Obituaries Australia

Ellen Kelly, with her granddaughters, 1911

State Library of Victoria, H2003.25/4

The death occurred at Greta West, near Wangaratta, yesterday of Mrs. Ellen King, formerly Kelly, mother of Ned and Dan Kelly, the notorious bushrangers. For 40 years Mrs. King, who was 95 years of age, lived in the seclusion of the wild hills at Greta West. She was born in Antrim, Ireland, and came to Australia with her parents in 1841. She married John Kelly at Ballarat in 1851[1]. Her husband died at Avenel, and she subsequently married George King. Mr. James Kelly, a familiar figure at the Wangaratta stock sales, is her surviving son. The exploits of the Kelly gang held public interest during the stirring period from 1878 to 1880.