Several readers, including Sam Patterson of Melba, remain "gobsmacked" at reports that late Edgar Penzig would fire a percussion pistol during public presentations during the 1970s.
The bushranger afficionado, who penned more than 20 books on Australian bushrangers and colonial history, especially the gangs in southern NSW, apparently used it as a technique to keep his audiences on their toes, or at least to check they were listening.
As a teenager, Binalong performance poet Robyn Sykes witnessed it first-hand, not once, but twice.
"He came to talk to Rotary Exchange students so we'd be informed of bushranging history before we left overseas," she recalls, "and in both presentations ... he woke us up with a shot from a pistol.
"Both times it came as surprise, it took your breath away and most definitely woke people up," she recalls. "I can guarantee everyone paid attention for the rest of the talk." Gee, I bet they did.
Note: I have it on good authority that no one was in any danger as Edgar always ensured there was no powder of charge in the barrel - it just sounded loud.
Meanwhile, debate continues to rage (at least in my inbox) as to whether John Gilbert is actually buried in the hillside grave on the outskirts of Binalong.
The last to join the chorus is Paul Briggs of Yass who believes he was actually buried in a nearby paddock.
"A Binalong lad, Father Brian Maher, knew of my personal interest and family history with bushranging [and] told me some 20 years ago that Gilbert's grave had been moved from the police compound graveyard (some 300 metres away) to its current location. This was thought to have occurred around 1906 as the owner did not wish to create a shrine to a criminal, nor have strangers on his property."
CONTACT TIM: Email: tym@iinet.net.au or Twitter: @TimYowie or write c/- The Canberra Times, GPO Box 606, Civic, ACT, 2601
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