Changes
Import from source
{{Authority Side}}
== Anne and John Sherritt Snr ==
== Importance of Anne and John Sherritt ==
Anne Sherritt nee Nesbitt, was Aaron [[Aaron Sherritt|Sherritt]]'s mother. John was Aaron's father. He had been a policeman in England. They lived at Sheep Station Creek near Beechworth. '''Links to the KellyGang''' , [[#2|Early Years]] , [[#26/10/1878|Stringybark Creek Murders]] , [[#7/11/1878|Sebastopol Cavalcade]] , Euroa Robbery , [[#10/2/1879|Jerilderie Robbery]] , First Cave Party , [[#6/7/1879|Hare replaced by Nicolson]] , [[#6|Second Cave Party]] , [[#2/6/1880|Nicolson replaced by Hare]] , [[#26/6/1880|Death of Aaron Sherritt]] , Glenrowan Siege , [[#9|Inquest into Aaron's death]] , Ned Kelly's Trial , [[#10|Royal Commission]] , Later service , Family , '''Anne and John's family'''
'''Children''' [[Aaron Sherritt|Aaron]] 1855, [[Elizabeth Sherritt|Elizabeth]] (Bessie) 1856, [[John Sherritt Jnr|John]] James (Jack)1858, William George 1860, [[Ann Jane Sherritt|Anne Jane]] 1862, Julia Frances 1864, Esther 1867, Mary Jane1869, Maria 1872, Martha 1875, Hugh 1878, Aaron 1883
'''Early Years''' Anne's father was Hugh Nesbitt, a farmer in County Cavan Ireland. We were Catholics. John was a member of the Irish Constabulary and an Orangeman. They were married at Knockbride in [[1824-1853 Events|1853]] when Anne was 15.
We arrived in [[Melbourne|Melbourne]] in 1854 and arrived on the Ovens gold field soon after [[Aaron Sherritt|Aaron]] was born in August [[1854-1863 Events|1855]] and settled on [[Woolshed|Reid's]] Creek. See Ian [[Ian Jonesat KellyGang|Jones]]' book 'Friendship that Destroyed Ned Kelly' for more details about our early days in Australia.
We live on '''Sheep Station Creek''', over the '''May Day Hills'''. Most of our children went to the Sheep Station school.
The first thing I heard of the '''KellyGang''' was when when they fired off eight shots on the top of the hill close to my son's selection ([[Royal Commission report day 37 page 9|RC13157]])
== Links to the KellyGang ==
'''Stringybark Creek Murders 26/10/1878''' Just prior to this we knew that our son [[Aaron Sherritt|Aaron]] had been down to see the '''[[KellyGang|Kel]]''' [[../peB/ByrneJoeK.html|'''lyGang''']] near Mansfield. His good friend [[Joe Byrne|Joe Byrne]] was with them. After the murders and there attempt to cross the River Murray those boys came to visit us. Or at least Joe Byrne came to visit my Elizabeth. Only now he was an outlaw and on the run. My husband had been a policeman and things were not good. I discussed all of this with my friend [[Mrs Margaret Byrne|Mrs Byrne]], Joe's mother. We both had a problem.
Det [[Ward|Ward]] believes that the '''KellyGang''' visited our home soon after the murders on the 28 [[ev78-10--4Mansfield Murders|29/10/1878]]. ([[Royal Commission report day 14 page 8|RC3165]]) '''Sebastopol Cavalcade''' '''[[ev78-10--4Mansfield Murders|7/11/1878]]''' On the morning of the 7th the [[Sebastopol Cavalcade|police arrived in force]]. They smashed their way into my home and offered no apology. ([[The Argus at KellyGang 8/11/1878 (2)|Argus8/11/78]]) See also ([[The Complete Inner History of the KellyGang and their Pursuers (30)|JJK]])
All the officers were there Com [[Standish|Standish]], [[Nicolson|Nicolson]] and Sup [[Sadleir|Sadier]]. AssCom [[Nicolson|Nicolson]] smashed his way into my home and most of the rest of the police followed. They were looking for the '''KellyGang'''. They all finished up talking to my [[Aaron Sherritt|Aaron]]. My husband had an arguement with SConst [[SConst James|James]]. See ([[Royal Commission report day 10 page 5|RC1770]])
[[Nicolson|Nicolson]] described his arrival in my place in the following terms, 'We then came to a hut, called Sherritt's. I knew nothing about what was going. I was riding by myself with two or three men near me, when Mr. Sadleir came up and said to me, "Now Mr Nicolson, this is the house of the Sherritts;" you will do this and you will do that, and the outlaws are said to be here. This hut was backed by a large paddock. I turned to Mr. Sadleir and said, "You send some men into that paddock, and see the men do not escape by the back;" He then continued 'I galloped with those men to the hut at full speed. I found the cavalcade was so noisy-we were expecting to get these men asleep-and I called to the men to come with me, and I galloped to the front'.([[Royal Commission report day 2 page 5|RC389]])
Our home was empty. I don't know where these people got the idea that I would put the '''KellyGang''' up in my home. [[Nicolson|Nicolson]] describes his grand entrance into my home in some style ([[Royal Commission report day 2 page 6|RC403]])
'''Euroa Robbery 10/12/1878''' '''After Jerilderie Robbery 10/2/1879''' After Sup [[Hare|Hare]]'s party to watch Mrs [[Mrs Margaret Byrne|Byrne]]'s, after the Jerilderie robbery, she thought that [[Aaron Sherritt|Aaron]] may have helping the police and causing other problems. She stopped Aaron from seeing her daughter [[Catherine Byrne, Kate Byrne|Catherine]].
