Tributes

A Collection of Memories

Merrick was first and last and always, a people person. But there can be no one person who could deliver a eulogy, or tell a story or have a memory of Merrick that could sufficiently dignify not only the number, but also the variety of relationships he had and lives that he touched in his life …

Nicholas Barber – Salopian Memories

I’ve been asked to speak about Merrick’s school days at Shrewsbury. He had a fine career there, open History scholarship to Oxford, swimming team, and a praepostor, the Salopian word for a school prefect. He and I were in different houses, doing different subjects, but we became friends playing Eton fives. Partnering Merrick was a …

Robin Butler: A Family Affair

For me, this is a family affair. Merrick was what I think is described as my first cousin once removed, or it might be twice removed. Anyway, my grandmother was a Bates and was the sister of Merrick‘s Grandfather. The Bates came from Liverpool and were a spirited family. Merrick‘s grandfather, Dr Henry Baker Bates, …

Stephen Vincent: Remembering a True Legend

I was first introduced to Merrick back in 2001, by a mutual friend who he was also helping at the time. They came to visit me while I was serving a prison sentence. I was nervous to start with as I’m not good at meeting new people, but with Merrick, he made me feel at …

Richard Broinowski: Merrick at Yamanaka

Merrick and I were neophyte Third Secretaries in the British and Australian embassies in Tokyo in 1965. Along with Alison and Chrystal, we had much in common and became firm friends. For most of three years, we rented a rustic farm house in a rice field on Lake Yamanaka, the largest of the five Fuji …

John Thompson: The Hanslope Years

I have had the privilege of two incarnations with Merrick. The first was when he was Consul General in LA, the second was sitting opposite him at Hanslope Park, where a number of us were based. As for the LA period, I was based in New York so our face to face contacts were limited, …

Waveney Jenkins: Malaysian Memories

While Merrick was Deputy High Commissioner in Malaysia 1986, I have many wonderful memories of him and Chrystal, who were introduced to Peter and I by Jim Champion of RTZ — Chrystal’s cousin, and also one of life’s great characters. The first action to bring Merrick to one’s notice as someone out of the ordinary …

Janet Smith: Thoughts About & From Merrick

I volunteered with Merrick through Prison Fellowship. We were Group Facilitators together at HMP Gartree on the Sycamore Tree course (based on the principles of Restorative Justice and Victim Awareness) from 2013/2014. I then trained to be a tutor for the course. When the course ceased delivery at HMP Gartree, we both went to HMP …

John Field: From Chusan to Consul General

Four of us went out on the P&O liner Chusan as Japanese language students. Two of us were married – myself and Merrick. We were both older, by a year or two. I had been working for an industrial company, Courtaulds, for a couple of years after university and then a year of trying to …

Katy Haber: Los Angeles & Anthony Arteaga

My relationship with Merrick commenced in 1992 when he became British Consul General in Los Angeles, and I was on the board of BAFTA LA. Since the British Consul always acts as an Honorary BAFTA board member, my first interaction with Merrick was within the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. In that capacity, through the …

Genji Osada: Discovering a Unique Japanese Culture

My first encounter with the Baker-Bates family was about 50 years ago. It was at Lake Yamanaka, a famous sightseeing spot in Japan, at the foot of Mt. Fuji. I was a junior high school student at the time, and there was a cottage next to our house where the young Mr. and Mrs. Baker-Bates …

Donald Nicholson-Smith: A Few Words In Memory

Merrick entered my life around 1950, when I was about six or seven, and when he and his three younger brothers, Nigel, Rodney, and Christopher, first visited 61 Albert Road, Southport, where I lived with my mother, Dr Kathleen Nicholson-Smith, a general practitioner. Thereafter all four boys lived with us for varying spells, although after …

Don Lightfoot: Remembering Merrick…

No one ever wanted to follow Merrick after he spoke…! His grasp of the English language was excellent and a joy to hear. He would have done Winston Churchill proud…! We both had an amateur passion for photography…and would occasionally have outings taking photos around LA of places that made it famous… Beverly Hills, where my …

Maureen Douglas: A Heart For Prisoners

Merrick was a faithful, loyal member of the Market Harborough Prison Fellowship group over many years. He showed up for the monthly meetings, his good nature & humour was always a joy to behold. The Fellowship meetings open with a time of prayer & reflection. During these times we pray for those affected by crime, …