Theodore Thomson Flynn

Theodore T Flynn, (1883-1968) D.Sc.(Syd) MBE. MRIA, FLS (Lond), FZS(Lond), FRS(Tas)

Theodore Thomson Flynn was a prodigiously talented young man when he arrived in Hobart early in February 1909 to become the first lecturer in Biology at the University of Tasmania. His family was not well off and he started his working life when only 15 years old as a pupil teacher in a very small school in the far west of New South Wales. Within five years he was a fully qualified teacher and at Sydney University studying science. There he won the Medal for Biology in 1906 and the John Coutts Scholarship. He was awarded first class honours every year in Biology among a brilliant group of students. Flynn and at least two other students in the small group studying Advanced Zoology later occupied chairs of Zoology and another held a senior position in CSIR. After coming to Tasmania he became full professor in 1911 at the age of 28. When he was just 32 the Tasmanian Government entrusted him with a Royal Commission to investigate the State’s fishing industry. He earned his Doctorate of Science from Sydney University when 38 years old. The University of Tasmania historian, Richard Davis, included Flynn amongst the five most illustrious members of staff prior to World War II. The family regularly moved their residence. According to the Post Office Directories they still lived in Davey Street South Hobart in 1918 then they moved back to 60 Duke Street in Sandy Bay. Here they were nearer the water and Lily and Errol spent a good deal of the summer swimming off Marieville Esplanade at a beach that now bears his name. They must have stayed there for more than a year but Murray Heathorn remembered them living with his uncle Monty Heathorn at Beach House Hotel adjacent to Sandy Bay Beach. Murray recalls playing with Errol, who was then a bit of a daredevil. Mr Heathorn was a car dealer and the large crates used to import cars were ideal for making a fort.[Goc, Nicola, Tasmanians Remember, Gentrx Publishing Hobart 1999 p 20.]

Errol died in Vancouver in October 1959. Theo went to Los Angeles to carry his son’s coffin to a grave in Forest Lawn Cemetery. Patrice Wyman had decided on this site, against Errol’s wishes to be buried in Jamaica, so even after death his fate was decided by the same publicity mongering that had prevailed during his years of stardom. Marelle now wrote -

‘Great loss of Errol. My poor boy knew he had not long to live but told no one. He was very sweet to me over the phone the last time I heard his voice.’

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Description: Flynn Ralston Professor Theodore Thomson (Appointed 1909) Item Number: AE491/1/64 Start Date: 08 Mar 1920 End Date: 29 Aug 1955 Access: Agency access only 75 Years (D75) Location: Berriedale N 220 2 Creating Agency: University of Tasmania (TA92) 01 Jan 1890 Series: Staff Personnel Files (AE491) 31 Mar 1890 31 Dec 2000

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Theodore Thomson Flynn New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909 Name Theodore Thomson Flynn Event Type Immigration Event Date 1939 Event Place New York, New York, United States Gender Male Age 55 Birth Year (Estimated) 1884 Birthplace Australia Ship Name Normandie