The Kelly we never talk about

How Ned Kelly's youngest brother ran away to join the circus.

 

 

'Jack (John) Kelly was a nomad for sometime before opportunity struck. The travelling circus was in town, and he happened to be quite the trick rider. 

Tradition says the town folk were given the opportunity to challenge the circus’ resident acts. In this case, the task was lassoing a steer in a pinch. The record to beat was 40 seconds. 

Jack toppled it with ease. 

38 seconds.' 

 

But I am getting ahead of myself, this is not where the story begins.

 

My whole life I have been told we’re related to Ned Kelly. Yeah right.. So is every other weird kid in the class with a flair for drama. With Ned’s twelve siblings, I used to joke you could throw a rock in rural Victoria and hit a “long-lost Kelly cousin.” So I never paid much mind to it, and neither did my brother Jake.

That is... until recently. 

I took it upon myself to learn a bit more about our family tree, who better to speak to than Nannie- her name is Anne. She is our Grandmother on our Mother’s side (sorry Dad- this one doesn’t concern the Stillmans’). She’s the one who’s been banging this drum for decades, and rumour has it she even had relics tucked away to prove it.

With Jack Stillman being so rooted in Australian storytelling, heritage, and our family history, this little thread of folklore suddenly felt worth tugging on.

A Bit of History

I am sure many of you know the spark notes of the Kelly story and the Kelly gang, so i’ll try and be brief: 

The Kellys were 1st and 2nd generation Irish immigrants. Residing in a remote farmstead in North-East Victoria. 

Ellen (the family Matriarch) was imprisoned and sentenced to hard labour for 3 years on the charge of ‘aiding and abetting Ned Kelly with intention to kill Constable Fitzpatrick.' She was arrested with her youngest child still weaned, and plenty of little ones at home that she could no longer care for. While imprisoned, her eldest son, the notorious Ned was hanged, and his younger brother- Dan perished in the infamous shootout at Glenrowan. Upon her release these wounds of the heart were still raw.

Her homecoming was welcomed by her family & closest friends- however the implication of being a ‘Kelly’ was always there. 

 

Pictured: Ellen Kelly with her 2 granddaughters- the children of her daughter Ellen Knight (1911)

The Knight’s ride in

The Kelly’s were a tabloid magnet. Almost everyone in rural Victoria knew their story- many locals split amongst themselves as either ‘Kelly sympathizers’ or ‘protectors of the state’. This divide was still felt long after the famous brothers had passed. In one particular homestead- not far from the Kellys’ was a certain family, the Knights. With one Grace, who held Ellen’s story in close regard.

Grace Knight was my great great (great?) Grandmother. English-born and raised on a cattle farm in Devonshire. She emigrated to Australia as an adolescent- shortly before marrying Walter Knight. Together they had seven children, four daughters and three sons.

Cut a notch above other colonial women of her time- Grace studied at the Church of England Institute for Young Ladies, she was a skilled organ player, singer, poet and a gifted horse rider. Hell-of-a-woman!

Pictured: Mrs Grace Knight 

One day, shortly after Ellen's return. The two women crossed-paths on horseback. Both had come from very different backgrounds, yet were intelligent in individual ways. They would become life-long friends.

Over the years, the two families became so closely tied that eventually they intermarried- twice!

The Knight’s eldest son, Walter Jr married Nell (Ellen) Kelly, and the younger Violet Knight would go on to marry John Kelly (known as Jack), Ned’s youngest brother. 

Cracking the Whip

 

Pictured: A young Jack & Violet Kelly

Jack Kelly was a talented young man. He was the local equine whisperer, breaking horses was his trade. He’d been doing it ever since his youth, making money here & there to keep the family afloat. 

As the kin of the infamous Ned Kelly, Jack and his family were constantly cast in shadows of the past. Their general reception ranging from praise and martyrdom, to fear and hatred- the publicity was inescapable. This is one of the main reasons that compelled Jack to leave Victoria. He was determined to make a name for himself untethered to the Kelly gang. 

