Bushrangers: Frank Gardiner led a notorious gang. Frank Gardiner. Frank Gardiner (born c. 1830, Ross-shire, Scotland; died California, USA) was a noted Australian bushranger of the 19th century.
He was born in Scotland in 1830 and migrated from to Australia as a child with his parents in 1834,.[1][2] His real name was Francis Christie, though he often used one of several other aliases including Gardiner, Clarke or Christie. He supposedly took the name Gardiner after a man who lived for some years with his family and who had taught him how to ride and break in horses. Although almost all legend states that his real name is Francis Christie, he signed his name 'Frank Gardiner'. He used the surname Gardiner while in America and he remains one of the more enigmatic Australian bushrangers. Appearance[edit] Gardiner was 5 ft 9 inches tall with an athletic build, with his brown wavy hair and hazel eyes, he was attractive with a face of a corsair and a smooth voice.[3] Early career[edit] Lachlan Gold Escort robbery[edit]
Francis (Frank) Gardiner. Francis (Frank) Gardiner (1830-1903?)
, bushranger, was born in Scotland, son of Charles Christie and his wife Jane, née Whittle. The family reached Sydney in the James in 1834 and settled at Boro near Goulburn. He went to Victoria and in October 1850 as Francis Christie was sentenced to five years' hard labour at Geelong for horse stealing. Next March he escaped from Pentridge gaol and returned to New South Wales. In March 1854 he was convicted as Francis Clarke at Goulburn on two charges of horse stealing and imprisoned on Cockatoo Island. Gardiner joined up with Johnny Piesley; after ranging the old Lachlan Road they moved to the Weddin Mountains and were joined by John Gilbert, Ben Hall and others. On 15 June 1862 at the Coonbong Rock near Eugowra Gardiner's gang held up the gold escort and got away with £14,000. BUSHRANGERS - Frank Gardiner. Australian bushranger Frank Gardiner - Gunslingers - Family History & Genealogy Message Board - Ancestry.com.au.
Francis Gardiner went by many aliases, including "Darkie" Clark, "The Highwayman", "The King of the Road", the "Father of Bushranging", the "Prince of Tobymen", and Francis Christie, whom most believe was his real name.
Frank Gardiner was born in Scotland around 1830, and became skilled at riding and shooting while growing up on a farm at Boro, Australia. He was tall (five foot - eight), with black hair, dark eyes, and was very polite, a gentleman to the core and Australia's "Most Wanted" bushranger and first world famous celebrity. Frank Gardiner : About New South Wales. © The National Library of Australia Frank Gardiner (born Francis Christie) was the son of Scottish free settlers who moved to Australia in 1834 taking up a property near Goulburn.
Gardiner was first convicted in Geelong for horse theft and after escaping 6 months later would return to New South Wales. This would be the first of many arrests for Gardiner primarily for horse stealing and upon breaking his parole after his release from Cockatoo Island in 1859, he moved south. He would eventually set up a butchery in Lambing Flat reportedly trading in stolen meat.
Joining up with other notorious bushrangers Ben Hall and John Gilbert, it would be his highway robberies which would have him feared along the trade roads of New South Wales. Sentenced to thirty-two years hard labour, the decision to impart such a severe punishment was divisive in Sydney society. Ancient Australian History.
Frank Gardiner was one of the few bushrangers who didn’t end up dying in prison or by being shot or hanged.
Born in 1830, he began his life of crime by stealing horses when he was twenty. This brought him a five-year jail sentence. He escaped and returned to horse stealing. Caught again, he was sent to jail for seven years, but was released after three. He became a butcher. A warrant was put out for his arrest. While they waited forage stagecoach, the gang forced two bullock drivers to leave their bullock teams in the middle of the road so that the coach could not pass. Frank Gardiner Highwayman. Finding a Fugitive Acting upon information received by the Sydney police authorities, detectives McGlone and Pye and mounted trooper Wells were dispatched to Rockhampton per “Balclutha“, in the early part of last month, arriving here on the 11th February.
Detained a fortnight by the floods, they started for Apis Creek, reaching that place on the 2nd March and pitching their tents 300 or 400 yards from a store kept by a man named Christie, whom they believed to be the object of their search and whose person they wished to subject to scrutiny. Setting the Trap Fearing recognition, McGlone sent detective Pye and trooper Wells to the store for goods telling them to purchase a nobbler of brandy for their sick mate, who was at their tent. This they obtained, with some meat, and returned to the tent, seeing the woman who passed as his wife - alleged to be Mrs.
After tea, McGlone and Pye observed Christie sitting on the store step, and the former immediately recognised him.