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{{KellyGang Side}}
== ==
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== Importance of Wild Wright ==
I was a horse expert, lived near [[Mansfield|Mansfield]] (later at Lake Rowan) and '''KellyGang''' supporter
'''Links to the KellyGang''' , [[#1|Background]] , Run in with the law , [[#4|Fitzpatrick Incident]] , [[#5|Gold Mining]] , [[#6|Stringybark Creek Murders]] ,[[#7|Escape North]] , [[#8|Euroa Robbery]] , [[#9|Mass arrest of sympathizers]] , Jerilderie Robbery ''',''' [[#79|Later in 1879]] , [[#80|Early in 1880]] , Death of Aaron Sherritt , [[#glf|Glenrowan Siege]] , [[#asi|after the siege]] , Ned Kelly's Trial , Royal Commission , Family ,
== Family ==
'''brothers''' Tom... '''sis''' '''ters''' ?... '''wife''' [[Jack Lloyd snr|Bridget Lloyd]], '''parents''' John Wright. '''children''' Jack... '''aunt''' ...
Tom Wright was deaf and dumb.
I was 6 foot 1 inches tall and weighed 13 1/2 stone [[[The Complete Inner History of the KellyGang and their Pursuers (35)|JJK]])
== Links to the KellyGang ==
Photograph '''What was Wild Wright like''' Did my family come to Victoria from South Australia ([[The Argus (39)|Argus5/7/80]])
I have been described as being tall and softly spoken. At the age of 28 I was described in a police report as being 6 foot 1 inches tall, of medium build, and 13 stone in weight. I had fair hair with a beard and moustache I was a horse broker from [[Mansfield|Mansfield]]. I had come from Northern Ireland. I was a Protestant.
An assessment of my character. ([[Herald (21)|Herald4/7/1880]])
'''First links with the KellyGang''' We had a farm in the Mansfield area and I was a horsebreaker.
In April [[1864-1873 Events|1871]] [[Ned Kelly|Ned Kelly]] said that I lent my horse to him and he went to find my horse. I was staying with Annie and Alex [[Anne Kelly and Alex Gunn|Gunn]] at the time. [[Ned Kelly|Ned Kelly]] found the horse and took it to [[Wangaratta|Wangaratta]] where he loaned her to a publican's daughter. It was alledged that I had taken the horse from [[Maindample|Maindample]] Station. Ned Kelly was charged with theft of the horse and sentenced to gaol. Later I was charged with with illegal use of a horse and got 18 months in gaol but was released after 6 months on account of my good behaviour. The case was heard at [[Milawa|Milawa]] in the Emu Hotel. Bricky [[William Williamson, Brickey|Williamson]] gave evidence against me. see also ([[The Argus at KellyGang 11/11/1878 (2)|Argus11/11/78]]) ([[The Argus at KellyGang 31/5/1871|Argus31/5/71]])
In 1873 I married Bridget Lloyd and she was related to the Kellys.
Ned Kelly got out of gaol in February we met at the Imperial Hotel in Beechworth. To settle our difference over the horse we fought the famous 20 round bare knuckle fight. Ned won. He gave me a hiding.
Soon after the fight I was charged with stealing a horse from the Andrew Byrne at [[Moyhu|Moyhu]].
Patrick [[Patrick Quinn|Quinn]] me of stealing horses. ([[Royal Commission report day 52 page 10|RC17691]])
See also the [[Jerilderie Letter|Jerilderie Letter]].
