KENNEDY'S WATCH

After the police shootings at Stringybark Creek Ned Kelly removed a gold watch from the dead body of
Sergeant Michael Kennedy.

The widow of Sgt Kennedy sought the return of the watch, it would not be until 1893 before the watch
would be given to the poor widow.

It is amazing to think that it was eventually returned to the rightful owner.

Something even more interesting to me is the fact that today a direct descendent of Sgt Kennedy is a serving
member of the same police force. (Victorian Police)

His name is also Michael Kennedy.

Constable Kennedy some years ago & recently when he was married and photographed at
the Police Memorial in Mansfield.

John Kelly (policeman) at the trial of Ned Kelly claimed Ned said at his capture at Glenrowan:

He said "I had to shoot them or they would have shot me"-
He was searched on the spot. I asked him if he had Sergt Kennedy's
watch or where it was as I promised Mrs Kennedy to try & get it
if I ever was at the arrest of the accused.

AFTER MANY YEARS.

--------------------
A REMINISCENCE OF THE KELLY GANG.
-------------------------------------------

[BY TELEGRAPH]
(Our Own Correspondent.)
[PER S.S. MARAROA AT THB BLUFF.]

Melbourne, 26th April, Mr. Wallace, of the Broken River Hotel,
has been successful in obtaining possession of a watch taken from
Sergeant Kennedy when he was shot at Stringybark Creek, Wombat Ranges,
by the Kelly Gang in October, 1878, when Constables Lonagan and Scanlan
were also shot. Wallace was once a member of the police force. He had a good
idea where the watch was, and for years he has been trying to secure it and
restore it to Mrs. Kennedy. There was an erroneous impression abroad that a
reward of £5O had been offered for its restoration,- and an individual whose
name Mr. Wallace declines to disclose offered to got the watch back if there
was no fear of prosecution. Wallace wrote to the Chief Commissioner, who
replied that there was no reward, and as the persons who stole the watch were
clearly dead no prosecution would be instituted. The correspondence took place
in July last, and nothing more was heard until Thursday, when a little girl left
in the bar of the hotel a brown-paper parcel addressed to Wallace, who was not
told of the matter until Saturday. He then opened the parcel, and found a gold
watch with the initials " M.K." on it, and on referring to the description in an old
Police Gazette saw that it was the watch presented to Kennedy by the Anti-Cattle
Stealing Association. He at once wired to the Chief Commissioner and Mrs. Kennedy
who is living at Mansfield, that he had got the murdered man's watch, and that it
was in good condition except that the mainspring was broken.

Source: National Library of New Zealand.

1 July 1880 Port Phillip Herald (Paper of Record)

September 14, 1911

THE RESTORATION OF KENNEDY'S WATCH.

"One thing more I'd like to clear up,' said the man from Glenrowan,
"is the mystery of the restoration of Sergeant Kennedy's watch. It was
a gold watch and a very valuable one. After the tragedy in the Wombat
Ranges Ned Kelly wore this watch for a long while. Mrs. Kennedy was
very anxious to gain possession of it, and she enlisted the assistance
of a man named Wallace, who had been in the police force, and who at
the time was keeping the Broken River Hotel. Acting on her suggestion,
Wallace let it be known amongst the friends of the outlaws that he
would give 10 pounds to anybody who returned the watch to him. One day
a little girl about 14 or 15 years of age - I know now that she was a
cousin of Ned Kelly - went into Wallace's hotel, and told him that she
had come for the 10 pounds. Wallace tried hard to find out from the
girl who she was or what her antecendents were, but she would say
nothing but that she had come with the watch, and that she was not to
be interfered with. Wallace had sense enough to know that strict
compliance with the letter of the compact was his safest course, so he
handed over the 10 pounds to the child and received the watch in
return. Not long afterwards it was in Mrs. Kennedy's possession."

Source: B.W. Cookson's The Kelly Gang From Within series, Sydney Sun,

Thanks to Sharon Hollingsworth for the articles on this page.