The family of Benjamin and Eliza Hall:
Hall, Benjamin (snr.) 1805-1877; married (1834) Elizabeth Somers 1808-1869; they had eight children:
Mary 1833-1910
William 1834 – 1915
Edward 1836 – 1925
Benjamin 1837-1865
Robert 1841 – 1919
Catherine 1843 – 1908
Henry 1845 – 1919
Ellen 1850 – 1913
Chronology – Ben Hall
9th May 1837 – Ben Hall born at Wallis Plains, near Maitland;
Late 1838 – Benjamin and Eliza move the family to an isolated valley in the mountains at the head of the Hunter River, an area that is still known as Ben Hall’s Creek;
November 1842 – The Village of Murrurundi is first proclaimed, Benjamin and Eliza buy a small block of land on Pages River;
1842- 1850 – The Hall family is living in Murrurundi; there is no evidence that Ben ever attended school there although his younger siblings did so;
Late 1850 – His father Benjamin travelled to the Lachlan with William, Mary, Ben and Tommy Wade;
1850-1856 – Ben Hall worked as a stockman on several stations south of the Lachlan River near The Pinnacle, including Tomanbil, Wheoga, Bundaburra and Uar stations;
29th Feb. 1856 – Ben married Bridget Walsh at St Michaels, Bathurst;
7th August 1859 – A son Henry is born at Charters farm near Carcoar; there are numerous references to another child having been born before Henry, although there is no documentary evidence for this;
1859 – 1860 – Ben Hall and his brother in law John Maguire purchase a Crown Lease for the Sandy Creek run, between Wheogo and The Pinnacle
Early 1862 – Biddy elopes with James Taylor, taking young Henry with her;
14th April – Ben Hall seen in company with Frank Gardiner during the latter’s robbery of Bill Bacon’s drays near Forbes;
23rd April – Hall is arrested by Sir Frederick Pottinger at the Wowringragong races near Forbes; remanded in custody to answer the charge of armed robbery;
23rd May – Hall appeared in court at Orange; the charges were dismissed when the main witness for the prosecution inexplicably changed his testimony;
15th June – Ben Hall participates in the gold escort robbery near Eugowra in company with Frank Gardiner and six others: Gilbert, Manns, Fordyce, Charters, Bow and O’Meally;
Late July – Hall and several others arrested at Sandy Creek and charged with highway robbery;
28th August – Ben Hall released on bail after the police were unable to produce evidence of his involvement in the robbery - the Crown witness, Daniel Charters, refused to identify Hall as one of the robbers;
Aug-Dec 1862 – The lease on Sandy Creek is turned over to John Wilson; Hall left with nothing.
1863 Chronology
7th February: robbery of the Pinnacle police station;
21st February: Wombat – robbery of Solomon’s store;
1st March: Sandy Creek –gunfight and capture of sub-Inspector Norton;
14th March: Sandy Creek –Ben Hall’s hut burnt down by Pottinger;
21st April: robbery of Barnes’ store at Cootamundry;
9th May: Bogalong –robbery of sub-Inspector Shadforth;
15th May: robbery of Barnes’ store;
7th June: robbed stores at Possum Flat near Lambing Flat;
30th July: attempted robbery of the Commercial Bank in Carcoar by Gilbert and O’Meally;
2nd August: theft of racehorse ‘Comus II’ from Coombing Park by Vane and Burke;
24th August: bailed up diggers at Duffer Gully near Lambing Flat;
26th August: robbed Hammond’s store at Junee;
29th August: robbed Demondrille Station;
30th August: shootout with police at Tutill’s hut near Wombat;
31st August: murder of shopkeeper John Barnes near Wallendbean by O’Meally;
1st September: robbery of stores at Burrowa;
10th September: rrobbed Eastlake’s store at 12 Mile Rush near Lambing Flat;
22nd September: bailed up police at Marsh’s station, stole uniforms and weapons;
25th September: robbed Louden’s Grubbenbong station;
26th September: robbed Rothery’s station at Cliefden;
27th September: Canowindra, robbed stores and Robinson’s inn;
29th September: robbed the Carcoar-Cowra mail coach;
1st October: bailed up McHattie and Battye near Bathurst;
3rd October: raid on Bathurst;
12-14th October: second raid on Canowindra; village held for 3 days;
15th October: Thomas Grant’s homestead burnt down as retaliation;
24th October: raid on Keightleys farm; Micky Burke shot dead
3rd November: third raid on Canowindra;
4th November: Eugowra; robbed drays, chased by police;
18th November: John Vane surrenders to te authorities;
19th November: raid on Goimbla station; John O’Meally shot dead;
2nd December: robberies near Burrowa
5th December: robbed travellers near Burrowa;
16-18th December: numerous robberies near Bowning;
1864 Chronology
26th January: Burrowa – robbed travellers;
13th February: Ben Hall bailed up John Wilson’s Sandy Creek station;
1st April: Bland Creek – robbed Chisholm’s Groggan station;
11th April: robbed travellers and Sheedy’s inn at Marengo;
5th May: Gooloogong – robbed drays;
20th May: Koorawartha – attempted robbery and shootout with police at the Bang Bang hotel;
23-30th May: numerous robberies on roads near Burrowa and Binalong;
6th June: Marengo – robbed Pring’s station;
13th June: robbed Clements’ station;
23rd June: Canowindra – robbed stores;
24th June: attacked Cliefden station but driven off;
7th July: Carcoar – robbed mail coaches;
16th July: robbed Grant’s station on the Belubula River;
9th August: Bland Creek – robbed Chisholm’s Groggan station;
18th August: Bogalong – gunfight with police (Ben Hall wounded in the arm);
19th August: robbed Gibson’s station near Lake Cowal;
21st August: Jugiong – robbed travellers;
24th August: robbed Beggan Beggan station near Binalong;
24-29th August: robbed travellers on the roads near Jugiong;
25th September: robbed mail coach near Yass;
27th September: robbed Beggan Beggan station;
6th October: Bland Creek – robbed Jamieson’s station;
24th “ robbed travellers near Goulburn; robbed mail coach; robbed Bean’s Inn.
