jesse Watts The Benall Brewery (Kilmore31/10/1878)

Clergy
Rev. J. Murdock, a Presbyterian minister who well respected

Cemetery
many of the important people in the story of the KellyGang are buried in the Benalla Cemetery including Joe Byrne.

Doctors
John Nicnolson. (Kilmore31/10/1878) Dr Henry (Ensign4/10/1872)

Flour Miller
William McInnes JP, George Sharpe

Hotels
The senior police Com Standish, Ass Com Nicolson, Sup Hare, Sadleir and Insp O'Connor all stayed at O'Leary's Hotel near the police barracks (RC1285)

Justice of the peace -Burbury, Jarman, Willis (Kilmore31/10/1878)

Lawyers
Mr McCarthy O’Leary -barrister . He assisted in the inquiry against Mr Monk. McDonnell - he helped Mrs Kelly, Mr Martyr acted for many a defendant at the local police court.
Mr Pow, I defended Mrs Kelly on a few occassions (Ensign22/11/1872)

Library and other features of the town (Ensign10/4/1874)

Lime stone (Ensign8/4/1873)

Magistrates
Robertson
JP(Argus6/1/79)

Mechanics' Institute and Free Library

Pound
Pound keeper -George Leary

Schools
2 public schools by 1872
Catholic school (Ensign5/11/1872)

Shops
see (Ensign16/9/1873)
Baker, Martin Walsh
Balls
shop
Maggie Skillion and Kate Kelly shopped at Ball's store. (RC830)
Butcher -Mr Gardiner - George Fawkes (Ensign4/10/1872)
Chemist Mr McBurney (Kilmore31/10/1878)
Fitzsymons (Fitzsimmons) had the store at the corner of the police barracks, opposite the hotel (RC17752)
Mr G Louch (Kilmore31/10/1878)
Mr John McNally hardware (Kilmore31/10/1878)
Mr Roe (Kilmore31/10/1878)
Kings bootmakers shop.
Mr Shortell bar Benall Club (Kilmore31/10/1878)
Saddler G Willis

MacBain's paddock.

Mr Stephen, the railway station master. His application for a share in the reward was rejected by the Reward Board but that was reversed (Argus11/4/83)

The Show . (Argus6/9/78)

Surveyor Leahy

The telegraph office was 150 yards from the police station (RC2453)
The telegraph station in the old town. Mr Walter Henry Saxe was the permanent telegraph officer (joined service in 1858) and Mr. Challen, was sent up to assist him. (RC2287)

Violinist Mr W Holzappel

Selectors
The life of selectors in the area; economic data and practical stories (Argus19/4/80) (Argus27/4/80)
Crown lands bailiff (Mr Witt) (Argus19/4/80)

Chevalier Bruno had land near Benalla for the cultivation of silkworms

The local Government Commission came to town (Argus24/2/73)

 

Links to the KellyGang

Benalla was the main base for the police operations against the KellyGang

On 17 September 1877 Ned Kelly came to town and was later arrested by Fitzpatrick for being drunk and riding his horse on the foot path [JJK)

At the time of the Euroa robbery, when Mr Wyatt arrived in Benalla Mr Saxe thought he was very excitable. (RC2287)

The KellyGang intended to stick up the bank in Benalla but their friends told them therte was more money in the bank in Euroa (Argus17/12/78)

6 soldiers arrived to protect the town's banks (Argus17/12/78)

Benalla was alive with sympathisers (Argus16/10/79)

Did we steal some horses? (Argus18/10/79)

On the afternoon of 27/6/1880 Mr Stevens, the railway station master, was asked to get a special train rteady to go up to Beechworth to follow up after the death of Aaron Sherritt.. (RC8030) (Argus12/12/1931) (McPhee)
Late on 28/6/1880 Ned Kelly and the body of Joe Byrne arrived by train from Glenrowan to be greated by a large crowd. (DailyTelegraph29/6/80)
John Larkin was a farmer from Benalla who was held by the KellyGang in Johns Hotel in Gelenrowan. (Age29/6/80)

A packhorse found at Glenrowan after the seige was owned by Mr Fitzsimmons of Benalla (SMH30/6/80)

Soon after Glenrowan siege Joe Byrne was buried in the Benalla cemetery (RC77)

What happened at Benalla after the time of the KellyGang

Royal Commission
The Royal Commission into the KellyGang outbreak conducted hearings in Benalla in 1881. (Argus14/5/81)

Members of the Benalla community

George Thornton My right name is George Withey Reid (Ensign22/11/1872)
Mr ET Dunne (of the land office Benalla) (OMA5/4/79)
A quantity of powder was found by William Headland , John Bain and Henry Airey “planted” near the North-eastern railway line at Benalla (Argus31/12/78)

 

 

 

 

What is happening at Benalla today - a part of the Kelly Country and Ned Kelly's story

The Benalla Pioneer Museum in Mair St, across the river from the Art Gallery, houses the famous sash that had been presented to Ned Kelly as a boy, see www.benallamuseum.org

about us

privacy policy
12-mar-12

 

Enjoy this wonderful part of our history, but Please respect the privacy of the current owners

.... got to go Move around the areas .....Move with the Kellys .....Move with the Police
Let the KellyGang ride Free