I heard today whilst volunteering at the Beechworth Ned Kelly Vault, that Ned did in fact, father an illegitimate child. Unmarried, the pregnant lass was sent to America. A telegram was received later saying "Mare and foal doing well". As the mother was unmarried, the child, if it survived, was lost to history. Not an unreasonable possibility. After all Ned was a strapping lad. Food for thought.