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== Importance of Belle Sherritt ==
Belle Sherritt (nee Barry) was [[Aaron Sherritt|Aaron Sherritt]]'s wife '''Links to the KellyGang''' , [[#2|Early Years]] , Fitzpatrick Incident , Mansfield Murders , Sebastopol Cavalcade , Euroa Robbery , Jerilderie Robbery .[[#fm|First meeting]] , [[#2/12/1879|Marriage]] , Hare replaced by Nicolson , [[#ow|Second Cave Party]] , [[#2/6/1880|Nicolson replaced by Hare]] , [[#26/6/1880|Death of Aaron Sherritt]] , [[#28/6/1880|Inquest and After Aaron's death]] , Ned Kelly's Trial , [[#9|Royal Commission]] , Later life , Family , '''Belle's family'''
Husbands [[Aaron Sherritt|Aaron]], Michael Murphy, 3rd '''Mother and Father''' [[Mrs Ellen Barry|Ellen Barry]]''',''' [[Mrs Ellen Barry|Edmond Barry]] '''Children''' Annie, ?? '''Brothers and sisters''' six sisters and a brother
== Links to the KellyGang ==
'''Early Years''' I was born in 1864 at the [[Woolshed|Woolshed]]. We were Catholics. I went to school with all the [[Mrs Margaret Byrne|Byrnes]] and knew them well. Mr [[Donoghue|O'Donoghue]] was my school master '''Family''' My father was Edmund Barry. He married my mother when she was 15.
== '''First meeting''' ==
I first met [[Aaron Sherritt|Aaron]] two months before we were married ([[Royal Commission report day 37 page 15|RC13291]])
I was about 15 at the time and worked as a maid with James Ingram in Beechworth
== '''Second Cave Party 12/1879-4/1880''' ==
The cave party to watch Mrs [[Mrs Margaret Byrne|Byrnes]] home started in December 1879, soon after I met Aaron.
I had a chat to [[Patrick Allen|Pat Allen]] in Beechworth before I got married. Aron told me that he was going to get a lot of money. ([[Cookson, 04_09_1911_2|BWC]])
Const [[Const Faulkiner|Faulkiner]] was introduced to people by me as a friend from New South Wales. ([[Royal Commission report day 17 page 19|RC5251]])
'''Our wedding''' Aaron and I were married on Boxing Day 26/12/[[events 1879-11/ 1879-12|1879]].([[Royal Commission report day 45 page 3|RC15365]]) We were married by '''Father Tierney''' of St Joseph's Church in Beechworth. [[Ian Jonesat KellyGang|Ian Jones]] in Friendship records that the witnesses were Thomas Anderson and Eliza Woman and that my parents were there for my great day in that sunny city. I was 15 but I thought that I had made it and I was ready for life. The Sherritt family did not come to my wedding and Mrs Sherritt said that she had not visited us. While I had been to school with the Byrne children I did not have much contact with them after I married. I am Catholic and while the Sherritt family is Protestant, Aaron said he was nothing. ([[Royal Commission report day 37 page 14|RC13280]])
See also ([[The Last of the Bushrangers Chapter 10 page 3|FH]])
'''married life''' After we were married Aaron and I lived with my [[Mrs Ellen Barry|parents]] for a few months. ([[Royal Commission report day 18 page 12|RC5575]])
After I married Aaron I went to live with him at our home that was at [[Devils Elbow|Devils Elbow]], on the road near Sebastopol. It was about 6 yards back from the road. ([[Royal Commission report day 37 page 12|RC13226]])
The side saddle Aaron had bought me was stolen and later found in Mrs Byrne's house. ([[Royal Commission report day 45 page 21|RC15659]])
'''Nicolson replaced by Hare 2/6/1880''' The police lead by Const Robert [[Const R Alexander|Alexander]] came to stay in our home in early [[events 1880-4/ 1880-6|June]]. I an sure that this is not a good idea. [[Aaron Sherritt|Aaron]] says it will be all right. Our place was supposed to be our home. Would you like to have 4 others living in your home. Even worse when Aaron and I got out of bed 2 of the 4 kept the bed worn with their bodies. The two other police slept on the floor of our bedroom. I was pregnant at this time and my mother came over each night to keep me company each night when Aaron and the police went out to watch over [[Mrs Margaret Byrne|Mrs Byrne]] fence or do what ever they did.
[[Aaron Sherritt|Aaron]] seemed to be well satisfied. He said he would turn a Catholic just the night before he was shot. It was on Friday night. He said he would get the horses next day and come up to the Catholic chapel at Beechworth, so he seemed well satisfied with the religion ([[Royal Commission report day 37 page 15|RC13290]])
'''19 June 1880'''
I had a role in the police action when Sup Hare and Det Ward came to our place. ([[Royal Commission report day 38 page 9|RC13878]])
'''Death of Aaron Sherritt 26/6/1880''' On :that evening Aaron Sherritt and Const [[Const W Duross|Duross]], and my mother-in-law and I, were sitting in the kitchen having our tea about half-past six or a quarter to seven. The other three policemen were in the bedroom. ([[Royal Commission report day 15 page 7|RC3631]]) ([[The Argus at KellyGang 6/8/1880|Argus6/8/80]]) See also ([[The Argus at KellyGang 10/1/1882|Argus10/1/82]])
Joe Byrne and Dan Kelly came to our home and Joe Byrne, Aaron's friend tricked him to come to the door and shot him dead. I was pregnant at the time.
