Bushranging Gazette #13
This month’s gazette features news about tours, exhibitions, books, and various articles from around the web. Continue reading Bushranging Gazette #13
Tag: Captain Moonlite
Spotlight: The Executed Wantabadgery Bushrangers (1880)
Andrew George Scott, alias Captain Moonlite, who expiated his last crime in Darlinghurst Gaol on Tuesday, January 20, was born in the north of Ireland in or about the year 1843, and was consequently 37 years of age. He had the usual “highly respectable parentage,” his father being a clergyman of the Church of England, who now holds a tenure in the District of Coromandel, in the north of New Zealand. The family came to Auckland some years ago, when Andrew George was quite young. Though we are not, as we expected to be, in possession of an autobiography of the executed criminal, written for one of our contributors, and withheld from him by the prison authorities of New South Wales, we are able from information supplied us by that gentleman to give the salient points in Scott’s career.
Continue reading Spotlight: The Executed Wantabadgery Bushrangers (1880)
Thomas Rogan’s death mask and other missing objects
Could this unassuming photograph of three plaster casts be the vital clue to a long-standing case of mistaken identity?These death masks were photographed in 1975 in the police academy in Redfern. The one on the far right is Andrew George Scott (Captain Moonlite), while the one on the far left is the casting that has been attributed to his accomplice Thomas Rogan. However, not only does the face on the attributed cast not resemble Rogan at all, the middle, unnamed, casting matches the mugshot taken of Rogan after his capture at McGlede’s farm quite closely. Furthermore, the middle death mask … Continue reading Thomas Rogan’s death mask and other missing objects
Bushranging Gazette #7
Wednesday, 1 September 2021 The Dashing Career Of Australia’s Forgotten ‘Gentleman Bushranger’ It seems appropriate that following the publication on A Guide to Australian Bushranging of James Erskine Calder’s account of the life and bushranging career of Matthew Brady that his story should catch the attention of more mainstream media. Synchronicity saw Nine News publish a condensed account of Brady’s life online mere days after the Calder articles had rolled out on this website. The introduction makes reference to outlaw folk heroes Captain Thunderbolt and Ned Kelly before delving into the story of Tasmania’s greatest outlaw folk hero. But as … Continue reading Bushranging Gazette #7
The Bluestone College: Bushrangers at Pentridge
First opened in 1851, Pentridge was envisioned as a state of the art prison where the worst of the worst would be sent to learn the errors of their ways. Unfortunately, Pentridge went from being an easily escapable stockade to a home of cruel and overly harsh punishment. Here many bushrangers did time for their transgressions and this list gives the accounts of several of the more notable cases. Continue reading The Bluestone College: Bushrangers at Pentridge
Spotlight: THE CHAMBER OF HORRORS
An article from 1913 discussing the collection of the New South Wales police museum collection. Continue reading Spotlight: THE CHAMBER OF HORRORS
“Moonlite” (1910) — as it was reported
As many of the silent era bushranger films are lost to the sands of time, either through being misplaced or destroyed, there are no opportunities to view them ourselves. Because of this we rely on reports from the time that describe the films and discuss the audience responses. This was in the days before people wrung their hands over “spoilers” and were more worried about which film would break opening weekend records.
Bushranging Gazette #2
Thursday, 01 April 2021 Welcome to the second issue of the Bushranging Gazette. There are plenty of interesting topics of conversation to delve into this month including Captain Moonlite’s inclusion in a LGBTQI+ event in Ballarat and the controversy over the new Kate Kelly book. As today is April Fool’s Day, one of these articles is a fake – can you spot which one it is? Kate Kelly Controversy Early in March, with the release and publicity tour for Rebecca Wilson’s book Kate Kelly, came a spot of controversy due to claims published in the book. Wilson has included in … Continue reading Bushranging Gazette #2
Moonlite by Garry Linnell (Review)
In 2013 Paul Terry published what was rightly considered the most definitive account of the life of Andrew George Scott up to that point. Drawing on many sources, some of which had only recently been discovered, Terry’s In Search of … Continue reading Moonlite by Garry Linnell (Review)
Escape from Ballarat Gaol
Ballarat Gaol was unprepared for the devious Captain Moonlite when he was remanded there in 1872. In this exclusive feature we look at the incredible story of one of the most notorious Victorian prison escapes. Continue reading Escape from Ballarat Gaol