• Title
  Item 19: [Wanted poster, offering a reward for information leading to the capture of Ned Kelly], 13 December 1878
• Call number
  DLADD 76/item 19
  
• Level of description
  item
• Date
  
  13 December 1878
• Type of material
  Textual Records, Objects, Ephemera
• Reference code
  976993
• Issue Copy
  Digitised
• Physical Description
  1 poster - cotton (calico) - 56.8 cm x 45.5 cm
  
• Collection history
  Sir William Dixson purchased the proclamation from Melbourne bookseller A.H. Spencer in 1939. Spencer acquired the item from the nephew of "one of the pioneers of moving pictures in Melbourne [who] decided to do a film about Ned Kelly and after months of searching he was able to purchase this proclamation" Reference: Albert Henry Spencer letters to Sir William Dixson and invoices, receipts, etc., 2 September 1922-28 July 1952 (DLADD 889 Letter 107, dated 10th June 1939)
• Scope and Content
  Poster reads:
  V. R.
  MURDER of POLICE. £2,500 REWARD
  Whereas, by a notice published in the Government Gazette bearing date the 30th October 1878, a Reward of FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS was offered by the Government for such information as would lead to the capture of each of the four men therein described charged with the murder of certain members of the Police Force, in the King River District: AND WHEREAS it was decided to increase the Reward for the apprehension of one of the said four offenders, named EDWARD KELLY, from FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS to ONE THOUSAND POUNDS: NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Reward of ONE THOUSAND POUNDS will be paid by the Government for such information as will lead to the capture of the said EDWARD KELLY and FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS for each of the other three offenders referred to in the said notice of 30th October last.
  This notification is in lieu of that of the 30th day of October 1878 above referred to, which is hereby cancelled.
  Graham Berry,
  Chief Secretary
  Chief Secretary's Office, Melbourne, 13th December 1878
  By Authority : John Ferres, Government Printer, Melbourne.
• Copying Conditions
  Out of copyright: Created before 1955
  Please acknowledge:: Dixson Library, State Library of New South Wales
• Description source
  
  Information transferred from Dixson Manuscript Card Catalogue as part of the eRecords Project, 2011-2012.
• General note
  
  References relating to this poster:
  
  1878 'Murder of Police' Victoria Government Gazette 127, Date: Friday, December 13th, p. 3315, viewed 24 May, 2012, http://gazette.slv.vic.gov.au/archive/1860-1879/
  [Notice re the increase of the reward]
  
  1878 'THE BUSHRANGERS.', The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956), 14 December, p. 8, viewed 24 May, 2012, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5924702
  "In consequence of the latest exploit of the outlaws, the Government have decided to increase the reward for the apprehension or capture dead or alive, of Edward Kelly, from £500 to £1,000. This is notified in the Government Gazette and 700 or 800 calico posters, with that announcement, were last night forwarded to the districts in which the outrages were perpetrated. The total reward is thus brought up to £2,500. It is also announced in the Gazette that the Governor with the advice of the Executive Council, has appointed Inspecting-superintendent Nicolson to be assistant-commissioner of police."
  Digital order no:Album ID : 971093
• Signatures / Inscriptions
  
  Inscribed in ink (contemporary hand) on reverse:
  “940. 13 & 14 / 12 / 78
  £ 2500. / £ 1000 Ned Kelly / & £ 500 each / of others. / Murder of Police / 200 sent by Detectives to CC @ Benalla / night of 13/12/78 / Balance distributed from this office. 14/12/78 / 1010 said to be supplied / but 940 only received”
• Creator/Author/Artist
  Victoria. Chief Secretary's Dept
  
• Name
  Kelly, Ned, 1855-1880
  
• Subject
  Bushrangers--Victoria.
  Wanted posters--Victoria.
  
• Exhibited in
  
  Dixson 60 - State Library of New South Wales (2013)
• Open Rosetta viewer
  IE459000

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