The Specification: From their pens to your ears, genius in every story

Joshua Albert Flynn was born in Sheerness, Kent, on 15th September 1863.

He was educated at private schools and later graduated from King's College, London.

His initial career was with the Civil Service where he thrived. A marriage to Ada Parkinson brought two sons and three daughters into their lives.

He worked in South Africa as a financial adviser to Lord Kitchener before stints at the Admiralty and the War Office. In 1916 he was appointed director-general of finance at the Ministry of P...