The Women
Ellen King, nee Kelly, nee Quinn is the heart of any story told about the Kelly
gang. Her family, her children, her spirit and her own unwitting actions were at
the heart of the unforgettable events which unfolded in the late 1870s in the north
east of Victoria, Australia.
Ned Kelly is a giant figure in Australian
history. The legend of his exploits, with bushranging, the police hunt, the siege,
and his hanging, is almost universally recognised by Australians. It is a powerful
and fascinating story, but the perception that Ned Kelly's story is a man's story
neglects the most fundamental element of the story: Edward Kelly's love and concern
for his mother Ellen, and his family. In fact, the pivotal events involved women
in some way.
Hearing the story through the voices of
the Kelly women is a powerful means of conveying the full picture of what happened
to this family and why grief and conflict over the Kellys still remains in the community.
Quilting the Armour: The Play
A new Australian play.
For the first time on stage, the Ned Kelly saga is seen through the eyes of women.
Quilting the Armour is the story of the courage and suffering of the
many women involved in the Kelly story, from the Kelly women to the wives of the
policemen shot at Stringybark Creek.
It is not another story of the Kelly gang but a uniquely female perspective of the
Kelly outbreak of the late 1870s.
This website is designed to foster an interest in the Kelly women's stories and
to explore both historic and contemporary understandings of their lives and the
significant roles they played in the life of Ned Kelly.
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