Edward Davis (bushranger)
Encyclopedia
Edward Davis was an Australia convict turned bushranger
. His real name is not certain, but in April 1832 he was convicted under the name George Wilkinson for attempting to stead a wooden till and copper coins to the total value of 7 shillings. Sentenced to seven years transportation
, he arrived in Sydney
on the Camden in 1833 and was placed in the Hyde Park Barracks
. Over the next few years he escaped four times: on 23 December 1833 from the Barracks, on 1 December 1835 from Penrith
, on 10 January 1837 from the farmer he had been assigned to, and for a final time on 21 July 1838.
In the summer of 1839 he formed a bushranger gang of escaped convicts which roamed in New South Wales
, from Maitland
to the New England Highway
, in the Hunter Valley
, and down to Brisbane Water
near Gosford
. They had a main hideout at Pilcher's Mountain, near Dungog
. The gang members gained a Robin Hood
like reputation, for supposedly giving some of the plunder of the wealthy to their assigned convict servants, and for adopting a gallant air and flamboyant dress, and tying pink ribbons to their horses bridles. Davis instructed his gang that violence was only permissible in order to escape capture, but in December 1840 a store keepers clerk was killed by gang member John Shea in the course of a robbery at Scone
(Davis was elsewhere in the town at the time). Davis immediately retreated with the gang to a hideout at Doughboy Hollow at Murrurundi
, but they were surprised by a posse that had followed them. In the shootout, Davis was wounded in the shoulder. Davis and five others were captured, one escaped.
They stood trial in the Supreme Court
in Sydney, Shea charged with murder and the others with aiding and abetting Shea. They were all found guilty by a jury and condemned to death by Chief Justice Sir James Rowling. There was public sympathy for Davis with many appealing for a reprieve, but the Executive Council
confirmed the sentence. Davis was hanged on 16 March 1841. Davis was a Jew and was referred to later as "Teddy the Jewboy". He was assisted at his execution by the reader of the Sydney synagogue and buried in Jewish portion of the Sydney Devonshire Street Cemetery
.
Bushranger
Bushrangers, or bush rangers, originally referred to runaway convicts in the early years of the British settlement of Australia who had the survival skills necessary to use the Australian bush as a refuge to hide from the authorities...
. His real name is not certain, but in April 1832 he was convicted under the name George Wilkinson for attempting to stead a wooden till and copper coins to the total value of 7 shillings. Sentenced to seven years transportation
Penal transportation
Transportation or penal transportation is the deporting of convicted criminals to a penal colony. Examples include transportation by France to Devil's Island and by the UK to its colonies in the Americas, from the 1610s through the American Revolution in the 1770s, and then to Australia between...
, he arrived in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
on the Camden in 1833 and was placed in the Hyde Park Barracks
Hyde Park Barracks, Sydney
The Hyde Park Barracks is an internationally significant, impressive brick building and compound designed by convict architect Francis Greenway between 1818–19; originally built at the head of Macquarie Street to house convict men and boys....
. Over the next few years he escaped four times: on 23 December 1833 from the Barracks, on 1 December 1835 from Penrith
Penrith, New South Wales
Penrith is a suburb in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Penrith is located west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Penrith...
, on 10 January 1837 from the farmer he had been assigned to, and for a final time on 21 July 1838.
In the summer of 1839 he formed a bushranger gang of escaped convicts which roamed in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, from Maitland
Maitland, New South Wales
Maitland is a city in the Lower Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia and the seat of Maitland City Council, situated on the Hunter River approximately by road north of Sydney and north-west of Newcastle...
to the New England Highway
New England Highway
The New England Highway is a highway in Australia running from Hexham near Newcastle at its southern end to Yarraman near Toowoomba at its northern end. At its southern end it connects to the Pacific Highway and at its northern end it connects to the D'Aguilar Highway. It traverses the Hunter...
, in the Hunter Valley
Hunter Valley
The Hunter Region, more commonly known as the Hunter Valley, is a region of New South Wales, Australia, extending from approximately to north of Sydney with an approximate population of 645,395 people. Most of the population of the Hunter Region lives within of the coast, with 55% of the entire...
, and down to Brisbane Water
Brisbane Water
Brisbane Water is the northern arm of Broken Bay on the east coast of New South Wales Australia. Brisbane Water is named after Sir Thomas Brisbane, Governor of New South Wales between 1820 and 1825...
near Gosford
Gosford, New South Wales
Gosford is a city located on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia, approximately 76 km north of the Sydney central business district...
. They had a main hideout at Pilcher's Mountain, near Dungog
Dungog, New South Wales
Dungog is a country town on the Williams River in the upper Hunter Valley in New South Wales, Australia. Located in the middle of dairy and timber country, it is the centre of the Dungog Shire Local Government Area and at the 2006 census it had a population of 2,102 people. The area includes the...
. The gang members gained a Robin Hood
Robin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
like reputation, for supposedly giving some of the plunder of the wealthy to their assigned convict servants, and for adopting a gallant air and flamboyant dress, and tying pink ribbons to their horses bridles. Davis instructed his gang that violence was only permissible in order to escape capture, but in December 1840 a store keepers clerk was killed by gang member John Shea in the course of a robbery at Scone
Scone, New South Wales
Scone is a town in the Upper Hunter Shire in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales, Australia. At the 2006 census, Scone had a population of 4,624 people. It is located on the New England Highway north of Muswellbrook about 270 kilometres north of Sydney, and is part of the Hunter and Upper...
(Davis was elsewhere in the town at the time). Davis immediately retreated with the gang to a hideout at Doughboy Hollow at Murrurundi
Murrurundi, New South Wales
Murrurundi is a rural town in Upper Hunter Shire, located in the Upper Hunter Valley of New South Wales. Murrurundi, which is 193 km by road from Newcastle and 309 km from Sydney, has a population of 1,330 people...
, but they were surprised by a posse that had followed them. In the shootout, Davis was wounded in the shoulder. Davis and five others were captured, one escaped.
They stood trial in the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of New South Wales
The Supreme Court of New South Wales is the highest state court of the Australian State of New South Wales...
in Sydney, Shea charged with murder and the others with aiding and abetting Shea. They were all found guilty by a jury and condemned to death by Chief Justice Sir James Rowling. There was public sympathy for Davis with many appealing for a reprieve, but the Executive Council
Executive Council of New South Wales
The Executive Council of New South Wales is the cabinet of that Australian state, consisting of the Ministers, presided over by the Governor .-Role and history:...
confirmed the sentence. Davis was hanged on 16 March 1841. Davis was a Jew and was referred to later as "Teddy the Jewboy". He was assisted at his execution by the reader of the Sydney synagogue and buried in Jewish portion of the Sydney Devonshire Street Cemetery
Devonshire Street Cemetery
The Devonshire Street Cemetery was located between Eddy Avenue and Elizabeth Street, and between Chalmers and Devonshire Streets, in Sydney, Australia. It was consecrated in 1820. The Jewish section was used from 1832...
.