Captain Thunderbolt had a big reputation and was known to all as the ‘Gentleman Bushranger.‘The son of Michael Ward, a convict, and Sophia, he was born in the year 1835. His parents had a total of ten children.His criminal activities started when a nephew, John Garbutt, of the Ward family became involved in horse and cattle stealing. The Ward family was tempted to follow the footsteps of Garbutt, and soon Fred took an important part in transferring stolen horses from the property of his brother William known as Lambs Valley, to Windsor. The horses were sold off at a considerable price at an auction.However, the entire gang, along with Fred, was caught stealing horses and received a sentence to imprisonment for ten long years as punishment. They were assigned to hard labor and were sent off to Cockatoo Island as a part of the penal punishment. Thus, the entire family was tagged as criminals. But, they were released for some time after serving four years.This led to his further doom as he was sent off to Cockatoo Island to complete his remaining six years imprisonment along with a penalty of three more years for stealing a horse. He is known to have escaped from the Cockatoo island on September 11, 1863, and remained hiding for two days along with the gang. Then he finally headed north and swam away to Woolwich, the island’s northern side. Stories say that his lover Mary Ann Bugg aided him in his escape. Mary Ann separated from Ward in late 1867.After reading about the life of Captain Thunderbolt, also check Captain Blackbeard facts and Captain Cook facts.How did Captain Thunderbolt die?Captain Thunderbolt was the most notorious bushranger. With the death of Captain Thunderbolt, the long branch of professional bushrangers of New South Wales ended.Fredrick became a symbol because of his hero-like nature of avoiding violence and putting up a gentleman-like behavior. He could survive long years in the bush as he was trained to be with horses since childhood and eventually grew up to be an expert horseman.At times he even involved his wife and children in his crime but eventually was rounded up and cornered near Dungog, but luckily he managed to escape. He fled on horseback and leaped down a cliff surviving luckily but unfortunately was shot dead by Walker after a dramatic showdown.Walker shot his horse first near Uralla in swampland. While people flocked to have a glimpse of his dead body, and even postcards were sold for shillings to have a picture of his dead body.How did Captain Thunderbolt get his name?The name Captain Thunderbolt was adopted by him in the early 1860s. Captain Thunderbolt was engaged in a series of horse stealing accompanied often by his gang, including his wife, his children, and other members.Being well acquainted with horses, he grew up with them and was trained well to control them. At times members of his gang escaped or were shot by police pursuing them, but luckily Caption Thunderbolt escaped. He was pretty tall and fair, having a pair of attractive hazel eyes. He was the most successful among the bushrangers and depicted nonviolence by not attacking armed coaches and police stations.Captain Thunderbolt: ChildhoodCaptain Thunderbolt was the son of a convict. His parents brought him up along with his other siblings.Fred was born in the year 1835, near Northern New South Wales. His father, Michael Ward, was engaged in the atrocious horse-stealing activities of being tempted by Robert, his nephew. It is the region of Windsor where Fred grew up and spent his early years before his family moved to Maitland in 1840. Fred was employed when he was a kid at the age of eleven in a cattle station of New England district. He worked there throughout his entire childhood as a horse-breaker and soon evolved as an excellent horseman.Captain Thunderbolt: FamilyCaptain Thunderbolt had a rather big family. Brought up by Michael Ward and his wife Sophia, Fred had nine other siblings.His father worked in cattle farms, and Fred himself spent a significant part of his childhood employed as a horse-breaker and a drover in a cattle farm of the New England district. He became well acquainted with horses, and it was later his horsemanship that aided him in his horse stealing as he came to be known as a professional bushranger.Captain Thunderbolt: BiographyPeople flocked around to view his dead body after Walter shot him; it can be well understood that Captain Thunderbolt was a famous man.Did you know he was arrested in 1856 for selling 50 stolen horses?His method of not choosing violence, his gentleman-like behavior attracted all. A picture of his dead body was sold for shillings in a postcard. As his entire family became horse stealers, they were sent off to Cockatoo Island, where they were required to work hard. But, Fred Ward meanwhile stole a horse and was burdened with extra three years of imprisonment. But, he escaped aided by his wife Ann and spent the entire time stealing horses and narrowly escaped several times till he was shot dead by Walter.Where did Captain Thunderbolt live?He was born in 1835 and lived in many places. For a certain period of time, Fred lived in a New England district where he was involved with a cattle farm. He thus was born and grew up in the region of Windsor.Frederick Ward departed the Mudgee district in violation of ticket-of-leave requirements to take Mary Ann Bugg back to her father’s farm at Monkerai near Dungog for the baby’s birth. He arrived late for his three-monthly muster, and his ticket-of-leave was canceled as a result. Frederick Ward made matters worse by coming at Mudgee on a stolen horse.Frederick Ward and a comrade, Fred Britten, snuck away from their Cockatoo Island workgang on September 11, 1863, and hid for two days before swimming from the island’s north side, probably certainly to Woolwich. While most Thunderbolt publications indicate that Mary Ann Bugg helped Frederick Ward escape, others claim that she stayed in Dungog during Ward’s second sentence on Cockatoo Island and did not see him until after his breakout.Constable Alexander Binney Walker killed Ward at Kentucky Creek near Uralla on May 25, 1870, after reportedly robbing travelers at the Big Rock. After a long chase across rocky terrain for several kilometers, he was apprehended, faced death, and was killed by shooting in the left knee. Ward may or may not have died at Kentucky Creek on May 25, 1870, with others speculating that another man died in his place. According to a resolution made by Nationals upper house whip Rick Colless in March 2010, the NSW Legislative Council went so far as to demand the release of archive materials connected to Ward’s death.Over the next ten years, he worked at several stations in northern NSW, including the renowned horse-stud Tocal, and his equestrian skills quickly became apparent. Hundreds of people came to see the body, and the community raised a significant sum as a mark of respect for Constable Walker. Along with numerous others, Walker received a silver medal for bravery at the end. Ward used only young, malleable accomplices: Thomas Mason in 1867 and William Monckton in 1868. Ward stayed primarily in solitude after Monckton abandoned him, reappearing only a few times to conduct thefts in the following eighteen months.Thunderbolts Way connects Gloucester and Inverell and follows most of his original path between the Hunter Valley and the North West slopes and plains. ‘Thunderbolt’s Track’ is a 4WD fire trail following part of his initial journey through the Barrington Tops State Forest. Ward lived a quiet life robbing travelers, inns, stores, and stations over most of northern New South Wales for the next six and a half years, from the Hunter Region north to Queensland and from Tamworth nearly as far west as Bourke. Early in 1865, he embarked on a crime spree in the north-western plains with three other men, but the gang broke after young John Thompson was shot and captured at Millie, near Moree.In 1865, Ward formed his second bushranging gang with Patrick Kelly and Jemmy the Whisperer?Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created many interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Captain Thunderbolt facts, then why not take a look at Captain John Smith facts or Captain Marvel facts?
Captain Thunderbolt had a big reputation and was known to all as the ‘Gentleman Bushranger.’
