Born in Beveridge, Victoria
Ned risks his own life to save a boy from a swollen creek. In gratitude, his family gives Ned a green sash. Harold and Britton Shelton have many yarns collected over most of the 20th century but underpinning them all is a story from another century - of the day 135 years ago when a larrikin lad saved their father from drowning. The lad would later gain infamy as Ned Kelly. Edward Kelly was 11 when - at some risk to himself - he plucked seven-year-old Richard Shelton from Hughes Creek in Victoria. The boy was to become the father of four daughters and eight sons. Harold, 91, and Britton, 87, who live in Melbourne, are the youngest and last survivors of Dick Shelton's large brood. The brothers don't recall their father ever expanding on the story, although local folklore and the reminiscences of their older siblings ensure that sketchy details of that day are preserved in stories of Ned Kelly's life. But the brothers do remember that all his life their father was asked about Ned Kelly and he always replied brusquely: "He was all right." Esau and Elizabeth Shelton - proprietors of Avenel's Royal Mail Hotel, near Seymour - presented Kelly with a green sash, fringed with bullion, in recognition of his bravery in saving their son. Kelly was wearing the sash under his armour at his last shootout at Glenrowan.
Ned is charges with the assault and robbery of Ah Fook, a pig and fowl trader from a Chinese camp near Bright.
Ned starts learning bushrangering with Harry Power. He and Ned Kelly stuck up and robbed Mr M'Bean. Later that year on 2 May, he was charged with robbery in company and accused of being Power's accomplice. The victims could not identify Ned, and the charges were dismissed. He was then charged with robbery under arms, but the principal witness could not be located and the charges were dismissed. He was then charged a third time, for a hold-up with Power against a man named Murray.
Kelly was arrested again for assaulting a hawker, Jeremiah McCormack, and for his part in sending McCormack's childless wife a box containing calves' testicles and an indecent note
After just three weeks of freedom, 16-year-old Kelly, along with his brother-in-law Alex Gunn, was sentenced to three years imprisonment with hard labour for "feloniously receiving a horse".
A drunk Kelly was arrested for riding over a footpath and locked-up for the night. The next day, while he was escorted by four policemen, he escaped and ran, taking refuge in a shoemaker's shop. During the arrest, Ned has an altercation with Lonigan. Legend has it that he states, "If I ever shoot a man, Lonigan, it'll be you!"
An incident occurs at the Kelly home where Constable Fitzpatrick comes to arrest Dan Kelly. Dan escaped and it is still presumed that Ned was never actually there during the incident. There is still confusion today as to what occurred, but it resulted in the arrest of Kelly's mother Ellen.
Constable Lonigan, Sergeant Kennedy, Constable Scanlon, are killed by the Kelly gang in the Wombat forest. The Kelly gang are all marked men.
At midday, Kelly walked into the homestead of Gooram Gooram Gong Wool station, at Faithful's Creek, owned by Mr Younghusband and held all hostage.
Police arrested all known Kelly friends and sympathisers and held them without charge for three months. The media was outraged at the government's abuse of power and this caused a ground swell of support for Kelly and his gang.
Ned had Joe Byrne dictate this letter and tried, unsuccessfully, to get it published in Jerilderie in February. It was not published until 50 years after Ned's death.
Ned kills Sherritt for his betrayal.
Ned and his gang blow up a section of rail line to stop police reaching them. They then wait in the tavern in Glen Rowan. A school teacher escapes and warns the train, preventing its derailment. When the police reach the tavern a shoot out occurs resulting in the death of all gang members with the exception of Ned who is captured.
Ned is convicted on the 19th of October and is hung on the 11th November.
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