JOHN GILBERT (alias "Happy Jack")

John was usually described as quite a smart man who could read and write, and a very jolly fellow who was always laughing. It was because of his happy disposition, that John was nicknamed "Happy Jack". He was also of thin slight build, and an excellent horseman. The tragedy of his life was that he became a bushranger - a criminal by choice.

In 1862, John Gilbert was first named as an accomplice of Gardiner when they and two others held up Alfred Horsington, storekeeper, and his wife, and two others. After relieving them of £145 in cash, 253 ounces of gold and some other items, they went on their way. Just over a month later, John Gilbert was involved in another robbery, this time with Gardiner, a young squatter named Ben Hall, and another named John Youngman. From then on John Gilbert was identified as being involved in several hold-ups including a carrier, William Bacon and his two drivers between Lambing Flat (Young) and Lachlan, Mr H Herbert's store at Little Spring Creek, and the store of Henry G. Chard.

Over the preceding months, Frank Gardiner had been considering the idea of attacking the Forbes gold escort. After formulating a plan, he now decided to put it into action at a place called Eugowra Rocks. Enlisting the assistance of John Gilbert, Ben Hall, John O'Meally, Dan Charters, Henry Manns, Alexander Fordyce and Johnny Bow, they purchased all the equipment necessary including six double-barrel shotguns, and finally set off for Eugowra.

He was shot by the police on the bank of the Billabong Creek on 13th May 1865. At the time of his death he had become Australia's worst criminal, being involved in more than 630 hold-ups, a record that not even his counter-parts during the "wild west era" in the United States of America can equal. After the inquest, he was buried in the paddock of the Binalong police station on the 16th May 1865. The inscription on his headstone today reads: "In memory - John Gilbert - died 1866". John Gilbert was an exception among Australian bushrangers - he had never been in a prison!