History reports that the body of the man shot at Kentucky Creek, near Uralla, on the Northern Tablelands of N.S.W. Australia in 1870 was identified as being that of Thunderbolt. 

 

    The so-called independent witnesses quoted were a prison guard, a mate of Fred Ward’s, as well as his bushranging apprentice.  But each of them had reasons to tell the authorities what they wanted to hear – that it was Thunderbolt, however not necessarily Fred Ward, the real Thunderbolt! 

  

   In fact, there is recorded research that suggests the body was that of one of the other bushrangers that had been impersonating Thunderbolt while Fred Ward was elsewhere.

  

   Thus, with Thunderbolt officially dead, would not Fred be free to use his acquired bushranging gains to pay to advance his education, wardrobe and culture?  Then as a nineteenth century business gentleman of means he would be free to emigrate to California, the Northwest Territories in Canada and Ottawa.

  

   Let’s explore the possibility that this version of the Thunderbolt Research is what really happened