They pushed Anton [[Anton Weekes|Weekes]] up to the door and he said, "Sherritt, I have lost my way." I said, "Aaron, go out and show him." ([[Royal Commission report day 32 page 4|RC12140]])
I came outside to ask Joe why he had shot his friend. He sent me in three times, and told me if the men inside did not come out he would riddle the house, and that he would shoot both me and my [[Mrs Ellen Barry|mother]]. ([[Royal Commission report day 37 page 12|RC13230]]) ([[Royal Commission report day 37 page 20|RC13386]])
After I had been out to talk to Byrne 3 times the police grabbed me and would not let me go outside again. They then took me and Const [[Const Armstrong|Armstrong]] put me under the bed. ([[Royal Commission report day 37 page 13|RC13258]]) ([[Royal Commission report day 32 page 6|RC12158]]) ([[Royal Commission report day 37 page 21|RC13404]])()
Please see my [[Mrs Ellen Barry|mother]] for the rest of the details of what happened
I have seen in the papers about the police at Wangaratta and Beechworth, saying they had not faith in my husband; but I think he risked his life for them and lost it. ([[Royal Commission report day 37 page 14|RC13275]])
Hear my version as to what happened ([[The Ovens and Murray Advertiser (2)|OMA26/4/81]])
'''Inquest and After Aaron's death'''
I gave evidvence to the inquest into Aaron's death. I explained what happened on the evening when Aaron was shot ([[The Age (18)|Age1/7/80]]) I said:
<blockquote>On the evening [[Aaron Sherritt|Aaron]], [[Mrs Ellen Barry|my mother]] and I were at home gathered around the dinner table. The 4 police officers under [[Const Armstrong|Armstrong]], were in our bed room.
A knock came to the back door, and a voice called out 'Aaron'. I knew it was Mr [[Anton Weekes|Weekes]]'s voice and I told my husband so. My husband went to the door and asked him what he wanted.
Weekes said 'I am lost, come out and show me the road.'
He opened the door and went outside. As he did so he heard a man move behind the chimney, and he sang out 'Who is there?'
Just then [[Joe Byrne|Joe Byrne]] said something and fired off his rifle. My husband endeavoured to make his way back into the room. Byrne followed him to he door and fired a second shot at him. He (my husband) staggered and fell down near the table. He moaned once, but that was it. After the second shot I ran into the room.
Byrne appeared at the doorway and I asked why he had shot Aaron.
He said 'If I had not shot him, he would have shot me if he could get the chances.'
He heard one of the constables going into bed room, and he asked who the man was. I said he was a person staying with us for the night and that he was looking for work. He told me to bring him out. Before this he directed my mother to go and open the front door. She did so, and just then [[Dan Kelly|Dan Kelly]] made his appearance there. He had a revolver with him wich he kept pointed at me. Byrne then called my mother out to the back door and stood talking to her with Weekes between them. He asked her why I had not brough the man out. I told him the man would not come. He then sang out to Dan Kelly, 'Look out there are windows at the front.' Dan replied, 'It's all right.' And stepped to the cover of the door, sticking his rifle into the room all the time. He fired two shots into the bedroom where the men were. (Age 1/7/80)
See also ([[The Argus at KellyGang 8/7/1880 (3)|Argus8/7/80]])
</blockquote>
I continued to told the inquest into Aaron's death more about how the police behaved and how they held my mother and I under the bed (Age [[The Age (14)|1/7/80]]) ([[Melbourne Daily Telegraph (5)|MDTel1/7/80]])([[Ovens and Murray Advertiser (5)|OMA1/7/80]])
After Aaron died I was very sick and lost my baby.
My application of a share in the [[Reward|reward]] was rejected by the Reward Board. See also ([[The Argus at KellyGang 2/8/1880 (3)|Argus2/8/80]]) ([[The Ovens and Murray Advertiser (2)|OMA26/4/81]])
The government gave me a pension of £1 per week, but not without a struggle. ([[The Argus at KellyGang 13/4/1881|Argus13/4/81]]) ([[The Argus at KellyGang 28/4/1881|Argus28/4/81]]) ([[The Argus at KellyGang 2/5/1881|Argus2/5/81]]) ([[The Argus at KellyGang 5/5/1881|Argus5/5/81]])
'''Royal Commission''' I gave evidence to the Royal [[Royal Commission|Commission]] about my life with [[Aaron Sherritt|Aaron]] and the night he died on 26/6/1881 ([[Royal Commission report day 37 page 12|RC13215]]) ([[Royal Commission report day 38 page 2|RC13797]])
How did the press report my evidence. ([[The Argus at KellyGang 22/7/1881|Argus22/7/81]]) ([[The Argus at KellyGang 29/7/1881|Argus29/7/81]])
On [[ev81-00---Royal Commission|9/5/1881]] Det Ward wrote to Const [[Const Armstrong|Armstrong]] about the evidence to be given by Mrs [[Mrs Ellen Barry|Barry]] and me and an article written by Mr [[The Age (63)|Gale]]. ([[Royal Commission report day 32 page 10|RC12222]])
At that time I wrote to Const Armstrong, see text ([[Royal Commission report day 32 page 10|RC12222]])
'''Later life'''
Start of Ned Kelly's committal hearing ([[Herald (29)|Herald5/8/80]])
Later in [[ev82-00---Story Continues|1884]] I married '''Michael Murphy'''. We lived at the Woolshed near my parents and we had two children.
Did my husband desert me ([[The Argus at KellyGang 5/2/1902|Argus5/2/1902]])
After Michael died I married again
'''What happened to Ellen Sherritt's family''' KellyGang
[[Category:People]] [[Category:People starting with S-T]] [[Category:Ellen Sherritt]] [[Category:Mrs Sherritt Jnr]] [[Category:Police agent]] [[Category:history]]
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