In an attempt to get back at Mrs Byrne Aaron decided to take and sell Catherine's horse, Charlie. He had given her a horse a few years ago. Mrs Byrne went and up to see me and told me about Aaron and his spying for the police. The '''KellyGang''' threatened to shoot Aaron after he quarrelled with Mrs. Byrne and then Mrs. Byrne took out a warrant for Aaron and the police were striving to arrest him on this warrant, and they did so, and he stood his trial in Beechworth and was acquitted ([[Royal Commission report day 37 page 9|RC13165]])
At about this time [[Ned Kelly|Ned Kelly]] dropped in to see me. He wanted said that he my son [[Aaron Sherritt|Aaron]] to show him the way by the head of the King River He picked up one Mrs Sherritt's children and gave it a cuddle. I think this was the last time I saw him. ([[Royal Commission report day 37 page 9|RC13166]])
At about this time James [[James Wallace|Wallace]] came to see me, he used to come to my place at very unreasonable hours, but that afternoon I gave Detective [[Ward|Ward]] a cup of tea, and the draper was there as well. The next day or two my daughter went down to Mrs [[Mrs Margaret Byrne|Byrne]]'s and she asked how it was we were so friendly with Ward, the detective, to give him tea, and that James Wallace had been there and told her so. And one night in particular he came, and my son had been out and had a pair of blue blankets-he used to take them in the bush with him. He laid them down on the hearth, and Wallace came about two o'clock in the morning. Then I heard he told Mrs. Byrne he could not make out what the Sherritts were doing. I did not like Mr Wallace ([[Royal Commission report day 37 page 9|RC13174]])
Mr Byrne visited my place in about late March 1879 ([[Ovens & Murray Advertiser (8)|OMA29/7/79]])
The police came to our place to arrest Aaron ([[The Argus at KellyGang 1/7/1879 (2)|Argus1/7/79]])
'''Hare replaced by Nicolson 6/7/1879''' In August 1879, I called on Mr. Matthew [[Aaron Sherritt|Dodd]], J.P. and H. A. [[Aaron Sherritt|Crawford]] and requested them to sign a character referance in favor of my son Aaron. They told me that they had been asked by a man to sign a counter petition by Ass Com [[Nicolson|Nicolson]]'s son.([[Royal Commission report day 52 page 7|RC17590]])
Later in that month 24/8/1879, James [[James Wallace|Wallace]] came and had dinner with us. ([[Royal Commission report day 42 page 5|RC14625]])([[Royal Commission report day 42 page 11|RC14773]])
He reported; "The old lady was not at all communicative, but appeared nervous and frightened. Had a walk out with Jack for his father's horse (K. K.'s Iost chesnut). He was rather reticent and distrustful at first." That was John [[John Sherritt Jnr|Sherritt]]. "I asked him how the outlaws were so foolish as to go into the house while the children were there" - This might have been the night after the trial of Aaron [[Aaron Sherritt|Sherritt]] for the theft of Mrs. [[Mrs Margaret Byrne|Byrne's]] horse." ([[Royal Commission report day 42 page 5|RC14626]])
'''First Cave Party''' '''Second Cave Party 12/1879-4/1880''' I used to cook the bread for the police cave party. At the end Det [[Ward|Ward]] my husband and I to take the dray and go to the cave in the moonlight. We cleared everything away including some oil coats that had been left by the constables .([[Royal Commission report day 37 page 11|RC13205]]) See also ([[Royal Commission report day 9 page 6|RC1622]]) ([[Royal Commission report day 18 page 1|RC5293]])
My son went to school with [[Mrs Margaret Byrne|Denny Byrne]] ([[Royal Commission report day 32 page 2|RC12103]])
On [[events 1879-11/ 1879-12|11/11/1879]] Mrs [[Mrs Margaret Byrne|Byrne]] said that she wanted to see my daughter '''Mary Jane''' but she was too sick to go.
