Who remembers?

[Skubarra]

Yes, I also only found about his (his family’s to be accurate) wealth about 10 years ago.

 

 

curious, where did the family's wealth come from? Weren't his parents scientists?

[Stretch]

 

 

took me a while to work that one out

 

https://youtu.be/n-soG6nVNus

 

 

he is actually STINKING RICH, and the reason he had a picture of knysna behind was because he owned half of the town (well just the heads/featherbed reserve).

 

He sold it, with conditions it could never be fully developed.

Think of all other people who have inherited vast wealth and become total tjops, instead this guy went ahead and served masses with his time - I reckon he probably didn't even pull a salary from SABC. what a total legend.

He sold featherbed for 30 million

 

I saw on some Facebook post some bloke suggested we all send him 100 bucks in thanks and to help with his retirement. [emoji23]

[MphatiPyga]

curious, where did the family's wealth come from? Weren't his parents scientists?

Didn't his dad discover the coelocanth?

[Shebeen]

Yes, I also only found about his (his family’s to be accurate) wealth about 10 years ago.

 

What was cool about that is that it was a complete surprise. Not one did he ever come across as a dude with bucks and that’s how people with bucks should come across.

 

He is a proper legend and he is very deserving of his recognition.

yes, his dad was actually prof JLB Smith, who....

 

 

...discovered the coelecanth.

I think the property was a money spinner during tourist season, but hard work.

[MphatiPyga]

If it wasn't for him I probably would've failed Science.

agreed, I think my average up to mid year was 38% because i totally didn't understand the teacher, school wanted me to drop to standard grade and I refused. Went to winter school at Durban Varsity and ended up getting nearly 70% HG in the Finals.

[Patchelicious]

curious, where did the family's wealth come from? Weren't his parents scientists?

I’m not sure to be honest, but it’s most definitely not form discovering the Coelacanth.

 

In the olden days (look at school boy Patch) people that discovered things or explored were often already wealthy, and that’s what allowed them to go on these expositions.

[Blokman]

 Somebody gave me a box with old books . Amongst them one, in tatters, titled Old Fourlegs by JLB Smith.

This man had unbelievable drive and passion.  The book gives you an idea what Knysna was like in the '50 s.

After identifying the first Coelocanth caught in East London, he let nothing get in his way to find the colonies of live fish that he knew existed.

He asked two prime ministers for help with aeroplanes at very odd hours. Smuts , who refused a plane to take him to South West, where he wanted to identify thousands of fish that had washed ashore. And an unwell DF Malan who said yes when he phoned him on Christmas to get an airforce plane and crew to fly him to the Comores. Smith's dropping of pamphlets paid off. For his trouble Malan had a fish named after him.

Sadly the professor took his own life at 70 by drinking cyanide.

Edited April 27, 2019 by Blokman

[DJR]

 Somebody gave me a box with old books . Amongst them one, in tatters, titled Old Fourlegs by JLB Smith.

This man had unbelievable drive and passion.  The book gives you an idea what Knysna was like in the '50 s.

After identifying the first Coelocanth caught in East London, he let nothing get in his way to find the colonies of live fish that he knew existed.

He asked two prime ministers for help with aeroplanes at very odd hours. Smuts , who refused a plane to take him to South West, where he wanted to identify thousands of fish that had washed ashore. And an unwell DF Malan who said yes when he phoned him on Christmas to get an airforce plane and crew to fly him to the Comores. Smith's dropping of pamphlets paid off. For his trouble Malan had a fish named after him.

Sadly the professor took his own life at 70 by drinking cyanide.

Later on, the biography on his life, I think it is called "a Fish Caught in Time" also made for fascinating reading. 

[HeyYou]

I knew William relatively well. Not here to comment on his money, or him, none of that is important. He deserves his award.

 

I met his mom, Margaret, in about 1980,  when I was a  young scientist, she was a very amusing and a wonderful lady, often, I think, unsung in what she did.

 

In JLB's book, Sea fishes of Southern Africa, Margaret did the illustrations, and they are beautiful! I have a first edition, a bit battered, but treasured.

 

As for the coelocanth, the story is a little more complicated than JLB discovering it!!! As usual, there are other unsung heros.

 

The coelocanth was caught somewhere off East London by a fisheman, he thought it unusual and took it in to the East London Museum. The Director of the museum was a woman (can't remember if her name was Rosemary, or Nancy, surnames are unimportant). It was she who recognised the 'scientific importance' of the fish, kept it and sent it onto to JLB. 

 

Just a little recollection from someone who was there a little after the event (I was a scientist at the PE Museum), when the main characters (other than JLB himself) were still around.

[forkie]

That sentence alone deserves to be on the "who remembers" thread... I used to love going there

(I was a scientist at the PE Museum), 

[HeyYou]

That sentence alone deserves to be on the "who remembers" thread... I used to love going there

 

Was a great place to work, spent 20 years there. Unfortunately, it's no longer what it used to be!!!!

Edited April 29, 2019 by HeyYou

[MrJacques]

Was a great place to work, spent 20 years there. Unfortunately, it's no longer what it used to be!!!!

 

You might know someone I know - a taxidermist that worked there. He has some interesting stories about the snake park, etc.

 

Another friend of mine's grandmother also worked there. 

 

I remember going there on school trips, when the dolphins were still there.

Edited April 29, 2019 by Jacquers

[Shebeen]

I knew William relatively well. Not here to comment on his money, or him, none of that is important. He deserves his award.

 

 

I think it's important. Instead of being a rich w@#$er he chose to donate.

And not like some other rich w@#$%ers who ease their conscience by opening their chequebook, he gave something a lot more valuable, his time.

 

 He is most definitely the second coolest person with that name.

[MrJacques]

From LinkedIn:

 

  

[King_Crispy]

http://www.gstatic.com/tv/thumb/tvbanners/183928/p183928_b_v8_ab.jpg

I remember tuning the radio in to get the original simulcast soundtrack every Tuesday evening. That series was one of my favourites Edited June 20, 2019 by King_Crispy

[kosmonooit]

And this ... . "Goei more Alaska"     ...on a Wednesday night

 

 

Engels op Radio 2000