'''Fitzpatrick Incident 15/04/1878''' Mr [[Wyatt|Wyatt]] thinks that I could have assisted the police at about this time, offering to bring the Kellys in if the Government would liberate [[Mrs Ellen Kelly|Kelly's mother]]. ([[Royal Commission report day 12 page 2|RC2265]]) '''Gold mining and whisky making near Stringy Bark Creek''' I might have just dropped over and saw the boys occasionaly ([[The Ovens and Murray Advertiser 11/1/79|OMA11/1/1879]])
. '''Deaths at Stringy Bark Creek in the Wombat Ranges 26/10/1878''' After the shooting the police organised big search parties from Mansfield looking for the '''KellyGang'''. I was pretty annoyed about the whole business and my brother and I stood outside one of the local churches and let them have it
'Dogs! Curs! Coward!. Follow me if you want to catch the Kellys. I'm going to join the Gang! Come out a little way and I'll shoot the lot of you' ([[The Argus at KellyGang 30/10/1878 (2)|Argus30/10/78]])
We really sturred the police and they went after us. For this display of support for our friends the police charged my brother and I with using threatening language and I and my brother were lock-up in [[Mansfield|Mansfield]] ([[The Age 31/10/78|Age31/10/78]]) ([[The Argus at KellyGang 31/10/1878 (2)|Argus31/10/78]]) ([[The True of Bushrangers Chapter 2 page 3|CHC]]) ([[The Alexandra and Yea Standard, Gobur, Thornton and Acheron Express at KellyGang 2/11/1878 (5)|Alexandra2/11/1878]])
While in the lock up Sup [[Sadleir|Sadleir]] promised me £30 if I would go and find the body of Kennedy, or bring him in alive. He put some conditions to this. I wanted to see [[Margaret Skillion|Maggie]]. Before anything could be done the police found Sgt Kennedy's body. ([[Royal Commission report day 10 page 2|RC1736]]) ([[The True of Bushrangers Chapter 5 page 2|CHC]])
I was released from custody in Mansfield on [[ev78-10--4Mansfield Murders|30/10/78]]. ([[The Argus at KellyGang2/11/1878 (2)|Argus2/11/78]])
SConst [[SConst John Kelly|Kelly]] us in [[Benalla|Benalla]] on about 4/11/1878. ([[Royal Commission report day 22 page 3|RC7986]])
Later I was seen on the platform ([[The Argus at KellyGang 8/11/1878|Argus8/11/78]]) but see ([[The Argus at KellyGang 13/11/1878|Argus13/11/78]])
I commenced shearing at Mr [[Delatite|Chenery]]’s station at 6 o’clock .
In the pub in Mansfield ([[The Argus at KellyGang 23/11/1878|Argus23/11/78]])
([[The Argus at KellyGang 26/11/1878|Argus26/11/78]]) . I appeared on [[ev78-12--2Euroa Robbery|5/12/78]] at court, in Mansfield answer to a summons charging him with using abusive and threatening language to Constable [[Const Thomas Meehan|Allwood]] on Sunday evening, the [[ev78-10--4Mansfield Murders|24/11/78]]. I was convicted; no surprise there. ([[The Argus at KellyGang 6/12/1878|Argus6/12/78]])
'''Escape north''' Ass Com [[Nicolson|Nicolson]] did not engage me as a police [[agents|agent]]. ([[Royal Commission report day 2 page 11|RC482]]) '''Euroa Robbery 10/12/1878''' Hear about one of my riding exploits. ([[Cookson, 17_09_1911_1|BWC]])
I was seen in Benalla ([[The Argus at KellyGang 16/12/1878 (6)|Argus16/12/78]]) '''Mass arrest of the sympathizers''' On [[events79-2_4Jerilderie Robbery|2/1/1879]] Commissioner [[Standish|Standish]] ordered the arrest of about 20 [[Sympathizers|sympathizers]]. I was a particular target. ([[Royal Commission report day 6 page 3|RC1269]])
He took that action under section 5 of the [[Felons Apprehension Act|Outlawry Act]]. Most of the sympathizers were held in Beechworth goal.