2 days later [[Dan Kelly|Dan Kelly]] came to our place and Mary Jane saw him. He wanted to see my son [[John Sherritt Jnr|Jack]]. ([[Royal Commission report day 45 page 24|RC15751]])
Later that night (at about 8pm) the whole '''KellyGang''' came to our place. ([[Royal Commission report day 45 page 14|RC15265]])
My husband was most attentive in carrying provisions to the cave when Aaron was getting married. ([[Royal Commission report day 32 page 8|RC12202]])
[[Aaron Sherritt|Aaron]]'s [[Mrs Ellen Barry|mother in law]] thought that he had problems with other members of my family. ([[Royal Commission report day 37 page 23|RC13440]]) ([[Royal Commission report day 40 page 4|RC14166]])
On [[events 1880-4/ 1880-6|17/5/1880]] Det [[Ward|Ward]] received a report stating that Mrs. Byrne had written to a girl of about seventeen. The letter from Mrs. [[Mrs Margaret Byrne|Byrne]] she wanted to see -, the business was to know if the boys (meaning Dan or Joe) would call, to be careful not to let them stay long, as she believed that [[Aaron Sherritt|Aaron]] was working for the police; that they called about a week previous, near Chiltern, at "[[Lord Byron's Shanty|Lord Byron]]'s"; that they were miserable and ragged, and in want of food, and they took a lot of food from "Byron's" with them; that they gave a letter to Mr. - to deliver to Mrs. Byrne; that Mrs. -, not being good friends with Mrs. Byrne, she took the letter to -, and the letter was delivered through - to Mrs. Byrne. Was I Ward's agent and was the girl my daughter [[Anne and John Sherritt Snr|Anne Jane]]. ([[Royal Commission report day 38 page 7|RC13858]])
=== Meeting with Joe Byrne ===
I got up early that morning of [[events 1880-4/ 1880-6|26/5/1880]] and went looking for my son John's horses so he could do some ploughing. They were in '''Murphy''''s paddock ([[Royal Commission report day 37 page 10|RC13184]])([[Royal Commission report day 1 page 10|RC71]])
Later I went looking for my cows near Sebastopol and when I came to this hut she saw the outlaw Joe [[Joe Byrne|Byrne]] come out of a calf-pen, and his horse was near at hand, in an enclosure. Joe said he was looking for Mr Hare to shoot him. I then rode into Beechworth and told Det [[Ward|Ward]]. ([[Royal Commission report day 3 page 9|RC789]])([[Royal Commission report day 3 page 9|RC797]])([[Royal Commission report day 46 page 5|RC15849]])
This is what I told the Royal Commission about that meeting.
<blockquote>"I got up very early in the morning, and I went out to his room to see if he (my son [[John Sherritt Jnr|John]]) had come, and l saw his bed had not been disturbed; and then I went out to listen if I could hear the horse-bells of the horses ploughing; and I went along my own paddock fence, and I could hear the bells still further on. It was the horses had got into a paddock belonging to a man named '''Murphy''' that my husband had bought, and I went to bring the horses home; and it seemed to me that [[Joe Byrne|Byrne]] was waiting to see who would come over for the horses. But when I went over there there was an old calf pen, and three or four old sheds. And I saw the man first, and then a man with a horse's bridle on his arm, and this was Joe Byrne. And as soon as he saw me he got up and came over and spoke friendly enough to me; and he said he had come to take my son [[Aaron Sherritt|Aaron]]'s life, and also Detective [[Ward|Ward]]'s. He said, "Those two had them starved to death." And he said that Ward went about the hills like a black tracker; and that if he had them two out of the way, and also Senior-Constable [[SConst P Mullane|Mullane]], he said he could go where he liked. And I begged him not take Aaron's life. I said, "he has no harm; he would not hurt you." And he said, "You need not try to impress that on my mind, because I tell you now that there was Ward and him and Mr. Hare very nearly twice catching us, and that tells you whether they will hurt me or not." Then I strove with him-I don't know what I said-not to take poor Aaron's life. So when he had done I said to myself in the first place when he went away, "I will run down and