John George Dooling (1856 - 1887)

Born 28 Apr 1856 in Castlemaine, Colony of Victoria

Ancestors

Died 21 Jun 1887 at age 31 in Hawthorn, Colony of Victoria

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Biography

John Dooling was an Australian Bushranger

The Wild Colonial Boy is a song about Australian Bushrangers. The earliest known performance of the song was in June 1880, when it was sung for the Kelly gang at Glenrowan before the capture of Ned Kelly. It is said to be based on a number of Australian Bushrangers including John Doolan, Bold Jack Donohue and Jack Duggan. The lyrics, however, have nothing in common with Doolan, except the birthplace of the songs subject was Castlemaine, Ireland, and Doolan's was also Castlemaine, but in Australia.

John Dooling was born in Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia. His parents were William Dooling and Ann, née Burke, who were both Irish ex convicts.^[1]

John Dooling began his life innocently enough, as most children do. In May 1868, at the age of thirteen, his father William Dooling apprenticed him to shoemaker, Mr. J. H. Abbott. There were several persons working in the shoemaker shop. What began with quiet arguments and name calling ended on 8 Jan 1869, when after being called a thief one too many times. John Doolan stabbed John Zahner with his pocket knife. Zahner's wounds were attended to, and John Doolan after being tried was sent to a reformatory for twelve months.^[2][3]

In Jan 1872, John (called James Kelly) and William Jones alias Healey began a spree of juvenile bushranging. Jones had been at the reformatory with John and it is stated that he may have escaped. Jones acquired a pistol. The two 17 year olds, stole men's clothing, held up a woman, Bridget Foley of Axedale, at gunpoint for the little cash she had and some food. Mr. Steer, blacksmith of Axedale had his horse stolen. Early 9 Jan 1872, the two stole items from the outbuildings on the Campaspe River, owned by Patrick Hallinan. They loaded the items into a cart, hitched to the stolen horse. Unfortunately for them, an employee of Hallinan, Patrick Donohue, was awakened. The boys held him at gunpoint, while they finished their thieving. After the young ruffians took off with their spoils, Donohue, awoke his employer and Hallinan followed the boys. When Hallinan was able to determine they were headed to Sandhurst, he rode to the Huntly Police Station, and awoke Constable Davidson, who also rode out. Davidson caught up to them at the White Hills Hamlet. He “bailed them up; arrested them, and took possessionof the cart.” The prisoners were surprised, frightened and compliant.^[4][5]

John pleaded not guilty. The boys were tried. William Jones, pleaded quilty, and received a sentence of 17 years on various counts. James Kelly alias Doolan received twelve years for two charges of robbery under arms and another two years for horse stealing, a total of 14 years. Mrs. Doolan burst into "loud and peircing lamentations, crying 'Oh, my boy, my poor boy.' "^[6] She had to be removed from court.^[6][7]

The sentence was considered excessive, and probably unproductive. Petitions were circulated to have the sentences remitted.^[8]

The petition failed but Doolan's term was reduced to ten and a half years, which was mostly served in Pentridge gaol, Melbourne. At the time he was 5 ft 1 ins (155 cm) tall, weighed 7 st. 12½ lb. (48.1 kg). He was buck-toothed, and sallow complexioned, had brown hair and eyes and freckles. He was released in August 1882 and vanished from official records.^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Granville Allen Mawer, 'Doolan, John (1856–?)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, <http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/doolan-john-12889/text23285> published first in hardcopy 2005, accessed online 20 May 2019. This article was first published in hardcopy in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Supplementary Volume, (MUP), 2005
2. ↑ Trove Digitised Newspapers - "Stabbing Case." Bendigo Avertiser Wed 20 Jan 1869. p. 3. Col. 4. 13 year old John Doolan charged with stabbing older boy
3. ↑ The Argus (Melbourne, Victoria) Wed 17 Feb 1869 p. 7 col. 5. Contains sentence
4. ↑ ”Juvenile Bushranging.” Bendigo Advertiser (Vic. : 1855 - 1918) Wed 10 Jan 1872. p. 2. col. 1
5. ↑ "The Young Bushrangers" Bendigo Advertiser (Vic. : 1855 - 1918) Wed 17 Jan 1872. p. 2 col. 3
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} "The Criminal Sessions." Bendigo Advertiser (Vic. : 1855 - 1918) Thu 22 Feb 1872. Article p.2 col 3.
7. ↑ "Robbery." Bendigo Advertiser (Vic. : 1855 - 1918) Tue 20 Feb 1872 p. 2. col. 5.
8. ↑ The Age (Melbourne, Vic) Tue 27 Feb 1872. p. 2 col. 7

• Newspapers viewable at Trove, National Library of Austalia. Online newspapers

See also:

• Space page Australian Bushrangers
• Pictorial History of Bushrangers, 1966 Landsdowne Press, Melbourne. Paul Hamlyn revised edition 1970. H. Nunn, Bill Wannan and Tom Prior.