Charles Russell facts for kids

Charles Russell (1817-1892) was an Australian bushranger, a type of outlaw who lived in the bush. He was famously known as "Black Douglas". He became well-known for taking things from miners traveling between Bendigo and Melbourne during the gold rush.

Early Life and His Actions

Charles Russell was born in Bristol, England, in 1817. When he came to Australia, he became known as a strong prize fighter, earning money by boxing. Later, he started taking things from people who were traveling to and from the goldfields near Bendigo. He was known for taking items from many people at once.

Because of the dangers posed by bushrangers like Black Douglas on the roads, the government created a special "gold escort". This was a coach protected by police officers, designed to safely carry gold to Melbourne. Black Douglas had a clever trick: he would sneak into miners' tents during the day while they were busy digging for gold.

Capture and Later Life

In May 1855, Charles Russell and his group were caught by a large, angry group of gold miners near Maryborough. The miners were ready to deal with the bushrangers themselves, but the police arrived and took Russell and his gang into custody. For his actions, he was held by authorities several times. He was being held in Rochester when he passed away in 1892.

Black Douglas in Books and History

In 1860, a writer named Wilhelmine Guischard wrote a book about him called Black Douglas: An Australian Romance. This shows how famous (or infamous) he became during his time.

Years later, in 1926, a pistol that belonged to Russell was given to the police. He had accidentally left it behind during one of his robberies in 1857. There were plans for this pistol to be displayed in the Castlemaine Art Gallery, as a piece of history from the gold rush era.