Mrs Ellen Kelly

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Mrs Ellen Kelly was Ned Kelly's mother

Links to the KellyGang below , Early Years,Married life, Fitzpatrick Incident , In Gaol , Glenrowan Siege , Ned Kelly's Trial , My Return home , Family ,

Family

father James Quinn of County Antrim Ireland mother Mary Ann McCluskey brothers and sisters Patrick(died 1850), Helen (Mrs Timothy Ryan), Jack, Mary (Mrs Robert Miller), me, Catherine (Kate-Mrs Jack Lloyd sen), Jane (Mrs Tom Lloyd sen), James(Jimmy),William, Mary Anne, Margaret (Mrs Patrick Quinn), Grace , husbands John (Red) Kelly,Bill Frost, George King children Mary Jane, Anne 11/53, Edward (Ned) 12/54, Margaret (Maggie) 55?, James 59, Daniel (Dan) 61, Catherine (Kate) 63, Grace Kelly 8/65 and Ellen Frost 71 and Ellen King 73 John King 75 and Alice King 78 Photograph

Links to the KellyGang

Early years I was Born in Ireland, in County Antrim. Catholics in the midst of a community of Scottish Presbyterians.

The family migrated to Melbourne in 1841 on the ship England.

Dad got work as a porter and took up a small farm on Mooney Ponds Creek near Brunswick. Later the family lived on a larger property at Broardmeadows.

When the family lived near Wallan Wallan James Quinn met Red Kelly in a pub at Donnybrook.

Red and I were married in November 1850 at St Francis Catholic Church in Lonsdale St, Melbourne by Father Gerald Ward. Patrick Kennedy and Ellen Ryan were the witnesses.

Married life See [[[The Complete Inner History of the KellyGang and their Pursuers (2)|JJK]])

In February 1851 my first child, Mary Jane was born at Wallan. She was baptised at Kilmore and died soon after. Next to be born in November 1853 was Anne. She was born while Red was off gold mining

In 1860 we moved from Beveridge to Avenel and rented a 40 acre farm. Avenel was a new start for us and in June 1861 Dan Kelly was born there. A little later that year Annie, Ned and Maggie begin school at Avenel Common School. In 1863 Kate was born and in August 1865 Grace while we were at Avenel.

1866 was a big year for us, my son Ned saved Richard Shelton from drowing in the Avenel River and the year ended with the death of my husband, Red Kelly. That happened soon after he had been hounded by the law.

In April 1867 soon after my husband died I was fined £2 in Avenel for abusive language and threatening behaviour after a disagreement with my sister in law Anne Ryan. A few months later I was back before the court charged with using abusive language against Anne's landlord. That was the last straw for me, so I packed up the family and we went off to Greta

In 1868 I was living in an old pub at Greta with my children. My brother in law, James Kelly was drunk when he set fire to the place. He was charged with arson and sentenced to death by Judge Barry in Beechworth.

After this I moved to Eleven Mile Creek.

Soon after I was reported by the police to be running a sly grog shop at her home at Eleven Mile Creek. (RC3255)

Const Flood made the following assessment of the way our family lived,'They seemed to have a very miserable way of living, and the general impression was that what they got they did not get by honesty. They were suspected of stealing sheep from neighboring squatters. (RC12603)

Bill (William) Frost was a traveller who came to stay after my dear husband died. He had some good qualities but you had to look to find them. When I told Bill Frost that I was pregnant he decided to leave. He had been drinking heavily about this time and just could not stay around to help look after Ellen. I had her birth registered as Ellen Kelly. I would not let Bill Frost get away with it and I used Mr McDonnell, the solicitor in Benalla to take out proceedings against him. I found out that my Bill was about to marry another local girl. My claim was heard before the Magistrate, Mr Butler on 17 October 1870. Bill was found to be the father and ordered to pay me 5/- shillings per week for two years and £7 2/- shillings in costs. Bill was also ordered to put up 2 securities of £20 each to make sure that I got paid. I am sure that he never thought that I would take him to court

Jane Graham and I were charged with stealing a saddle at Winton (Ensign8/11/1872)

We got off the charge (Ensign15/11/1872) (Ensign22/11/1872)

I was prosecuted for being drunk and assaulting Mrs Clancy of the Stat Hotel in Wangaratta (Ensign22/11/1872)

Were we sued by James Dixon for debt as pay back (Ensign7/3/1873)

Married George King

I married George King on 19/2/1874 in Benalla. We were married by Rev William Gould of the Primative Methodist Church

In January 1876 there was a strange incident. A warrant was issued in Oxley for Ned for horse stealing of a chestnut mare and foal. The horses were owned by Ned's uncle John Quinn. Later Michael Woodward was arrested for the same offence. He had been working as a farm help for Mrs Kelly.