25-26th October: numerous robberies near Goulburn;
29th October: robbed Chinese miners near Wombat;
8th November: robbed Rossiville station near Goulburn;
9-11th November: numerous robberies between Goulburn and Breadalbane;
15-16th November: robberies on the roads near Jugiong;
17th November: Jugiong – robbed the Gundagai mail coach; Sgt Parry shot dead by Gilbert;
19th November: robbed mail coach near Lambing Flat;
26th November: visited at Higgins’ Dog and Duck Inn near Forbes;
27th November: Forbes – visited Young’s inn and John Newell’s inn near Bandon;
5-9th December: Binalong – numerous robberies on the roads;
19th December: robbed travellers on the road between Goulburn and Marulan near Plumbs Inn;
26th December: Binda – burning of Morriss’ store;
29th December: near Binalong – robbed travellers.
1865 Chronology
5-6th January: Forbes – visited Wowringragong racecourse; Pottiger rides in races;
10th January: robbery near Murrumburrah;
18-19th January: Tuena – robbed Ford’s Inn; Wheeo – robbed Christie’s store
21st January: Crookwell – stole racehorse Young Waverley from Warn’s station;
24th January: robbed travellers on the roads near Goulburn;
26th January: Collector – robbed Kimberley’s Inn; killed Const. Samuel Nelson;
29th January: Binda – exchanged shots with police at Cramp’s farm;
3rd-4th February: Paddys River – robbed the Murrumbah Inn and the Ploughed Ground Inn;
6th February: robbed the Braidwood mail coach south of Goulburn; shootout with Faithfull brothers at Springfield Station;
18th February: Molonglo – stole racehorses Bergamotte and Bosco from McAlister’s station;
24th February: Mutbilly – shootout with police at Byrnes’ farm; Const Wiles wounded;
4th March: Gearys Gap – robbed the Gundaroo mail coach; stole Wm. Davis’ Tranter rifle;
5th March: Sir Frederick Pottinger suffers an accidental gunshot wound;
5-7th March: Fish River – stole horses from farms near Fish River and Barwang;
13th March: Majors Creek – attempted robbery of the Araluen escort; Const Kelly wounded;
stole horses from Jinglemoney;
15-17th March: stole horses from Binalong, Murrumburrah and Wallendbeen;
17th March: Little Wombat – robbed Chinese miners;
18th March: Wallendbeen – exchanged shots with police, Gilbert wounded in the arm;
25th March: Forbes – robbery of Jones’ store;
26th March: Grudgery – stole a saddle from James Watkins;
27th March: Lachlan River – stole horses from Suttor’s Borambil station;
9th April: Sir Frederick Pottinger dies at the Victoria Club in Sydney;
9th April: Nubrygan – robbed Brazier’s Inn;
10th April: Newrea – robbed Watts’ Inn, Austin’s inn and Gallimore’s store at Black Rock;
16th April: Billabong Creek – returned to Coneley’s hut on Billybong station;
21st April: Lachlan River – robbery at Yamma Station;
23rd April: Forbes – Coneley gives information to the police;
26th April: Lachlan River – chased by police at Monwonga;
29th April: Lachlan River – stole horses from Gumbidgiewa;
30th April: Billabong Creek – police patrol arrives and make preparations to surprise the gang;
31st April: Hall separates from Gilbert and Dunn;
1st May: sub-Insp Davidson makes contact with Coneley at Billybong;
3rd May: Gilbert and Dunn return to Billabong Creek, but are frightened away by stockmen whom they mistake for police;
4th May: Ben Hall returns to Billybong and camps near Coneley’s house;
5th May: at dawn the police open fire on Ben Hall as he walks to collect his horses.