William Culph (bef. 1828 - 1889)

Ancestors Descendants

Biography

William was baptised May 25th 1828 at Belstead, Suffolk, England. He is the son of William Culph and Mary Nock.^[1] Residing with his parents at age 13 at Walton On The Hill, Lancashire.^[2] He married Elizabeth Webber on December 25, 1849, in St Nicholas, Liverpool, Lancashire, they lived with Elizabeth's parents in Kirkdale, Lancashire, England^[3].

Elizabeth & William had nine children in Australia, and were to finally establish themselves in the Wangaratta area, not before trying Tullamarine, Bulla Bull and Collingwood, the small town of Oxley, about 11 Km out of Wangaratta to the South seems to be the main focus ^[6].

TROUT Release[4]

Fishing was favourite pastime for the CULPH family .^[4]

William along with his son Victor were among the first to release trout into the Oven and King River^[4]

It is thought the family settled in the Oxley district by 1868 as a W.Culph applied to the Department of Education for a school at Oxley for his children Thomas 9; Elizabeth 7; and Henry 5 years old with a second application to the Education Department in 1875.

SWINDLED - 'Salted Goldmine'

Caught up with the Gold Rush fever that Victoria was at the time 'all a buzz' with;

William was the victim of the Gold Rush Fever and was conned into purchasing a 'Salted Goldmine' in Myrtleford, Victoria .^[4]

CULPH Blacksmith Shop, Moyhu or Milawa[4]

William and his family in 1868 & 1875 were running a Blacksmith shop in Milawa (Oxley);

The CULPH Blacksmith Shop, Wangaratta[4]

In later years the CULPH family had Blacksmithing shops all over North Eastern Victoria.

In 1878 it was recorded in the Police records that, William Culph and son Charles Culph were sympathizes of the infamous Ned Kelly Gang

And....unless you are his Grandson Tom Newth; William with Blacksmith skills, labour, equipment at his disposal, along with being a known Kelly sympathiser and Greta Mob member, it is not a difficult stretch of the imagination, to believe as the evidence would suggest, that William and his brothers could very well be the men who were a large part of the Legend of ......

Legend & Rumour

Legend has it that was William and his brothers are known as the creators THE most iconic piece of metal work in Australia

The armour was made out of mould boards from ploughs at a Blacksmith shop in Greta.. . The mould boards were heated and belted out on a green log so that the iron would fit across Ned Kelly's chest. The armour weighed 44 kilograms (97 lb) and the Iron was a quarter inch thick, it consisted of a long breast-plate, shoulder-plates, back-guard, and helmet, the suits' separate parts were strapped together on the body while the helmet was separate and sat on the shoulders, allowing it to be removed easily. After the Police shootout there were five bullet marks on the helmet, three on the breast-plate, nine on the back-plate, and one on the shoulder-plate. ^[4][7][8]

Ned Kelly in his Armour

Tom Newth (Wlliam's Grandson) writes

"It's hard to relate Grandfather Culph, whom I remember as a quiet old man in the early 20's and who seemed to be always playing cards, to be involved in such an illicit business "^[4][9]

William died on January 31, 1889, in Oxley, Victoria, at the age of 61, and was buried at Milawa Cemetery (aka Oxley Cemetery), Victoria, Australia. ^[4][6]

[1][2][3][4][10][5][6][7][8][9][11][12]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1}
   England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 • 05 Feb 2016

   England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975, database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J73D-G73 : accessed 5 February 2016), William Culf, 25 May 1828; citing BELSTEAD, reference ; FHL microfilm 918,512.
   Name William Culf • Gender Male • Christening Date 25 May 1828 • Christening Place SUFFOLK COUNTY BTS, SUFFOLK, ENGLAND • Birthplace BELSTEAD • Father's Name William Culf • Mother's Name Mary