tell [[Aaron Sherritt|Aaron]]. I do not know where his hut is; I think I can find it out on the Woolshed." Then in place of that I brought the horses home, and came to Beechworth; and on my way I met my son [[John Sherritt Jnr|John]]. He was on horseback, coming home; and I told him to go back and tell [[Ward|Ward]] Byrne had said. Then when I had sent the message into Beechworth I got frightened myself, and got my horse to come in, and told Detective Ward. A few days after that Mr. [[Nicolson|Nicolson]] sent down for me, and I came up and told him just what passed; and said that my son would lose his life if he was not removed from where he was." ([[events 1880-4/ 1880-6|29/5/1880]]) ([[Royal Commission report day 37 page 10|RC13184]]) see Det Ward's version ([[Royal Commission report day 38 page 7|RC13858]])
</blockquote>
I told Const [[Const Daniel Barry|Barry]] that I thought that the [[Mrs Margaret Byrne|Byrne]] family were aware of the presence of the police in the cave party. Det [[Ward|Ward]] was concerned that Const Barry even spoke to me about this matter. ([[Royal Commission report day 40 page 2|RC14122]])
'''Nicolson replaced by Hare 2/6/1880''' I told the Royal Commission that my son [[Aaron Sherritt|Aaron]] thought that the police had a better change of sucess than Ass Com Nicolson. ([[Royal Commission report day 37 page 39|RC13768]])
While I had not been into Aaron's hut I knew that he had police there ([[Royal Commission report day 37 page 11|RC13186]])
Soon before Aaron's murder [[Catherine Byrne, Kate Byrne|Kate Byrne]] told me that the '''KellyGang''' they were going to do something that would astonish not only Australia, but the whole world. ([[Royal Commission report day 37 page 10|RC13182]])
'''Death of Aaron Sherritt 26/6/1880''' I believe the reason why my son was murdered was because Mrs Byrne found out that he was helping the police ([[Royal Commission report day 37 page 9|RC13162]] [[../../documents/RoyalCommission/RC810720_12995.html|)]]
See also ([[The Argus|Argus28/6/1880]]) [[../../documents/RoyalCommission/RC810720_12995.html|../../documents/RoyalCommission/RC810720_12995.html]]
'''Glenrowan Siege 28/6/1880'''
We played no part on the events over at Glenrowan '''Inquest into the death of Aaron Sherritt''' My husband gave evidence at Aaron's inquest ([[The Last of the Bushrangers Chapter 13 page 7|FH]])
'''Later'''
When my surviving son, [[John Sherritt Jnr|John]] went to Melbourne to join the police he stayed with my relative '''Mrs Baker''' at Oakleigh. ([[Royal Commission report day 45 page 6|RC15431]])
The police let John down in the same way they betrayed Aaron
My application of a share in the [[Reward|reward]] was rejected by the Reward Board
'''Royal Commission''' Mrs Sherritt gave evidence before the Royal [[Royal Commission|Commission]] as to her meeting with Joe Byrne and some other matters concerning Aaron and other matters on 20/7/1881 ([[Royal Commission report day 37 page 39|RC13768]]) I have never spoken to Aaron's [[Ellen Sherritt|wife]] since they married. ([[Royal Commission report day 37 page 15|RC13303]])
How did the press report my evidence. ([[The Argus at KellyGang 22/7/1881|Argus22/7/81]])
'''Later''' Iohn died in Beechworth in 1900
Anne died in Beechworth in 1908
'''What happened to the Sherritt family''' [[Aaron Sherritt|Aaron]] 1855, died 1880
[[Elizabeth Sherritt|Elizabeth]] (Bessie) 1856, did not marry, died 1932
[[John Sherritt Jnr|John]] James (Jack)1858, married Emily Norman, no children
William George 1860, did no marry, died 1930
[[Ann Jane Sherritt|Anne Jane]] 1862, married Henry Story
Julia Frances 1864, married John Bartsh, died 1932
Esther 1867, married Alan Gray, died 1936
Mary Jane1869,
Maria 1872, married I Anderson, died 1941
Martha 1875, married A Sonneman, died 1958
Hugh 1878, married J wells, died 1950
Aaron 1883, died 1821
KellyGang
[[Category:People]] [[Category:People starting with S-T]] [[Category:Anne Sherritt Snr]] [[Category:John Sherritt Snr]] [[Category:Police agent]] [[Category:history]]
MediaWiki:Sidebar
{{^|Original page location \people\peS_T\sherrittAnnSnr.html}}
