Hello Everyone!
I just placed two pictures on Photos/Young Errol Flynn, which may be of interest to you! One depicting the Sandy Bay beach where Errol learned to swim and later made a proficiency out of it as he was considered “The Human Fish”. The other one showing that the area of the beach in Sandy Bay was named the “Errol Flynn Reserve”, a very nice gesture of the people of Tasmania. Most likely due to the Ambassador Rory Flynn.
— Tina
Anonymous
December 6, 2009 at 7:55 am
Great idea to post the pictures, Tina.
Anonymous
December 6, 2009 at 5:18 pm
Kathleen – did you see these pictures before?
Did you know about the “Errol Flynn Reserve”? Is this old news?
Anonymous
December 6, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Kathleen, Tina, David- Thank you for your really kind comments. I look forward to many discussions. Kevin
Anonymous
December 23, 2009 at 9:33 pm
I'm sorry but Rory did not instigate the reserve but it was the Errol Flynn Society that did and in particular myself. I can tell you that it was a long and drawn out battle as Errol is still considered a bad boy here in Hobart because he was a larikin and a lot of people talk about the money that he owed when he left. One of the people that did not agree with the proposal said that it shouldnt proceed because he knocked over two pot plants at her grandmothers place and wouldnt own up to it. There was a campaign orchestrated by a person that lives in close proximity to the reserve that campaigns against everything and most of the objection letters were very similar in text as if it was planned. The proposal went through council approved but then the nomenclature board had to approve it. That was the longest part of the journey. I rang the head of the board and it was on his day off and got him on his mobile. His wife answered as Tony was driving. Instead of Tony having to stop I asked her if she could ask Tony the question about the progress and she answered that if she had her way it would not be approved and guess what, it wasnt!! Was it a case of bedroom politics? Any way the council went against the board and named the reserve Errol Flynn Reserve.
When people bring up the bad boy Errol we usually respond by saying about the joy that he bought people through his films and how the young ladies would exit the theatres clutching their hearts and the boys sword fighting. We feel this is the best way of dealing with the negativity and usually the respondant agrees. At first there was a bit of vandalism with spray paint but that hasnt happened for some time now. The beach and reserve is a leash free dog area and people threw that up at us and we just said that Errol would be very pleased as he was a person who loved the animals and how he instigated the plight to get rid of trip wires and how he introduced the ridgeback hound to America and bred and showed them. Which ever way the negativity went we were able to answer it with positivity, something that Rory handles quite well herself. I will go through our many pics and find some for the albums.
Steve
Anonymous
December 27, 2009 at 2:29 am
Hi Steve;
May I say thank you very much to you and the Errol Flynn Society for all your efforts and hard work on behalf of every Errol Flynn Fan throughout the world to have named this wonderful area in Sandy Cove after him. He really deserves it!
I am very sorry to hear that you had to go through such a traumatic experience to get the sanctuary approved.
You see Steve, it is such a pity that in our beautiful world there are people, for whom we should feel sorry, since through their own bitter life circumstances they were deprived of understanding and learning about generosity, kindness, forgiveness and most of all how to have ‘heart’. Stone throwing and judging is all so easy, having no idea what the foundation of the subject or tragedy is all about. Wasn't there a man who said:” Let he who is without sin cast the first stone”?! Errol himself once quoted “Judge Not – Lest Ye Be Judged!
Where were these fine people when Errol was a tender little boy as early as three years of age when he was so badly abused by his mother? He most likely didn’t own up to the two flower broken pots, because if he did, he would have received another beating. Do they know how he felt when his little heart was torn or how it feels to have hair ripped out of your scull and being beaten to have bruises and welts for a long time? Did never ever anybody notice anything? Where were the people to help him then? His childhood is heart wrenching. What does it feel like being abandoned into schools and feeling alone in the world – etc. I shudder when I think of all the atrocities he had to suffer. It is not surprising that he had retaliation and mischief on his mind. Why not, others may have done worse, if in situations like these.
Despite the horrible childhood, Errol grew up into a great good man; he was kind, considerate, of a most lovable nature, humorous, altruistic, and loving to the best of his ability, since he never knew what love was, growing up without ever having had that most important parental experience. In most women, Errol ever knew he looked for his mother, which naturally he could not find. Most of all he always wanted to please his mother, which again is a most natural course in his upbringing, as most abused children want to please the abuser. When Errol was a World Star, she would embarrass or humiliate him in front of famous people or reporters and later in his adult life abused him verbally. When he was eight years old, she told him “I wish you would be dead.” It is all in understanding what he felt and you understand him fully. There is no “square question mark” needed or understanding his “enigma” – it is clear as a bell! Nobody in the world could ever replace what the parents missed to give him – unconditional love!
Why he should be stamped, a “Bad” boy is beyond me. One has to understand and possess the empathy, trying to walk in his shoes, feel what he felt and trying to lead his life. One has to ask the question “What would I have done if it would have been me.” Once somebody is able to feel the magnitude of his life, no criticism could be uttered. What was going on in his life was a tragedy from his beginning to his end.
Errol was never bad – yes, he was a prankster, but never bad, always in fun and in a lovable way. Nobody was ever cross with him and if – not for long. His charisma, his disarming charm warmed every atmosphere and everybody’s heart. The rotten lies told about him through sensation seeking so-called authors, no decent Author would stand beside them; no intelligent person would ever believe that maligning slander. Furthermore, we all know how “The Media” can blow up stories, which have nothing to do with facts and reality. Everything is blown out of context. Mostly those people have nothing to show for themselves. He had great achievement! I challenge any of “THOSE” to achieve what he did! We all loved him for what he was – unconditionally! He was a He-Man, a risk taker and a fighter! It was he who showed us the good times, romance and adventure with all of his movies! It was he, who achieved World Stardom! Against all odds and “Against All Flags”!
My best regards,
Tina