2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1}
   1841 England Census

   Civil Parish Walton On The Hill • Hundred West Derby • County/Island Lancashire • Country England • Registration District West Derby • Sub-registration District Everton • Piece 519 Book11 Folio 25
   

   Household Members:

   1. William CULPH Age 35 • Male • DOB 1806 • POB Lancashire, England
   2. Mary CULPH Age 35 • Female • DOB 1806 • POB Lancashire, England
   3. Mary CULPH Age 15 • Female • DOB 1826 • POB Lancashire, England
   4. William CULPH Age 13 • Male • DOB 1828 • POB Lancashire, England
   5. Sarah Culph Age 10 • Female • DOB 1831 • POB Lancashire, England
   6. Eliza Culph Age 08 • Female • DOB 1833 • POB Lancashire, England
   7. Robert Culph Age 06 • Male • DOB 1835 • POB Lancashire, England
   8. Thomas Culph Age 03 • Male • DOB 1838 • POB Lancashire, England
   9. Elizabeth Culph Age 06 Mo • Female • DOB 1840 • POB Lancashire, England
      

3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1}
   1851 England Census • Retrieved 31 Jan 2016

   Civil Parish: Kirkdale • County/Island: Lancashire • Country: England • Street address: 12 No.4 Boundry Street (Northside), Kirkdale, Lancashire, England • Registration district: West Derby • Sub-registration district: Everton ED, institution, or vessel: 2a • Household schedule number: 120 • Piece: 2190 • Folio: 330 • Page Number: 30 • Original data: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1851. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1851 • Source Citation Class: HO107; Piece: 2190; Folio: 330; Page: 30; GSU roll: 87197
   Household Members:

   1. Charles Webber Age 44 • Breconshire, Swanage • Head • Occ Stonemason, Journeyman.
   2. Pheobe Webber Age 42 • Breconshire, Swanage • Spouse • Occ Home Duties.
   3. William Webber Age 18 • Breconshire, Swanage • Son • Occ Stonemason, Journeyman.
   4. Carmie Webber Age 15 • Manchester, Lancashire • Daughter.
   5. Susan Webber Age 13 • Manchester, Lancashire • Daughter.
   6. Henry Webber Age 11 • Manchester, Lancashire • Son.
   7. Charles Webber Age 03 • Kirkdale, Lancashire • Son.
   8. Alice M A Webber Age 02 Mo • Kirkdale, Lancashire • Daughter.
   9. William Calph Age 22 • Kirkdale, Lancashire • Son-In-Law • Blacksmith, Journeyman
   10. Elizabeth Webber Age 30 • Swanage, Dorset • Kirkdale, Lancashire • Daughter.
   11. William H Calph Age 02 Weeks • Kirkdale, Lancashire

4. ↑ ^{4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10}
   Book; A Family History by Tom Newth • 05 Feb 2016

   Hi Di Ho, comp. Cover. A Family History - Author Tom Newth. Print. With thanks to daraus3644

5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1}
   Index to Assisted British Immigration 1839-1871,• 06 Feb 2016

   Depature England, departing Port Liverpool on the 24 Mar 1853 on the Ship THAMES (Captain Barclay, W. 3 08 1853 R via Madeira 16 Apr 1853) • Destination Australia, disembarking at Melbourne on the 10th Mar 1853; Book 09 Page 57
   Passengers (CULPH) missnamed as CULPIT

   1. Elizabeth Age 22
   2. William Age 24
   3. WM HY Age 01

6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2}
   Family Group Records by Hi Di Ho • 05 Feb 2016

   With thanks to daraus3644

7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1}
   Book; The Ned Kelly Encyclopaedia by Justin Corfield • 05 Feb 2016

   Hi Di Ho, comp. Pages 117 & 118. CULPH, Charles & William. Print. With thanks to daraus3644

8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1}
   Wikitree Profile Ned Kelly,• 07 Feb 2016

9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1}
   Book; That's what Grandpa Said by Tom Newth • 05 Feb 2016