He was away from home for many years and in his travels across the country, Jack found himself in Bourke, stumbling across what appeared to be a bustling local fair ground- the circus was in town. 

There were community traditions whenever the travelling circus came through, the town’s best rider would be elected to challenge the circus’s resident act. Whoever could lasso a steer in record time would be crowned the winner.

Although a Nomad himself, Jack stepped up to the platform, the record he had to beat was 40 seconds, and with ease he managed to topple it. 38 seconds! Sealed with a handshake by Mr Wirth himself- Jack landed himself a handsome cheque and a job offer. 

However- Jack had plans to go home already.

Back in Greta, someone else had been waiting for him. 

So he postponed the job offer. There would be time enough for the circus later.

 

Pictured: Wirth's Travelling Circus- Courtesy of NFSA

Violet Knight grew up intertwined with the Kelly family. As a child she was playmates with the youngest of the clan, Ellen Kelly was close to a second Mother. Jack (being a little bit older), was more of an ‘innocent schoolgirls crush’ on Violet's behalf. She would blow off school and steal glances at the older, hardworking neighbour as he laboured on the homestead. He would taunt and tease her, but the feeling was mutual. When Jack chose to work away for a few years, young Violet was left in a state of limerence.

In the new year of 1898, Jack had returned to Greta, he was a little older, wiser, and worn around the edges but his heart was still bounding with youth. It was a joyous reunion, and to top it all off, there was a proposal between Jack & Vi.

The pair were giddy. Jack had taken up the job offer with Wirth’s circus, and life began to roll full steam ahead. The pair were married in Auckland NZ, in early March, 1899- it was a brisk wedding before the young couple embarked on the next leg of Wirth’s tour. Jack & Violet took the phrase ‘running away to join the circus’ quite literally!

It wasn’t long before Violet got bored of her wifely duties and tending to their unit- she herself also grew up surrounded by horses, and had a passion for riding- if Jack could perform, why couldn’t she?

After acing her audition (& with her husband's approval), she began a trial period of 3 months, training for her very own act in the show. She had a trick up her sleeve, she could crack a whip! The two had concocted a routine, combining trick riding with whip cracking. The act ended with Jack lighting a cigarette and placing it between his lips- with a flip of her whip, Vi would whisk the lit cigarette away from his mouth with ease! Easy to say- this skilled display promptly landed her a contract.

By April, the group were sailing to Capetown, South Africa. This is where Jack & Violet were to debut their double-act. It went down a treat! Violet was dubbed “The Only Lady Stockwhip Cracker in the World”. 

As the tour progressed, in Johannesburg, one night after their show, a friendly elderly couple- the O’Flynns introduced themselves to the pair. The O’Flynn’s were Australian-Irish expats who had been living in South Africa for a few years. They were simply thrilled to encounter some fellow Aussies. 

Patrick O’Flynn thought to ask ‘Are you Irish, mate? Kelly is an Irish name. Wasn’t that Ned Kelly fellow Irish?’ He motioned.

“Oh I remember him- he was my half-brother after all…” Jack chuckled. 

This floored the O’Flynns, for they had admired his story and felt their sympathies for the Kelly family for years during the height of their persecution. The next day was Wirth’s last performance in Joburg, at the end of the show, the couple shoved a parcel into the hands of Vi. 

“Just a token of our appreciation. Wishing you safe travels on your tour!”

Inside the parcel was a pure silver, embossed cup reading “To Jack and Vi Kelly from Johannesburg Australia Pals”. My family inherited this trophy- and still have it to this day. A relic of mateship from a time long ago...

Pictured: The Kelly Cup- a family heirloom

The turn of the century in South Africa was not a good time for tourism. From 1899-1902 the conflict between the British and Boer rebels waged. Seems like a great time for some good ol’ fashioned entertainment!

Despite this, the group hit all the main districts, with relatively good attendance! Newcastle, Dundee, Pietermaritzburg, East London, Durban and Mafeking to name a few. Crowds turned up in droves despite local unease.

