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.
Photograph
Map

What was Benalla like in the late 1870s

What was the area like (Argus9/5/79)

Facilities in Benalla in the late 1870s

Population
Hotels
Commercial Hotel (Craven)(RC9518)
O'Leary's Hotel
(Craven)
Powell's Hotel
It would be great to know more about the history of Benalla ; can you please help
Churches
Catholic Rev John Scanlon
Schools
Main Streets

Newspapers

Benalla Standard

Bank
Bank of New South Wales
Colonial Bank at Benalla, Brock Manager
The Benalla local government area was formed in 1869
Mr F McDonald, the ex-president of the Shire of Benalla
Robert Rowe was the President of the Shire of Benalla. 1876
Local Government
Police Station
see also
Railway Station
Telegraph Office
see Mr Watt

Post Office
Mr Saxe. He sent a lot of the telegrams (Argus5/11/78)

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. (OMA5/4/1879)

Births Deaths - Registrar
G Lovel

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

Doctors
John Nicnolson.

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)

Lawyers
Mr McCarthy O’Leary -barrister . He assisted in the inquiry against Mr Monk.

Magistrates
Robertson
JP(Argus6/1/79)

Pound
Pound keeper -George Leary

Shops
Balls
shop
Maggie Skillion and Kate Kelly shopped at Ball's store. (RC830)
Fitzsymons had the store at the corner of the police barracks, opposite the hotel (RC17752)

Kings bootmakers shop.

MacBain's paddock.

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)

 

 

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 pathAt 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)

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)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. (DailyTelegraph29/6/1880)
John Larkin was a farmer from Benalla who was held by the KellyGang in Johns Hotel in Gelenrowan. (Age29/6/1880)

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.

Members of the Benalla community

Mr ET Dunne (of the land office Benalla) (OMA5/4/1879)
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

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28-feb-10

 

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
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