| Frank Gardiner | |
|---|---|
| Alias(es) | The Darkie |
| Charge(s) | robbery |
| Conviction(s) | robbery |
| Occupation | Saloon owner |
| Children | 2 son |
Frank Gardiner (born c. 1829, Ross-shire Scotland; died Calilfornia, USA) was a noted Australian bushranger of the 19th century. He was born in Scotland about 1827 and migrated from to Australia as a child with his parents in 1834,.[1][2] His real name was Francis Christie, though he often used one of several other aliases including Gardiner, Clarke or Christie. He supposedly took the name Gardiner after a man who lived for some years with his family and who had taught him how to ride and break in horses. Although almost all legend states that his real name is Francis Christie, he signed his name 'Frank Gardiner'. He used the surname Gardiner while in America and he remains one of the more enigmatic Australian bushrangers.
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In June 1862 he bailed up the Lachlan Gold Escort near Eugowra with a gang including Ben Hall,William James Taylor and Johnny Gilbert. This hold up is considered to be one of the largest ever gold robberies in Australian history. The total value of the 2,700 ounces of gold and bank-notes taken was estimated at £14,000 (approximately A$12.5 million in 2011 terms). Much of the gold was recovered by mounted police after they surprised the gang on Wheoga Hill near Forbes. What happened to the remaining gold is still the subject of much speculation and rumour. Treasure hunters still visit the area and it is even rumoured that two Americans who were thought to be Gardiner's sons visited the Wheogo Station near the Weddins in 1911 claming to be miners.
In 1863-4 Gardiner was living with Kitty Brown at Apis Creek near Rockhampton, Queensland, where he was running a general store. He was recognised and reported to the police in Sydney. Gardiner was apprehended in controversial circumstances by NSW police operating outside their jurisdiction. One of the NSW policemen used Gardiner's own horse 'Darkie' during the capture. He was taken back to Sydney, and sentenced to 32 years hard labour.
In March 1866, the youngest of his gang, John Dunn, was convicted of the murder on Constable Nelson and was hung at Darlinghurst Jail.[3][4][5]
Gardiner served only 10 years of his sentence after successful appeals by his two sisters. He was granted an early release, conditional on his leaving the country. In late 1874 Gardiner arrived in California having travelled via Hong Kong. He is just one many Australians exiled from this country during the bushranging era.
Gardiner owned the Twilight Star Saloon on Kearny Street in the "Barbary Coast" area of San Francisco. There are many rumours about his life there, including a claim that he married a rich American widow and had two sons. None have been proven. The circumstances of his death are not known with any degree of certainty, due in large part by the destruction caused during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. There are various reports of his death ranging from the early 1880s to 1904 as the Sydney Morning Herald reported that year.[2] Again, there is no hard evidence to support any particular date.