Captain Thunderbolt

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Thunderbolt's Cottage

Fred Ward was a horsebreaker at Tocal before becoming the notorious bushranger Captain Thunderbolt.

Little is known of Fred Ward's early years. His father was a convict, his mother a free immigrant. Fred's date of birth is not recorded but is believed to be May 1836. In time he came to Tocal where he worked as a horse breaker and handler.

Fred was the youngest of 10 children of Michael and Sophia Ward. At first the family lived at Wilberforce near Windsor and then they moved to Maitland.

Fred Ward was 17 when he was employed on Tocal. He worked at horse breaking, grooming and riding. His later success as the bushranger Thunderbolt has been attributed to his eye for a good horse and his horsemanship; skills he developed while working at Tocal.

Oral tradition says that while working at Tocal Fred Ward lived in the overseer's Cottage which was built around 1835. It is the association of Ward with this cottage that has led some to call the building 'Thunderbolt's Cottage'.

Further information is available in the book Captain Thunderbolt - Horsebreaker to Bushranger which you can buy from Tocal [details]

Visit Thunderbolt's cottage at Tocal [opening details]

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