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 lakes. It had shōji screens, tatami floors, and a wiffy septic tank. It came with a tandem bicycle and a fibreglass yacht which we called the Dame Ali. ‘Going like the clappers’, would exclaim Merrick as we shot around the lake, usually more submerged than afloat. We spent many golden weekends at Yamanaka, usually with Japanese friends, drinking quantities of Kirin beer and speaking Japanese. Merrick’s and Chrystal’s was much more fluent than Ali’s and mine.
We continued to see the Baker-Bateses intermittently throughout our careers, notably in Los Angeles and at their house in Northamptonshire. We learned of Merrick’s career diversion to Cornes, and of his wonderful post-retirement philanthropy among less-than-respectable British citizens, including one who seems to have made off with the family silver. Chrystal’s mini Christmas card was always the first to reach us and kept us informed of their doings.
On one occasion at Northamptonshire, we toured around historic churches in the neighbourhood. I asked which church Chrystal liked best. With some asperity she informed me that they were all God’s houses, and not to be compared on architectural merit. Meanwhile, Merrick’s good works earned him prominence in St John Ambulance.
As others have said, and I agree, Merrick was the best Ambassador to Japan that Britain never had, and we shall miss him acutely.
Richard Broinowski