I was arrested near Mansfield. I was one of the first people arrested ([[The Argus at KellyGang 4/1/1879 (2)|Argus4/1/79]]) ([[The Argus at KellyGang 6/1/1879|Argus6/1/79]]) ([[Daniel Clancey|OMA7/1/79]])
The men were held without ever being given a chance to defend them selves. They were remanded in custody for periods of 7 days. Only one of the sympathizers was effectively represented by a lawyer. The magistrates repeated the remands each week for over 3 months before the sympathizers were finally released. I had a chat with the Magistrate. See ([[The Argus at KellyGang 27/1/1879|Argus27/1/79]]) ([[The Ovens and Murray Advertiser 11/2/1879 (2)|OMA11/2/79]]) ([[The Ovens and Murray Advertiser 18/2/1879 (2)|OMA18/2/79]]) ([[The Ovens and Murray Advertiser 20/2/1879 (2)|OMA20/2/79]]) ([[The Ovens and Murray Advertiser 27/2/1879|OMA27/2/79]]) ([[The Argus at KellyGang 17/2/1879|Argus17/2/79]])
While we were in Beechworth Goal I became annoyed with the authorities but unfortunately I took it out on my fellow prisoners. I had fights with John [[John McElroy|McElroy]], Ben [[Ben Gould|Gould]] and Frank [[Frank Harty|Harty]]. Keith [[Keith McMenomy|McMenomy]] records that I did not like queuing for a wash and used to say 'Men first, dogs come last' was a joke but in the circumstances it was misunderstood. ([[The Complete Inner History of the KellyGang and their Pursuers (35)|JJK]])
At the start, the mass arrests had public support in Melbourne but that turned into general contempt for the police. The arrests resulted in fewer people being prepared to assist the police or to supply information about the '''KellyGang'''
After Mrs Kelly's arrest following the Fitzpatrick Incident in May 1878 and my own arrest as a sympathizer I became concerned that Mrs [[Margaret Skillion|Skillion]] was trying to look after the whole Kelly family on her own.. I felt that we all had a duty to [[Mrs Ellen Kelly|Mrs Kelly]] to help keep the family together. I spent some time there doing what I could. The police would not dare arrest me for helping a women look after her family.
I had a fight in gaol with [[John McElroy|John McIllroy]]. ([[The Complete Inner History of the KellyGang and their Pursuers (35)|JJK]])
I was still on remand when many of the other were released. ([[The Argus at KellyGang 26/2/1879 (2)|Argus26/2/79]])
Perhaps because I expressed my mind; how dangerous is that. ([[The Argus at KellyGang 28/2/1879|Argus28/2/79]])
I was eventually released in [[events79-2_4Jerilderie Robbery|April 1879]]. ([[The Argus at KellyGang 24/4/1879|Argus24/4/79]])
I was present with [[Margaret Skillion|Maggie Skillion]] at O'Brien's Hotel in [[Greta|Greta]] when [[Aaron Sherritt|Aaron Sherritt]] handed over Charlie in May 1879 ([[Ovens & Murray Advertiser (8)|OMA29/7/79]])
'''Later in 1879''' I was arrested in [[Jerilderie|Jerilderie]] ([[The Argus at KellyGang 4/7/1879|Argus4/7/79]])
We moved from Mansfield to [[Lake Rowan|Lake Rowan]] ([[Royal Commission report day 13 page 14|RC2982]])
'''Early in 1880''' I was a sympathiser '''Death of Aaron Sherritt 26/6/1880''' I was not there. I had to help the boys get ready for our great events that were to come . '''Glenrowan Siege 28/6/1880''' It is likely that I turned up at the start of the [[ev80-06-28Glenrowan|siege]] with Ned Kelly and Steve Hart on the evening of 26/6/1880
I had a chance with Ned Kelly's sisters to have an interview with him after he was captured ([[The Argus (6)|Argust29/6/1880]])
My brother Tom and I were with Maggie [[Margaret Skillion|Skillion]] when the Inn was set fire to ([[The Argus (13)|Argus 29/6/1880]])
I had a discussion with the police about getting them to hand over the bodies of [[Steve Hart|Steve Hart]] and [[Dan Kelly|Dan Kelly]]. ([[The Melbourne Daily Telegragh (6)|DailyTelegraph29/6/1880]])
'''After the Siege''' I helped with the funeral for Dan Kelly and Steve Hart, but my main interest was to stay around [[McDonnell's Railway Taven|McDonnell's hotel]]. ([[Herald (11)|Herald30/6/80]])
I was involved in a number of meetings in Melbourne to save Ned from [[Ned Kellys End|execution]] ([[The Argus at KellyGang 9/11/1880 (3)|Argus9/11/80]])
I was charged with horse stealing with [[James Kelly|James Kelly]]. ([[The Argus at KellyGang 13/9/1881|Argus13/9/81]])
Later I decided to move away from all this trouble and I went to the Northern Territory.
'''What happened to Wild Wright's family''' Our son Jack may have been a footballer who played 53 games for Geelong between 1902 & 1906
[[Category:People]] [[Category:People starting with U-Z]] [[Category:Wild Wright]] [[Category:Bushrangers]]
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