ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

There was an Allan Lowry (bushranger) captured in Kilmore in 1865. Any relation do you think Marty?

Johnny Gilbert was at Kilmore prior to his bushranging days. I think his sister was living at or near Kilmore - from memory.

Heather

Thanks Marty - Great stuff ... Heather, Gilbert was 12 when he ran away from home to Kilmore after arriving in Port Phillip Bay in 1852 (aged 10).

I suppose your story can be linked up to Collector.

The G boy's took over the hotel for some time and had a great time until one of the local policeman interfered and was shot dead.

The original hotel is still standing. You can still book a room for the night. The owners advise that the policeman killed, if he is sociable, may wake you up after midnight for a yarn.



John

Locals being ambushed, oppressed by robbers, shops plundered by brigands, innocent men being framed, police officer shot dead for upholding the law.
I don't think that those bushrangers were an heroic role-model for civilised people,

G'day Marty,

I agree, not only is it so close to your place, but also not that far back in history, if you look at the big picture.

Manfred do you know the married name of John Gilbert's sister? I know we had a research enquiry about the family many - maybe 10 or so years ago.

Talking of history not being that long ago, last week I took a history tour of Kilmore for a group of older people from Melbourne. Later I had coffee with them and a chat. I found a couple of them very interesting. The father of one lady had been an ANZAC and served at Gallipoli and then was injured at Pozieres. He later had a soldier settlement farm in the Mallee where she was born. I found it incredible that I had lunch with the daughter of an ANZAC - it makes you realise it wasn't that long ago in the scheme of things.

Heather

Cheeeze Heather, you don't LOOK that old ...

No, but some days I feel that old.

John Gilbert was born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada in 1842. His mother Eleanor (née Wilson) died shortly after his birth. His father William subsequently married Eliza Cord, a girl only slightly older than his eldest surviving daughter, Eleanor.
In 1852 John accompanied his family to the Victorian goldfields.
Nine members of the Gilbert family arrived in Port Phillip on board the Revenue in October 1852.
They included William and Eliza, Eleanor (Ellen), Frank, James, Charles, Thomas Charbonnelle and Nicholas Wiseman.

When he was only twelve, Gilbert worked as a stablehand at Kilmore, Victoria for his sister Eleanor and her new husband, John Stafford, for a time before moving on to the Kiandra goldfields in New South Wales.

G'day, Neville.

Due recognition is given to the local policeman in the C cemetery.

He is shown as a hero and went down fighting.

The BR's took flight with the law on their trail.

Regards,

John