John Vane c1898

Foreword

The story of John Vane is more than simply the story of a young colonial bushman. This is a fascinating account of a young man who chose a very dangerous path early in life by becoming directly involved with the bushrangers of the 1860s, yet somehow managed to survive and live into old age.

Like many young men of that era he was something of a tearaway, associating with like-minded adventurers who had a penchant for finding mischief which inevitably attracted the attention of the police. John Vane spent his formative years in the wild hills and valleys between Trunkey Creek and Carcoar. Micky Burke and his cousin Jim Burke were amongst his frequent companions, both adept at venturing onto the wrong side of the law, often in company with the young John Vane.

It was perhaps unfortunate for Vane that this most adventurous period in his life coincided with the discovery of gold at Lambing Flat and Forbes, creating a rush that inevitably heralded the appearance of the bushrangers. And in Vane’s case it wasn’t just any bushrangers; he soon made the acquaintance of Ben Hall and Johnny Gilbert, the two most notorious and successful bushrangers of the time who had come to be regarded as folk heroes to many young bushmen.

So when Craig asked if I would be interested in writing a foreword for his new book I was more than happy to do so for several reasons. It is apparent that John Vane is one of those secondary characters in Australian history about whom there has been too little research resulting in too little having been written. This book sets those deficiencies to rights.

Craig has expended a significant amount of time and energy on this project and his efforts have resulted in a very comprehensive account of John Vane’s life and activities, particularly during the time he was associated with Ben Hall. It is apparent that the research conducted for this book has been extremely thorough and it is pleasing to note that Craig has accurately located and described many previously unidentified sites that were frequented by John Vane and identified many of the people he was associated with during the course of his long life.

Craig’s writing is at once both authoritative and knowledgeable, something that can only come from having put in the hard yards with thorough research, from having checked all those clues and leads from often dubious and unreliable sources and from having driven long distances to identify long-lost historic sites or to talk to people who may or may not have some knowledge about events and places from the 1860s. I know that this is not an easy task.

Here is a book which will provide an excellent reference and at the same time prove most rewarding for anyone interested in the colonial history of central NSW and the bushranging era of the early 1860s, testament to the extent and thoroughness of Craig’s research.

Peter Bradley
Bathurst 2013
Author of The Judas covenant; the betrayal and death of Ben Hall