Captain Thunderbolt (Fredrick Ward) was born in 1835 and was known as ‘gentleman bushranger’. He got his name from going on a robbing spree and banging loudly on the door of a building some custom officers were dozing in, they described he had fists like thunderbolts. He was a former prisoner and escaped from Cockatoo Island on 11 September 1863.

Thunderbolt soon formed another acquaintance, a boy named Mason. Together they robbed mailbags and store owners. Some of their takings used to bribe people to be quiet when the police ask where they are or where they are headed.

Thunderbolt and Mason would often steal horses to avoid being captured by the police.

Later the police set up a reward of £100 then it was put up to £200. And even people stopped going outside onto carriages because they were scared of Thunderbolt’s wrath.

He was known to be very courteous towards women and even taught his apprentice to be polite towards female figures. One time, they were robbing a carriage with two women as passengers. Thunderbolt instructed his apprentice he was not to harm the women.

But, his career ended as he was killed from a gunshot through his chest in a river near Uralla. In May 1870, Thunderbolt died, but lived a exciting yet terrifying life on the run, and he is still remembered to this day as the gentleman bushranger, Captain Thunderbolt.

Interesting fact: The 5th Grader who made this is also related to Thunderbolt through her grandmother's second cousin.