   , '"THAT'S WHAT GRANDPA SAID." Written by Tom Newth; Listed in the book are many of the dates and incidents of the event in the Kelly Story from 1841 to 1886

10. ↑
    1849 Liverpool, England, Marriages and Banns, 1813-1921

    Name: William Culph • Age: Full Age • Marriage Date: 25 Dec 1849 • Parish: Liverpool, St Nicholas • Spouse's Name: Elizabeth Webber • Father's name: William Culph • Spouse Father's Name: Charles Webber • Reference Number: 283 NIC/3/39
    

11. ↑
    Memorial Inscription

    Milawa Cemetery (aka Oxley Cemetery)), Victoria , Australia

12. ↑
    Detective Wilson reports on the making of armour • 06 Feb 2015

    VPRS 4965 Consignment P0 Unit 1 Item 29 Record 1 Document: Detective Wilson reports on the making of armour for the late Kelly Gang of murderers and bushrangers:

    19 August1880

    Overview

    Dated the 19.08.1880, this report by Detective Wilson – to the Secretan of the Detectives Office in Melbourne – gives a brief account of his findings regarding the making of the Kelly Gang’s armour. Suspicion according to Wilson’s report lay between blacksmiths Pat Delaney, in Greta, and Chris Culph of Oxley. According to Wilson, he made extensive inquiries throughout various townships but he was unable to ascertain any evidence linking any one person to the making of the armour. Even today, the identity of the maker or makers of the Kelly Gang armour remains a mystery.

    Transcribed text Page 01 Page 02

    VPRS 4965 Consignment P0 Unit 1 Item 29 Record 1 Document: Detective Wilson reports on the making of armour for the late Kelly Gang of murderers and bushrangers

    To

    F.Secretan, Esq

    Dectective Office

    Melbourne

    VICTORIA POLICE -[57]DETECTIVE REPORT.Re.”Making of Armour” for the late Kelly Gang of murderers and Bushrangers

    POLICE DEPARTMENT

    Melbourne, Detective Office, 19/8/80

    Sir,

    I have the honor to report for the, information of the Officer, in charge of Detectives, that I searched and made inquiry for the person, or persons who made the armour for the above mentioned gang of bushrangers, and, up to the present, have been unable to find out the same. I called and remained for a time at the folowing places: viz;- Kilfeeras Station (Herricks’), Mason and Wests’ Station, Greta township, Oxley, Millawah, Wangaratta, Glenrowan, Winton, Benalla, Beechworth, and farms where sympathisers and other friends of the gang were located.

    I learned that a suspicion rested on Pat Delaney, blacksmtih, of Greta, and Chas Culph, blacksmith of Oxley, the former because he was an intimate friend and could be relied upon by the head of the gang (Ned Kelly), and the latter because he was away from his place of business a short time before the gang were exterminated and captured,

    I made myself acquainted with relatives, sympathisers and friends of the outlaws, and found that they either “did not know” or would not disclose who was the guilty person or persons who manufactured the coats of iron for outlaws.

    I watched the trial of Edward Kelly, at Beechworth, but could not gain anything of any importance referring to the matter in question

    Alex. D Wilson

    det.3102i
    

'

See also:

• WikiTree Ned Kelly Profile
• Iron Outlaw

Exerpt "THE most iconic piece of metal work in Australia - Ned Kelly's armour - has become the symbol for a group of maverick federal MPs trying to save manufacturing jobs." "Senator Madigan, said he shared a link to the bushranger as his great, great grandfather was a coach driver for Cobb & Co and friends with William Culph who made the original armour for the Kelly gang."

- See more at: http://prov.vic.gov.au/whats-on/exhibitions/ned-kelly/the-kelly-story/brought-to-justice/detective-wilson-reports-on-the-making-of-armour-for-the-late-kelly-gang-of-murderers-and-bushrangers#sthash.vemN7JSu.dpuf