What was Ned Kelly's life before he became a bushranger?

Answer 1

Ned Kelly did not have an easy life prior to him becoming a bushranger, but it is not exactly reason to turn to a life of crime and, later, murder. Ned Kelly was twelve when his father died, and he was subsequently required to leave school to take on the new position as head of the family. Shortly after this, the Kellys moved to Glenrowan. As a teenager, Ned became involved in petty crimes, regularly targetting the wealthy landowners.

The story goes that Ned Kelly was influenced to become a bushranger. His family was not particularly liked by the law, and so when he was persecuted by a few of the policemen, he reacted and decided to become an outlaw. He figured that if he was going to be charged for something, he would give them a real reason.

Answer 2

Prior to Ned Kelly's death by hanging, he was involved in a siege at the inn at Glenrowan, a small town about 180km northeast of Melbourne.

The siege came about because, after murdering police informer Aaron Sherritt, Kelly expected many police to travel to Glenrowan by train. He and his gang tried to force some of the townsfolk into helping lift the rail tracks, the result of which would have been the train crashing and - it was hoped - killing a large number of the police. Few townsfolk were willing to assist, so people were gradually rounded up and held in the Glenrowan Inn to prevent them from warning the train.

After keeping the townsfolk entertained in the Inn all day, the Kelly gang allowed the more trusted hostages to go home at nightfall, as the train was running late. Thomas Curnow, the local schoolteacher, was one of those released, and when he heard the train coming in the early hours of the morning, he ran quickly to warn of the danger ahead, allowing the police time to prepare. Wearing their famous armour, the Kelly brothers held a shootout with police. Several hostages were injured in the gun battle and two later died from gunshot wounds. Gang members Dan Kelly, Steve Hart and Joe Byrne were killed, and Ned was shot twenty-eight times in the legs, which were unprotected by the armour. He survived to stand trial, and was sentenced to death by hanging, by Judge Redmond Barry in late October 1880. Ned Kelly was hanged at Melbourne Gaol on 11 November 1880.

Answer 3

Farmer, cattle and horse thief.