T H E E A R L Y Y E A R S
Mr Edward Kelly grew up in a
tough environment. His parents John “ Red” Kelly and Ellen “Nell” Kelly nee
Quinn , were both from Ireland, John Kelly was a convict
sentenced to seven years transportation
for stealing two pigs, to the un-known land of Australia. Ellen and her ten brothers and sisters, came to Australia to seek a better life.
John’s
prison records, when sentenced to Australia, was written as:
Trade, Labourer; Height, 5/8; Age, 21: Complex,
Fresh: head, Large; Hair Reddish; Visage, Long; Forehead, Medium. Height;
Eyebrows, brown; Eyes, Blue; Nose, Large: mouth Med.; Chin,
Med.
The five
month trip to Australia was very boring, and very harsh
treatment. The prison
hulk John was aboard was “ The
Prince Regent “.
The “
Prince Regent “ arrived in Hobart the capital of Tasmania, Tasmania was then
known as “ Van Demens land “ on the 2nd of January 1842. All
convicts had notes taken of them monthly, John was reported as:
“ Quiet
& Good “ and “ Orderly “ .
John worked
through-out 1844-1848, and finally after seven years and two days since he was
sentenced he received his “Certificate
of Freedom” on 11th of January 1848 .Meaning he was now on
a free man, he could return to Ireland, or start a brand new life in Australia.
John, along
with lots of other freed convicts, sailed across the Bass Strait which is a mass
of sea dividing Victoria a state of Australia between Tasmania also a state of Australia. He
finally arrived in Melbourne a river town.
Back in
1841, the Quinn family arrived in Melbourne, a large family of ten, Ellen was
among them. The family were:
Father James
was 37, mother Mary was 32.
Their
children were:
Patrick was
15
Helen was 10
Jack was
un-known around 5-10 yrs
Ellen was 8
Mary-Ann
un-known around 8-10 yrs
Kate
un-known around 8-10 yrs
Jane
un-known around 8-10 yrs
Jimmy was 6
months
The ship the
Quins had came to Australia in was the “ England “. Soon after the Quins took up a small farm in the
village of Brunswick near the Monee Ponds creek.
When they had enough money to move to a bigger property near Broadmeadows.
Around the
year of 1850 James moved yet again to an even bigger property near Wallan near Kemp’s swamp at the top of a creek called Merri creek. The
property consisted of 640 acres and was large enough to support the growing
family.
Ellen was
turning 18, she was a very attractive young woman. Early that year or maybe the
next year, there was a strange man who came to the Quinn homestead. It was John
“ Red “ Kelly. He had met James Quinn Ellen’s father at a pub in
Donnybrook a town not far from Wallan Red & James had talked about
setting up an “jigger still” which is a plan to make a special type of
Whisky (Alcohol) named moonshine whisky.
30 year old
John Kelly fell in love with 18 year old Ellen Quinn that same day. James did
not approve of the match, because John was an ex-convict.
In November,
John and Ellen finally got married in Melbourne, Ellen had recently fallen
pregnant to which would be their first child.