In 1877 while Ned was 'working' with his uncles and having problems with Whitty, police including Assistant Commissioner Nicolson started visiting Mrs Kelly's looking for Ned. This is his description of Mrs Kelly's home:

'I visited the notorious Mrs Kelly's on the road from hence to Benalla. She lived on a piece of cleared and partly cultivated land on the road-side, in an old wooden hut, with a large bark roof. The dwelling was divided into five apartments by partitions of blanketing, rags, &c. There were no men in the house, only children and two girls of about fourteen years of age, said to be her daughters. They all appeared to be existing in poverty and squalor.' (RC1024)

By late 1877 the police persecution of all my friends was out of control. My husband poor George King had to take himself off to save himself. I was pregnant with his dear daughter Alice

Fitzpatrick Incident 15/4/1878 Const Fitzpatrick came to the Kelly home at .. to arrest Dan Kelly. After talking to Kate and I for some time Dan arrived back home and asked Const Fitzpatrick if he could have dinner before they left home. It is suggested by some writers that during this time there may have been some disturbance, perhaps Fitzpatrick had made some advances towards Kate. There is also a suggestion that Mrs Kelly used a shovel. See also (RC12822)

While Ned Kelly denied being at home it is suggested by most authorities that he came in at about this time and fired a revolver at Fitzpatrick and hit him in the wrist. Soon after Fitzpatrick left and reported that he had been shot by the Kellys.

See also (Argus22/4/78) [[[The Complete Inner History of the KellyGang and their Pursuers (11)|JJK]]) and (CHC)

Apart from Dan and Ned and their younger brothers and sister and I, Brckey Williamson, the next door neighbour was present. Fitzpatrick also said that my Maggie's husband Bill Skillion, was present. Some writers suggest that Bill had been mistaken for Joe Byrne. The KellyGang set out my side of these events in the Cameron letter.

Sgt Steele and Const Strahan arrested me with my baby Alice on the morning of 17/4/1881. Jimmy Quinn with me. (RC8821)(Argus18/4/78)

I was taken from my beloved home. My selection, which I had had for about 5 years was mortgaged to the Land Credit Bank. (Argus16/10/80) (Argus19/10/80)

My daughter and I were taken to Benalla on the 17th. From there we were taken to Beechworth Goal then back to Benalla for their committal on 17 May.[ 25/4/1878 ??? I was in Court in Benalla on charge of aiding and abetting Ned Kelly.]

On 9 October 1878, with Sir Redmond Barry as the judge, Skillion, Williamson and I were found guilty of attempted murder and on 12/10/1878, I was sentenced to 3 years and Skillion and Williamson 6 years hard labour. I was 46. (RCApp10) (Argus14/10/78) (Argus30/10/78) (Argus10/8/80)

Const McIntrye saw Const Fitzpatrick give his evidence. (Age9/8/1880)

Soon after the trial I was moved to the Melbourne Gaol and stayed there through the rest of the troubles

Ned Kelly expressed his feelings about all of this in the Cameron Letter. My son said:

' .. This sort of cruelty and disgraceful conduct to my brothers and sisters who had no protection coupled with the conviction of my Mother and those innocent men certainly made my blood boil as I don't think there is a man born could have the patience to suffer what I did....'

Mr Wyatt thinks that Wild Wright and one of the Quinns could have assisted the police at about this time; offering to bring the KellyGang in if the Government would liberate me. (RC2265)

Maggie went to see me in Pentridge. She took her youngest sister home. (Argus3/6/79)

In Melbourne Gaol Life in the old Melbourne Gaol was no fun. I was away from my children and the only news I got was that the boys were having fun going from bad to worse. My poor girls had to struggle on by themselves with the world against them.

