Grand Master Samy Shoker came to our little club yesterday to play a group of us simultaneously. We managed to score one draw against him (me) which was better than his simul in Hobart the day before when he won all his games.
Samy was a great gentleman, and was great with sharing his knowledge, especially with the kids who were thrilled to be playing and talking (even laughing) with him.
We have a chess Grand Master visiting Launceston today. Samy Shoker from Egypt is on a working holiday in Australia and is spending some time in our beautiful state. He'll come to our club this evening 🙂
I’ll be speaking at this year’s Pint of Science in Launceston. May 15. Do energy efficient homes have a dark side? Spoiler alert. Yes, yes they do. #Architecture#Construction#science#Launceston
At the gorge this arvo for a Tasmanian Aboriginal walking tour. It was a good thing to get up for. COLD. The basin is formed by the second dam along this stretch of the North Esk river. 🥶 #lutruwita#Launceston#Tasmania
A newly finished (today!) mural in Launceston on the Paterson St East carpark. It depicts the extinct striped Thylacine blending in with the environment, entangled with the endangered spotted quoll. #Mural#lutrawita#launceston#Tasmania
Walking on the way home from work is so beautiful 😍 How amazing is this sheltering tree in City Park #Launceston I was once interviewed in there (very random and is a story in itself)
Alchemy Bar & Restaurant, previously (at time of photo) Royal Hotel, previously Royal Exchange, previously Union Hotel.
The involvement of Victorian-era women in businesses is often overlooked because it's the husband's name on the door (until he dies, and her name replaces his). But from time to time you come across things like this obituary:
"ANOTHER old colonist was yesterday removed by death in the person of Mrs Mary Ann Spearman, of Landale-street, Invermay. The deceased lady was the widow of the late Mr William Spearman, well-known in Launceston as a coach proprietor and hotelkeeper. Mrs Spearman, who was 77 years of age, arrived in the colony 55 years ago, and after her marriage she assisted her husband with marked ability in his various avocations. It was principally owing to her, business tact and shrewdness as a manageress that Mr. Spearman realised a competency. For many years Spearman’s coaches were run regularly between Launceston and Deloraine, and it was not until the Western railway line was opened that they were discontinued.
"About 16 years ago Mr Spearman conducted the first livery and bait business in this city, the stables being situated on the site of the present Launceston Club, Brisbane-street. Subsequently he was licensee of the Union Hotel, in George street, now known as the Royal Exchange, the Royal Mail Hotel, on the premises now occupied by Mr G. T. Easter as a carriage works, and the Duke of Wellington Inn, Wellington road, where he died in 1870. The late Mrs Spearman in all the foregoing businesses, besides having control of the housekeeping, acted as bookkeeper, which was no slight tax on her energy and time in concerns in which large transactions were daily recorded. After the demise of her husband Mrs Spearman was the landlady of the Racecourse Hotel at Mowbray, from which she retired into private life some time back."
Launceston Examiner, 25 August 1892 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article39471859
Tasmanian Chess Championship Day Two saw me win two games and draw one to take the lead by half a point from my friend. We play tomorrow morning and that result will go a long way to deciding the title.
Tasmanian Chess Championship is under way in Launceston. I'm the reigning champion, but it's a strong field with all the top 5 players in the state playing.
Day 1 finished with 4 of the top 5 on a perfect 2 wins from 2 games. Tomorrow is the big day with 3 games to be played, and what will amount to a general sorting out.
Today is a regional public holiday in Launceston, Tasmania for the horse race, The Launceston Cup. It isn't a full holiday like in Melbourne, only public servants officially get the day off.
I'm working which I always volunteered to do in Melbourne when I lived there.
The thought of getting a day off in aid of the barbaric horse racing industry and the destructive gambling industry is abhorrent to me.
This is centre intersection of the city. The corners used to be two banks, a department store and a jewellers (two of them are the same). The cream/white building here used to be Westpac. You see where it as "Bank of New South Wales'. It was built for Frank Hart, who had a ironmongery & general stuff sort of shop. (Not to be confused with W. Hart who had the hardware shop around in Charles Street. I think he was a son/brother. W. established the business, then his sons went their own ways, but that's from memory). It's lower level had an awning extending out over the street.
The big cream & red brick next door was the Launceston Hotel. It was one of the first hotels established in Launceston. (One of the first that has a name and location and licensee that I know, which I can't say for its predecessors.) When it was actually built is less known. I know it was in business in 1823. Its proprietor ran some advertisements in the newspaper & he is on the very first list of people licensed to sell spirits, wine & beer in the country of Cornwall. (https://monissa.com/hotels/1823-launceston/ if you're interested.) How soon before was it built? Who knows, but I haven't found any evidence of its existence before that.
Obviously that's not the 1823 building. It's been redeveloped at twice. This version is about 1903.
Just started outlining a new paper. This time on hygrothermal performance of building envelopes in tiny houses. I’m working on a project where UTAS will be building sleeping pods for homeless people in our city, I’ll be assessing and designing the construction of the pod. #AcademicChatter#launceston#ArchitecturalScience
I gave blood again today. I try to make it on a day when I don't have much work so I can treat myself to a nice walk before or after. I don't like the process of giving blood, so I feel a reward is in order.
In Launceston City Park conservatory there's a showing of lilies and orchids which brightened my day.