It was in Mafeking they were honoured with the attendance of Colonel Baden-Powell & Lady Sarah Wilson. It was here as well they received the unfortunate news that rebels were approaching- Mr Wirth acted quick and within the hour the crew were on their way to Vryburg.

Ill-fated, the troubles followed hot on their tail in Vryburg. With a stroke of pure luck (and a bit of savvy-ness from Mr Wirth), the circus secured the last train out of town. No sooner could they catch their breath- looking over their shoulders when the bridge they had just crossed crumbled to ashes! It had been blown up by Boer rebels.

Pictured: The Modder River Bridge- Detonated on November 28, 1899

To accelerate this story further, after a few years touring, the young couple found that they were expecting. The pair went on to continue working within the circus, Vi actually doing so throughout a lot of her pregnancy. 

A baby girl was welcomed into the world in late 1904. Although quarters were cramped, the small family were happy. Everyone in the troupe were also thrilled by the new addition. They say it takes a community- try a circus!

After a year, it was time to reassess their situation. The couple felt that the circus was no place to raise a child, so with heavy hearts they made the decision to step away, and move to Perth, Western Australia. 

(We’re still not quite sure why the pair decided to emigrate to Perth. As all of their family were located in Victoria at this point.)

In an ironic twist of fate, Jack actually landed a job with the Western Australian Police Force. He worked with the steeds, and according to reports, was greatly valued. Time progressed, and the family slowly grew. Before long, they had four daughters.

Pictured: Jack (John) Kelly. Courtesy of the WAPF

I won’t drag the story on any further here. But to summarise, adventure was calling. The couple decided that Suburban life was not all it was chalked up to be. Their kids were a little older now, and they took the opportunity to join the circus again- leaving their children with a family friend. (Classic 20th century move lol). 

Many continents were toured. Their final post being with the famous PT Barnum & Bailey show. 

Pictured: NYC Billboard Promotion for the Duo. Circa 1911

It’s sad to say, that Violet died before her 35th year. Jack never fully recovered. The story isn’t exactly clear, but it’s speculated the cause was influenza, picked up in Spain. This pained Jack so much that he never returned home. The thought of returning alone on such a low killed him, so he buried himself in work, determined to bring some worth with him should he ever return. 

When the first World War broke out in 1914, Jack enlisted in the Australian army. He supposedly fought in several battles on the Western Front & reached the rank of Sergeant. After the War, Jack went to the states for some years & eventually landed a solid gig with fellow Aussie Country Man- Snowy Baker as his designated stunt double in westerns. Jack eventually settled in Buenos Aires in the late 1920s, and was never quite the same. Money was tight, and he struggled for years to afford the fair to return to Australia. 

The only reunion he ever had was with his now grown daughter- Elsie Maude Kelly-King in 1956. She was a ship steward, and toured South America. She was in her 30s at the time. Jack passed shortly after. 

My Thoughts

Growing up, there was always a portrait hanging in Nan's living room that caught my attention. It was of my great-great grandmother Elsie Knight. Nan spoke fondly of her often; a kind woman remembered through stories of Dairy Milk chocolate and the unmistakable scent of 4711 perfume (which I happen to wear myself now when I find myself in a melancholic mood).

What I didn't appreciate as a kid was that Elsie was Violet's younger sister.

Elsie would eventually settle in Perth too. Through her, our branch of the family tree began.

Pictured: Violets 2 sisters- Elsie (on the left), and May (right)

It’s a strange sensation to have your family history revealed to you by a third party. I wouldn’t have known this story or it’s rich details if I never stumbled upon it in the book ‘To Crack a Whip’ by Dalmar Balcarek and Gary Dean. All those years of being mocked about my supposed ‘relation’ to the infamous bushranger were finally validated- and in all honesty? I think Jack & Violet's story is more compelling.

Previously, I thought being related to Ned Kelly was the interesting part.

Turns out I was wrong.

The real story was Jack and Violet. A dynamic duo who traversed seas, joined the circus, narrowly escaped war, and built a life many could only dream about.

Not bad for the branch of the family tree nobody talks about.

- Tia Stillman