The Great Farini

Shane Peacock
Biographer, Novelist, Playwright, Journalist, Screenwriter
Author of The Great Farini - The High-Wire Life of William Hunt

The Lives of Farini-Hunt - “Pangymnastikonaerostationist”

After Mary’s tragic death, Farini needed time to regroup. To this, he started to travel. His travels, over a six month period, took him to “to California, Old Mexico, Central America, Venezuela, Brazil and Chile”. From there he likely traveled north to San Francisco where he met famous people of the times. Some would become connected to him in the following year. After a time in San Francisco he traveled back east and eventually landed in Hope Township and a reunion with his family. Restless, his stay there didn’t last long. Before he left he paid a visit to the Gazette offices. Later the newspaper told Port Hope residents that he had been to see them. Here is how Shane described the visit … “Toward the end he paid a visit to the Gazette offices some time around December 20^th. A few days later they told the public that Captain Hunt, better known as Signor Farini, had been to se them. Apparently they asked him what he considered his occupation to be. He replied with a single word: “pangymnastikonaerostationist.” Peacock further explains … “The fad for using long names in show business in the early 1860’s began with the Hanlon Brothers and their creation, in late 1861, of the “zampillaerostation,” a variation of Leotard’s “flying trapeze.”

NOTE: Mr. Peacock has written several books. His latest series is about "The Boy Sherlock Holmes" This is a wonderful look at the legendary Sherlock Holmes, in the beginning! To learn more about Shane and all of his works, please visit his website at www.shanepeacock.ca.

(To Be Continued)