In 1956, the city of Sydney prepared for a momentous arrival. Thousands of spectators lined the streets, waiting to catch a glimpse of the Olympic flame as it made its way toward the Town Hall. The atmosphere was electric with anticipation, but the man who eventually emerged through the cheering crowds was not a world-class athlete.
Instead, he was a veterinary student named Barry Larkin, carrying a homemade contraption that would go down in history as one of the most successful pranks ever executed. This event remains a documented case of how a simple wooden chair leg and a can of plum pudding managed to deceive an entire city and its high-ranking officials.
The Construction of a False Flame
The plan originated with a group of students from St John’s College at the University of Sydney. They constructed a replica torch using a wooden leg from a chair, which they coated in silver paint. Atop the wooden handle, they nailed an empty plum pudding can.
To produce a realistic fire, they stuffed the can with a pair of underwear soaked in kerosene. The group also arranged for a student to dress in a reserve air force uniform to act as a fake military escort. This makeshift ensemble set off toward the center of the city, blending in with the general chaos of the festive crowds.
A Kick to the Rump and a Run for Glory
Execution of the plan hit a brief snag when the original designated runner panicked and fled after accidentally flinging a piece of flaming underwear from the torch. Another student, Peter Gralton, quickly retrieved the burning material and pushed Barry Larkin forward.
Larkin, who was wearing a tie and slacks and did not expect to participate, began his sprint through the streets. To his surprise, the police did not stop him; instead, they believed he was the official carrier and provided a motorcycle escort. The roar of the 30,000-strong crowd grew louder as he approached his final destination.
The Mayor’s Wet Paint Surprise
When Larkin reached the Sydney Town Hall, Lord Mayor Pat Hills was waiting on the steps. The Mayor received the burning homemade torch with grand ceremony, unaware that the silver paint on the handle was still wet.
He began his prepared speech immediately, and it was only after someone whispered in his ear that he realized he was holding a plum pudding can filled with burning laundry. By the time the realization hit, Larkin had already slipped away through the crowd and boarded a tram back to his university.
Chaos Before the Genuine Arrival
The crowd became unruly once the truth was announced, and nearly half of the spectators dispersed before the actual champion runner, Harry Dillon, arrived with the real Olympic flame. Police had to struggle to clear a path through the confused masses for the genuine ceremony to continue.
Larkin faced no legal repercussions for the incident and later became a successful veterinary surgeon. The fake torch remained under a student’s bed for years until it was eventually discarded by his mother during a house cleaning.