With the portraits of local identities Ben Hall, Stan McCabe, Jan Lehane and Henry Lawson being relocated from the Main Street to their new home at the Girl Guide and Scout Hall at the start of this year, The Grenfell Record will be featuring a short history of each identity put together by the Grenfell Historical Society and Museum over the coming month.
BEN HALL
Ben, the son of Benjamin and Eliza (nee Somers) Hall, was born at Breeza in 1837. The family came to “Uah” near Forbes where Ben worked with his father before he moved back to Murrundi in 1853.
Ben, his brother Bill, stepbrother Tommy Wade and sister all stayed in the Lachlan area. Ben had badly broken his leg while working on Bundaburra Station, Mrs Strickland setting his leg and nursing him back to health.
In 1860 Ben and his brother-in-law tendered for Sandy Creek Station (6,500 hectares for 31 pounds a year rent. Ben worked long and hard to make a go of the farm. Ben was a well-respected farmer, but in April 1862 everything changed.
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Provoked by a wonderful arrest by Sir Henry Pottinger, at Wowingragen Races, and held in custody at Forbes, on no charge. Ben when released, returned home to find his stock, which had been yarded, dead and his wife and beloved son, Harry gone.
The persecution of Hall by the police led to many incidents where the bushrangers delighted in making fun of Pottinger. Embittered by Police actions Ben delighted in outsmarting them.
John Hughes wrote in the Bathurst Times November 1863: “I believe that the authorities at Forbes made Ben Hall and O’Meally bushrangers.”
The Gold Escort robbery was planned at Pinnacle, and the gang rode to Eugowra to carry out the robbery. After the robbery Hall along with McGuire and Charters were arrested on suspicion of being involved.
Charters turned informer, implicating all except his good friends Hall and O’Meally. He called them Billy and Charlie and said he did not know their surnames.
Owing to the lack of evidence Ben Hall was released at the end of August 1862, and John O’Meally released in September, and their bushranging began in earnest.
The network of “bush telegraphs” and “safe houses”, along with superb horsemanship helped the bushrangers outsmart the police for the next two and a half years.
Ben had never killed anyone in his bushranging days, but he was always armed. He was often referred to as the 'Gentleman Bushranger' by many.
In April 1865, Ben decided to quit bushranging, so he approached his “friend” and bush telegraph, Goobang Mick Connelly to get his proceeds, which Mick had been banking in Forbes.
Connelly, whether by choice or was forced to tipped the police off, and received an award of 500 pounds.
Ben Hall, alone, was bedding down for the night, when backtracker Billy Dargin reported to Sargeant Condell and Davidson that he had seen Hall. The party spent a freezing night waiting until daybreak.
As they neared, Hall jumped up and Davidson called for him to surrender. Wounded, Hall asked Bill Margin to finish him off.
Officially the police fired 15 shots into his body. The body was taken to Forbes on May 4, 1865 and was placed on a stretcher in the Police Barracks for public viewing.
He was buried at Forbes, aged 28 years.
For more information about local identities and history, there is a great display at the Grenfell Historical Society and Museum, plus much more information. The Museum is open on Saturday and Sunday from 2-4 pm, and on a Monday from 9.30 am onwards
