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Archive for the ‘Tasmania’ Category

100 Years Ago Today — Flynn Responds to Discipline at School

15 Mar

March 15, 1920 – Hobart, Tasmania
__________________________________

No, not Errol Flynn! His Dad – Professor Flynn!

On March 15, 1920, Errol’s father, Theodore T. Flynn wrote a letter to the Academic Council of Tasmania University where he taught and was their star professor of biology.  Despite his undisputed talents and preeminent achievements, the Academic Council viewed him as unconventional, difficult to control, even rebellious, and was investigating him for allegedly taking university property (home), neglecting his duties, and mismanaging his personal finances (i.e. owing taxes.) Sound familiar?  Perhaps like Errol and Warner Brothers?

Rather than cower in his response to TU’s Academic Council, Professor Flynn emphatically protested that he was overworked, underpaid, not properly appreciated, and deserved a significant raise.  Sound familiar? Like Father like Son?

Ultimately, Professor Flynn was censured by the University’s Council of Inquiry for “unprofessional behavior”. As a consequence, he decided to return to his alma mater on the mainland, Sydney University, where he earned his Ph.D. and went on to even greater heights and fame as a scientific researcher, writer, and instructor.

— Tim

 

The Life Story of Errol Flynn – According to Flynn: 1936

26 Feb

February 26, 1936

Harrison Carroll
Evening Herald Express

The Errol Flynns (Lili Damita) are back from Palm Springs, where he completed the final version of his life story.

— Tim

 

Flynn Cottage at Sandy Bay

21 Jun

Welcome to Errol’s “circa 1915” childhood home at 60 Duke Street in Sandy Bay, Hobart, Tasmania,

www.realestate.com…

‘A beach, Sandy Bay, was not far away and I was often there, swimming from the age of three. The beach was of hard brown sand, the water freezing cold. Mother was a good swimmer, and she took me there very often.’

– My Wicked, Wicked Ways

Here is the park/preserve at Short Beach in Sandy Bay named in Errol’s honor:

— Tim

 

They live

02 May

www.youtube.com…

Dear fellow Flynn fans,

A healthy group of Tasmanian devils has been discovered in Australia, giving new hope for the survival of the endangered species.

They were found by scientists on a conservation expedition in south-west Tasmania.

The marsupials’ numbers have been slashed because of the spread of an infectious facial cancer.

More than 80% of devils across Tasmania have been lost to the disease, according to local media.

It is passed between them when they fight or mate.

The search expedition was funded by a crowdfunding campaign, and is a collaboration between the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program, the University of Sydney Faculty of Science, University of Sydney and Toledo Zoo from Ohio in the US.

Their scientists spent eight days exploring the wilderness across Wreck Bay and Nye Bay, looking for devils to trap so they could run tests.

After taking tissue samples, they will now study the genetics of the healthy devils to compare them to the infected populations.

“The 14 individual devils trapped were in good condition,” said Dr Sam Fox, the team’s leader and the adjunct biologist to Toledo Zoo.

“And more importantly, there were no signs of disease. Overall the results show that the population in this area of the south-west coast is small and healthy.”

Save the Tasmanian Devil Program manager Dr David Pemberton told Australia’s ABC news network that the find was “very significant”.

“Finding devils with fresh genetic diversity gives us opportunities,” he said.

The Tasmanian Devil is the world’s largest carnivorous marsupial, native only to the island state of Tasmania, 240km (150 miles) south of the mainland. The growl-like scream made by the animals helped them
earn them their devil nickname and subsequently Errol his mockname.

Since hope is eternal like spring, somewhere the declared extinct Tasmanian Tiger may lie waiting to be discovered.

Enjoy,

— shangheinz

 

Chasing Errols

04 Feb

www.themercury.com…

— Tim

 

Errols

04 Feb

“Keeping in line with the theatrical theme, the trophy draws on spatial elements used to create theatrical space. The trophy illuminates from within a metallic bronze coloured powdercoated aluminium tube, as each trophy is symbolic of the shining talent they are awarded to. A fine slit in the aluminium narrows and intensifies the light, along which the names are engraved.” www.liminalstudio.com…

— Tim

 

Quiz

02 Dec

The photo below was taken at a location where one of Errol’s relatives had a prominent connection. In fact, a geological feature there is named after one of Errol’s relatives.

Where is this location? Who was the relative? What feature is named after Errol’s relative, and why??

Clues:
1. It is enormously expensive to visit.
2. Very few people have ever been there.
3. It is a site of rare and spectacular beauty.
4. It’s the most remote location on Earth named after a relative of Errol’s.

— Tim

 

Beginning with Bettongs

29 Nov

From very early on, Errol exhibited an intense interest and unique talent for entrepreneurial adventure. Inspired by his father, this often involved scientific exploration and experimentation. Cruise of the Zaca is an eminent example.

But when and where did young Errol first profitably demonstrate this profound talent and interest? Evidence indicates it was in connection to Professor Flynn’s research into the reproductive biology of Tasmanian bettings. In fact, Errol essentially states so in My Wicked, Wicked Ways:

“When school finished, I raced home to be at his side, to hurry out into the back yard, where we had cages of specimens of rare animals… Through Father’s activity I made my first venture into commerce. He bought all the kangaroo rats [bettongs] he could get hold of for Hobart University. I learned to set box traps in the hills of near-by Mount Wellington. He paid a shilling a head.”

Putting Errol’s bettongs to exceptionally good use, Professor Flynn published a landmark paper in 1930 on the reproduction of the Tasmanian bettong.

Here is a rare nocturnal photo of the hard-to-catch, truffle-hunting Tasmanian bettong in the act of night-jumping.

And here is a spectacular view from Mt. Wellingon of the hills of Hobart where pre-teen Errol trapped bettongs for his father’s pioneering research into marsupials.

— Tim

 

The Sartorial Flynn

21 Oct

Inspired by the keen observations of timerider – and with his kindly “Carry on, Old Boy” blessing – I hereby start a post for all to post your all time favorite images of Errol at his sartorial best, most fun, interesting, unique, and/or ahead of his time. I expect all of us will have multiple, even numerous favorites.

As timerider would say, “Carry On”! … In that spirit and fashion, I post my first:

— Tim

 

Last Letter to Tasmania?

04 Oct

books.google.com…

It’s doubtful Errol attended this Christian Brothers “College”, but, if he did, it would not have been for long!

“St Patrick’s College was built towards the end of the First World War and dedicated in 1918. It opened for boys in 1919. The architect for the building was Mr A Harold Masters and the builders were Hinman, Wright and Manser. The style is typical of the Federation era and is known as ‘blood and bandages’ (note the bands of bricks and ‘plastered’ bands flowing from the windows). The cost was a little over £10,000 pounds.

The Christian Brothers taught boys from Grade 3 through to Leaving and Matriculation class. (Now Grade 12).”

— Tim