After a time I Maggie came down Pentridge and took dear Alice home. Gaol was no place for a little girl. (Alexandra7/6/1879)

As for this place; the constant druggery of the wash room was one of my few consolations

After the Glenrowan Siege June-November 1880 Rev Aylward from the cathedral came to see me with the dreadful news of Glenrowan. For one moment please stop and imagine how a mother must feel when she hears that her son Dan was dead, that Ned was in the hands of the law in prison in this terrible place, that their brave friends Joe Byrne and Steve Hart are also dead and that all is lost (Argus30/6/80)

The news that dear Ned was in a cell just a few feet away in the men's part of this Gaol was almost intolerable. They had shot at him and just managed to keep him alive for their pleasure. It did not help that I had dreamt that the police would win the battle at Glenrowan. I was taken to see Ned. (Herald30/6/80) (OMA1/7/80)

Some time later Mr Castieau, the Governor of the Gaol let me see Ned for half an hour. (MDTel1/7/80)

This was before they took my dear Ned up to Beechworth for the beginning of his committal.

Hear what they tried to do to my home while I was in Gaol. The Judge called it justice. (Age16/10/1880)

I visited my son, Ned Kelly, the day before they killed him (Age11/11/80)

My return home The Royal Commissioners came to my place and saw me. What did I look like and what did I have to say. (Argus16/5/81)

Hannah Barnett used to visit me and we would have a cup of tea and a gossip. We were both Irish. Hannah had been married to Christian Asquith when he was a stockman on Hedi and later she married John Barnett who had a farm down Thirteen Mile Creek, near Hansonville.

In 1911 the jounalist BW Cookson visited me. He described me and my home. (BWC) He also refered to my grandchildren. I was looking after a number of them, particularly Kate's at the time. By then Maggie and Kate had died. (BWC) (BWC)

What happened to Mrs Kelly's family

Ellen

Quinn

b1832

d1923

m1850(1)

John (Red)

KELLY

b

d 1865

                                                             

Bill Frost

m19/2/1874

George

King

           
I________

I

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I

_________ I _________ I _________

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I

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I

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I

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I

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I

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I

_________

2

_________

3

_________

3

_________

3

_________

3

_________

3

_________

3

_________

3

Mary Jane

Kelly

b1851

died in

infancy

Anne

Kelly

b1853

d1872

m1869

Alexander

GUNN

b1841

d 1925

Edward

(Ned)

Kelly

b1854

d11/11/1880

Margaret

(Maggie)

Kelly

b1857

d1896

m

(1)William

Skillion

b

d

(2)Thom

Lloyd

b

d

                        James

Kelly

b1859

d1946

Dan

Kelly

b1861

d28/6/1880

Kate

b1863

d1898

m25 Nov 1888

William Henry "Harry or Bricky" Foster

b

d

            Grace

b1865

d1940

m

Edward Griffiths

b

d

            Ellen

Frost

b1871

d1872

Ellen

King

b 73

d

m

Walter

Wright

b

d

John

King

b 1875

d?

m1905

Violante Annie Victoria Knight

b1883

Alice

King

b1878

d1963

m

Walter Henry Knight

b1876

d1957

       
      I(1) I(1) ._________

I (2)

__________

I(2)

__________

I (2)

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I (2)

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I (2)

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I (2)

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I (2)

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I (2)

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I (2)

    _________

I

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_________

I

  _________

I

_________

I

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_________

I

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I

_________

I

      7children        
      Ellen

Skillion

b

d

James Skillion

b

d

Edward

John

(Ned)

Lloyd

b1879

d

Anne

Lloyd

b1882

d

m

Russell

Cook

Catherine

Lloyd

b1883

d

John

Lloyd

b1885

died in infancy

Thomas

Lloyd

b1886

died in

infancy

Mary

Lloyd

b1887

d

m

?

Maude

Lloyd

b1888

d

m

?

Lilian

Lloyd

b1890

d

m

A

Hayes

b

d

Rosaline

Lloyd

b1891

d

m

?

b

d

Mildred

Lloyd

b1892

d

m

?

b

d

Albert

Lloyd

b

d

    Frederick

Foster

b 89

Gertrude

Foster

b 90

Arthur

Foster

b 91

Ethel

Foster

b 95

Ruby

Foster

b 97

Catherine

Foster

b 98

  Sarah Ann 'Ellen'

Griffiths

b 90

d

Amelia

Griffiths

b 96

d

Michael 'Les'

Griffiths

b 99

d

John

'Black Jack'

Griffiths

b 1900

d

Peter

Griffiths

b 03

d

Patrick

Griffiths

b 07

d

Joseph

Griffiths

b

d