IF TRUE AND I’M INTERPRETING THIS CORRECTLY, ERROL IS A NON-BLOOD COUSIN THROUGH HIS “GRANDFATHER”, ANDREW HAMMER, TO LEGENDARY HEROIC AGE EXPORER, ROALD AMUNDSEN!!
Article on the Race to the South Pole by Sian Flynn (!):
www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/britain_wwone/race_pole_01.shtml…
— Tim
Tina
November 19, 2014 at 7:59 pm
Yeah Tim, I just corrected you in your post – What’s the connection – about the famous Roald Amundsen and the “no” bloodline with Errol.
Gentleman Tim
November 19, 2014 at 10:15 pm
I don’t understand what you are correcting, Tina. I state above in the capitalized sub-title that Errol was “a non-blood cousin through his “Grandfather Hammer”, to … Roald Amundsen”.
What and why are you challenging that? Are you saying that cousins must be “blood relatives”, and/or are you saying that, because Andrew Hammer, is not Errol’s grandmothers first husband, Errol can not have cousins through him.
I think this is a rather significant connection, Tina. Why are you dismissing it the way you are? Why do you not think Errol’s connection to Roald Amundsen is noteworthy? Why would such a connection be “dishonest”, as you said on the “What’s the Connection?” post?? Errol clearly liked very much and was inspired by this man he prominently recalled and fondly called his “Grandfather” in MWWW. Why do you think we should ignore the importance of the relationship?
I’m certainly no expert on defining degrees of genealogical relations, Tina, so how, in genealogical terms, would you define Errol’s connection to Amundsen?
Here’s some guidance:
gean.wwco.com…
Gentleman Tim
November 20, 2014 at 4:15 pm
Assuming Hammer & Amundsen were First Cousins:
I believe the answer is:
Errol Flynn & Roald Amundsen were First Cousins, Twice Removed! (Or, First Step Cousins, Twice Removed)
Gentleman Tim
November 23, 2014 at 3:14 am
I have been researching the reported relationship of Andrew Hammer, Errol’s (Step)”Grandfather”, to Roald Amundsen, the famed North and South Pole explorer. Initial leads indicate what MAY be the actual relationship, which, IMO, could actually possibly have been more significant than just being “a cousin” to Amundsen.
As it turns out, one of the most significant (and quite controversial) figures in Amundsen’s career was a man he called “Uncle Haakon”. “Uncle” Haakon’s full name was Haakon H. Hammer. He was a very notable Norwegian shipbroker, who worked largely out of Seattle. He also had important roles in significant historical expeditions.
As it turns out, however, “Uncle Haakon” (who shared a first name with the King Haakon of Norway) was not really Amundsen’s uncle. Rather, he was his (very creative and controversial) agent, representing him most notably for the legendary South Pole trip, I believe. They were very close.
Though not certain, Andrew Hammer may have been related to “Uncle Haaken”, and may also been a shipbroker of sorts with connections to Seattle. This would perhaps explain why the H. K. Hall was said to be “his ship”.
If Andrew was indeed “Uncle” Haakon’s cousin (or some other type of relative), that likely could have been the genesis of the story that he was Roald Amundsen’s “cousin”. Since Andrew was definitely “in the business”, his connection to Haakon & Amundsen could actually have involved more than mere “cousinship”. There may have been a seafaring connection.
In any case, Errol certainly saw something very cool and significant in his “Grandfather” Hammer.
Hammer family connections may be evidenced in the following:
bit.ly/1uPHlaF…
That’s Haakon Hammer on the left, with Roald Amundsen!
Gentleman Tim
November 29, 2014 at 3:10 am
Still no proof of a family relationship between Errol and the gteat explorer Roald Amundsen through the step-grandfather young Errol apparently liked so much and spoke of in MWWW (Andrew Hammer) but I have been able to place Amundsen and the man he called his “Uncle Haaken” (also with the last name of Hammer) in Seattle during the late 1910s & early 1920s, when Andrew Hammer himself lived there.
And, in case this is not intriguing enough, there was not a slew of Hammers in Seattle when Andrew and Uncle Haaken were there. And they were both worked in businesses involving ships. In official records, Roald is identified as an “Explorer”, Haaken as a “Captain” and “Banker”, Andrew as a “Carpenter” (circa 1900 -possibly for a local shipyard?) The H. K. Hall, later Errol’s five-masted schooner (famous in Seattle) was also then, too! So, the plot thickens! … More to come.
Gentleman Tim
November 29, 2014 at 6:11 pm
“Capt. Roald Amundsen” lived at 816 35th Avenue in Seattle. The home at that address today, a real charmer, appears to be the one Amundsen himself resided in:
Errol’s future step-grandfather, Andrew Hammer, lived directly west of Amundsen, at 75 W. Blanchard. I believe that area has been substantially razed and bebuilt.
Maybe David can help us around his old turf of Seattle regarding these homes and locales?
It is not clear to me yet exactly where Uncle Haaken lived, though it’s absolutely certain he was in Seattle quite a bit, as well as other West Coast cities. Indeed, records confirm Haaken Hammer travelled quite a bit – from Helsinki to Havana to Honolulu – and then on perhaps to either Heaven or Hell, depending on how one regards his quite amazing “criminal enthusiasm”..
Gentleman Tim
November 29, 2014 at 6:46 pm
Andrew Hammer was 67 in 1922, with “Uncle Haaken” being 43 in 1930, then identifying himself to census officials as an “Aviator”.
It also appears one Hammer may have been of Norwegian, the other Danish – though I’m not Finished with that yet.
It further appears that Annie Edith and Andrew lived in San Francisco for a number of years, when Errol was a youngster.
David DeWitt
November 30, 2014 at 1:16 am
Tim, I’ve been in both areas during my time in Seattle. The Madrona area where a friend lived and was raised is one of the older areas of town full of family dwellings, and small parks. Blanchard is another of the town’s older areas containg Belltown which is where I worked on an independent film called To Cross the Rubicon. The singer JD Souther was one of its stars. I can’t tell you the whole history of either area but it is storied, I’m sure. There were film exchanges in the silent era and up to around 1980 when the last major studio pulled out of Belltown, I think. Lots of shops, galleries, a good place to live. Madrona was known for shipbuilding, at one time way back in the day. The Black Panthers also used Madrona Park. Speaking of, the Madrona Sea Monster was said to be a Loch Ness type creature spotted by Ivar Haglund a local restaurant owner whose famous Ivar’s Acres oif Clams was a local treasure. Ivar also footed the bill for an annual fireworks show for the entire city.
Gentleman Tim
November 30, 2014 at 3:04 am
WOW, David! I suspected you’d be able to tell us about the area, but I never had a clue it was this amazing!! WOW, what a cool place!!! … I’ve got to look up all these neat things!
Meanwhile, here’s a good article on Amundsen, documenting his history with in both Seattle (when Errol’s step-grandfather Andrew Hammer was there) and in Hobart (in connection to his South Pole expedition, when Errol himself was there.)
www.seattletimes.nwsource.com…
Amundsen in Seattle, at Woodland Park, with Chukchi girls and an elephant:
digitalcollections.lib.washington.edu…