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 was finding them both riding bicycles around Kuala Lumpur – not a really advisable thing to do both from the driving skills of the local populace (fairly unusual at times and always unexpected), but also from the pollution of the air. Their house – a lovely airy colonial style house in a large garden on the edge of the Golf Club, was bordered by a very busy main thorough fare – but this didn’t daunt them and Merrick joined the Kuala Lumpur Photographic Society that would visit out of the way spots and parts of the city that indeed were best visited on a bicycle. This way he met a wonderfully varied cross section of the Malaysian population, something few other expatriates managed at that time.
Another unforgettable memory happened at a celebration of St Andrew’s Day – given the full treatment in Kuala Lumpur at the Hilton Hotel Ballroom with haggis and bagpipers flown in, and Sandy Gall one of the top news readers in the 1980s. Sandy was obviously a bit jet lagged and gave a very lacklustre speech about his childhood in Penang – to be followed by Merrick thanking him with such a witty sparkling and charming speech that he was applauded to the rooftops – a little embarrassing, tho Merrick had tried his best to be kind!
He had the most glorious turn of phrase – a little wicked, very subtle and wonderfully funny.
The Baker-Bates Christmas Greetings all still remain in our files – each a brief, succinct and jewel like summary of their doings – always extremely witty.
He was also extremely kind and thoughtful – and it was a joy to call him and Chrystal our friends.
Waveney Jenkins
