Ellen Kelly - Ned's Mum, 2021
Acrylic & graphite on plywood
154 x 122cm
BKE021
Copyright The Artist
Ellen Kelly (1832-1923) was the wife of John ‘Red’ Kelly and the mother of Ned and Dan Kelly as well as ten other children. Born in Antrim, Ireland, she came...
Ellen Kelly (1832-1923) was the wife of John ‘Red’ Kelly and the mother of Ned and Dan Kelly as well as ten other children. Born in Antrim, Ireland, she came to Australia with her parents in 1841.
In 1878 Constable Alexander Fitzpatrick went to the Kelly homestead to arrest Dan Kelly for horse stealing. According to Ellen Kelly, Fitzpatrick was drunk and ‘made a pass’ at her teenage daughter Kate, a scuffle then ensued.
Fitzpatrick refuted the claim accusing Ellen and some of the other Kelly family members of attempted murder.
Ellen was found guilty of assaulting a police officer and sentenced to 3 years in Old Melbourne Gaol.
The ‘Fitzpatrick Incident’ is said to have sparked the Kelly Outbreak.
The heart of the matter for Ned, was gaining his mothers release from prison, where she was serving what he considered an unreasonably harsh sentence on trumped-up charges.
In 1878 Constable Alexander Fitzpatrick went to the Kelly homestead to arrest Dan Kelly for horse stealing. According to Ellen Kelly, Fitzpatrick was drunk and ‘made a pass’ at her teenage daughter Kate, a scuffle then ensued.
Fitzpatrick refuted the claim accusing Ellen and some of the other Kelly family members of attempted murder.
Ellen was found guilty of assaulting a police officer and sentenced to 3 years in Old Melbourne Gaol.
The ‘Fitzpatrick Incident’ is said to have sparked the Kelly Outbreak.
The heart of the matter for Ned, was gaining his mothers release from prison, where she was serving what he considered an unreasonably harsh sentence on trumped-up charges.