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Piecing Together the Past: The Kelly Armour Exchange
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From State Library of Victoria News No. 21, October 2002 - January 2003
The State Library of Victoria is the custodian of two of the most iconic artefacts from Australian history, Ned Kelly's armour and his Jerilderie Letter. For many years, much confusion surrounded the assembly and attribution of Kelly's armour and that of the three other Kelly Gang members, Dan Kelly, Steve Hart and Joe Byrne. Recently, however, thanks to the work of a number of Kelly experts and the collaboration of the custodians of the armour, a major step was taken towards the correct attribution and assembly of the individual suits of armour. |
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On Thursday 27 June 2002, the 122nd anniversary of the start of the Kelly Gang siege at Glenrowan, the State Library of Victoria came together with the Victoria Police and the National Trust at the Old Melbourne Gaol for an historic event. CEO and State Librarian Frances Awcock formally handed over to Victoria Police the armour piece that the Library has previously displayed as a backplate but which is, in fact, a breastplate that belonged to either Steve Hart or Dan Kelly. In turn, Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon of the Victoria Police presented to the Library a piece that has now been determined to be the backplate of Ned Kelly's armour. As a result of this exchange, the Library now holds Ned Kelly's helmet, breastplate and backplates, one of this shoulderplates (purchased in 2001) and an unidentified lappet (or apron) - the most accurate and complete assemblage of Ned Kelly's armour to date.
So, how did the suits become mixed? The last time Ned Kelly's armour was correctly assembled was when he wore the suit at the siege at Glenrowan on 27 and 28 June 1880. Oswald Madeley's photograph of several pieces of disassembled armour, taken soon after the siege demonstrates how easily the ad hoc collection of evidence could have led to the mismatching of the suits. |
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Immediately after Kelly's capture and the deaths of the other gang members, the four suits of armour were dispersed. One suit accompanied Ned Kelly to Melbourne in the care of Guard Jesse Dowsett, to be presented at Kelly's trial. The police in Benalla held Dan Kelly and Steve Hart's armour, while the armour worn by Joe Byrne was sent to the Police Depot in Richmond.
By December 1880, all four suits were held by Superintendent Hare in Melbourne. Hare later presented a suit of armour to Sir William Clarke of Rupertswood and, over time, the remaining three suits lost their integrity while being stored at the Chief Secretary's Office. Today, Victoria Police holds the suits of Dan Kelly and Steve Hart, one of which has recently been on display at the Old Melbourne Gaol. Joe Byrne's suit is held privately.
Illustrations
Top left: The handover of the Kelly armour backplate.
Top right: The armour on display at the Old Melbourne Gaol handover ceremony.
Below: Kelly Gang Armour. A photograph taken by Oswald Thomas Madeley after the Glenrowan siege. |
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