How did people feel about bush rangers?

Answer 1

"Busheranger" say the name has a Dutch origin. Originally, the term referred to any person (often trusted convicts) who worked in or made a living from the bush (other than people such as farmers or shepherds, who are still known as (Ebushmen.) It included hunters, wood splitters, etc. Eventually it came to mean any criminal who lived in the bush and made his living out of plundering travellers and bush dwellings. In the early days an alternative word often used was (Ebanditti) a band of brigands, which meant bandits or robbers. Today, the word Bushranger has adopted a more romantic meaning, referring to skill in bushcraft, knowledge of the bush, horsemanship, daring and gallantry and the concept of (Eroaming the bush, wild and free, in defiance of authority, rather than the emphasis of banditry, robbery, murder, plundering, horse and cattle duffing and other serious crimes which more properly defines the real activities of the Bushranger. The first Bushranger was referenced in 1788 and referred to an escaped convict named Matthew Corbett or Crobin. The term "Bushranger" referred to convicts who escaped and "ranged the bush" for extended periods. The first Bushranger as we understand today was a Negro named John (EBlack, Caesar). He escaped in 1790 and was occasionally joined by other convicts. He stole food and clothing and eventually was shot for a reward of 5 gallons of rum near modern-day Strathfield in Sydney, Australia. Many other convicts who escaped also became Bushrangers and stole to keep alive. In the 1980s investigations of the past figured there were over 300 Bushrangers and today the figure is closer to 2,000. There were even a couple of female Bushrangers. One was an intelligent half-caste woman named Mary Anne Bugg, who rode with Frederick Ward alias Captain Thunderbolt. Recent studies of Mary Ann suggest she may have played a significant role in the Thunderbolt's aversion to violence. Hers is a tragic story and certainly she deserved better. The last of the Bushrangers was the Kelly Gang. However, research has uncovered a few criminals who fit the definition who continued into the early 20th century. The last Cobb & Co., coach to be bailed up and robbed occured in 1910, and the last recorded crime of Robbery Under Arms occured in 1932. It is also said the last Bushrangers by definition seem to be 3 half-cast Aborigines, Jimmy and Joe Governor and Jacky Underwood. In 1900 they murdered several people Jimmy believed had wronged him and for a few months terrorised a large part of central New South Wales. Joe was eventually shot while Jimmy and Jacky Underwood were hanged. A younger brother named Roy terrorised an area around Moonee some 20 years later, but was never officially described as a Bushranger. There are many other possible claimants of this title including the notorious Kenniff brothers, active in horse stealing in the Carnarvon area. Old around the turn of the century, and the self promoting Jack Bradshaw. The truth of it is that violent crime, armed robbery, murder and mayhem have continued in the Australian outback, and also in its cities. Horse stealing still happens today, but few thieves take to the bush on horseback, and enjoy the support of local communities. The most famous of the Bushrangers was "Hall". Many people (Active and Passive Supporters) did help Hall & Co. this support was often bought and man of their robberies included large amounts of goods obviously intended for distribution amont these supporters. Hall had his supporters and his detractors. One myth is that Hall was a "good" Bushranger because he never hurt anyone. He was described as "The Widow's friend." Hall committed over 600 robberies and the fact he never killed anyone was more a matter of luck. He did wound several people and on at least one occasion deliberately tried to murder a policeman. He also flogged a number of people, stole kid's money boxes and church poor boxes, held a man for ransom on threat of death and committed several acts of arson. Most of his crimes were against the working men and many people were reduced to penury. While many people did not support the Bushrangers the accounts of their activities in the press did provide a source of secret amusement and admiration. This continued until people began to die and the level of activities began to interfere with normal daily life. Before officially becoming a recognised Bushranger, Hall had enjoyed considerable respect in his own area as a good cattle man and astute businessman. Many of his squatter peers would have found it difficult accepting him as something other than as they knew him. Consequently he would have enjoyed more support than many other Bushrangers of the period. When these attitudes changed bushranging suddenly became an indreasingly hazardous occupation as more and more people resisted. The long and the short of it was a "Robin Hood" theory that some Bushrangers stole to give to the poor (some did, but most didn't.) Bushrangers were in the news in the 1800s and 1900s and romantasized, but once more and more Bushrangers became more violent people feared them and no longer romantasized about them. Marcy There is a different kind of Bush Ranger. These were big-time donors to George W. Bush's campaigns. A Bush Pioneer was a person who coordinated people to donate from $250,000 to $499,999 to Dubya; a Bush Ranger was a person who coordinated at least $500,000. What people thought about these Bush Rangers depends on their political leanings, assuming of course they knew what Bush Rangers were in the first place. Republicans thought Bush Rangers were the greatest Republicans. Non-Republicans thought Bush Rangers were big fatcats who donated huge sums of money to curry favor with the GOP.