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| Alan Tytheridge's Grave in Foreign Cemetery Yokohama, Japan Published by kind permission of Jenny Stroud |
For me the surprise is that both Alan and Eric wanted to stay in Japan after the treatment they received at the hands of the Japanese. Alan obviously loved the country, the civilian Japanese, his Japanese friends and the way of life. He later told a New Zealand friend he regarded Japan as his permanent home and would never leave unless forced to do so by the Japanese authorities.
During his internment Alan's property had been sold by the Japanese government to various owners, but somehow, he was able to return to his house once he was released. Eric was not so lucky as his house was in possession of other people and in October 1945 he wrote to authorities to say he was living in a room at Alan’s home but wanted to return to his own place as soon as possible. He eventually moved to a new house further out of Tokyo, on a beach looking across at Mount Fuji.
It took Alan until August 1948 to reclaim his rights to his home and property which had been claimed by the Japanese government during his internment. The restoration of Alan’s property was dealt with by the Americans from the General Headquarters of the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces. Ironically while the Americans were helping him get his property back in Japan, in the USA the government were beginning proceedings to confiscate his bank account with the City Bank of New York. It was in 1950 that the American Attorney General announced in “The Register” that “people viewed as the enemy were to have their assets seized". The “Trading with the Enemy Act” meant Alan was considered as a resident of Japan and a national of a designated enemy country. His American assets were seized by the government and “used for the benefit of the United States.” The amount of money lost is unknown.
At some point after the war both Alan and Eric returned to teaching, the job they both loved.
In 1949 Alan revised the English / Japanese book he wrote in the 1920s with T. Sagara, “Colloquial English Conversations in Practical and Applied Forms”. In the newly published version he wrote a hand written preface which says
"About twenty-five years have passed since the first addition of this book appeared. A whole quarter of a century! How historical those words make one feel! Many events have occurred during that time, transforming the world and the lives of us all. One of the changes has been that the acquirement of a knowledge of the English Language, from being an interesting but not specially important accomplishment, has grown to be an absolute necessity for hundreds of thousands of people in this country.
Proficiency in colloquial American speech is particularly essential at the present time, and it is therefore thought that a re-issue of this book in a completely revised and, it is believed, a greatly improve form, should meet with a favourable reception from the English-learning public of Japan.
Alan Tytheridge March 1949"
Some time around 1952 or 1953 Alan made a return trip to New Zealand. His last known return trip to New Zealand had been in December 1919 soon after the death of his father
Death of Alan 1959
On 30 October 1959 Alan was at Tokyo station on his way home when he suffered a heart attack. He was transported to hospital but did not survive the heart attack. He was 70 years old. Five Japanese newspapers reported his obituary (Asahi, Mainichi, Yomiuri, Nihonkeizai and the Japan Times), so obviously he was a well-respected foreigner. He was not a religious man and his New Zealand will stated “that my body be cremated and the ashes scattered and this shall be done without religious ceremony of any kind”. His funeral was conducted at Yokohama Christ Church on 4 November and he was buried at the Foreign Cemetery in Yokohama. This is a beautiful, wooded, hilly area. The grave is shown in the pictures and the Japanese researchers who took the photograph left flowers at Alan's grave.
Alan and Eric’s lives had followed a very similar path and therefore it is fitting to add that Eric Bell died 5 years after Alan and he too is buried in Japan.
Memories of Alan following his death
Alan had made many friends in Japan and he appears to have been a popular man. This tribute was found in an Alumni magazine of the University of Commerce, Tokyo where Alan had lectured for the latter years of his life. It was an article with the reminisces of an ex-student at the University. This is the English translation of what he wrote about Alan “I would like to add, before finishing my article, my memory of Mr Alan Tytheridge. He was a poet and teacher of English Literature. Sadly, he passed away at Tokyo station without warning and rests in peace at the foreign cemetery in Yokohama. I never fail to visit and pay respect to his grave there, and wish his happiness in the heavens always”
While teaching in Numazu, Eric taught a musical prodigy Takaoki Sugitani who began his violin studies aged 10 in 1949. He went on graduate in Music. He later moved to America where he became Assistant Concert Master of the St. Louis Symphony and taught at the St. Louis Conservatory of Music. When interviewed by one of Eric’s relatives he recalled his early days of playing his violin in Alan’s home in Chigasaki, with Alan accompanying him. He added that Alan was a gifted sight reader of music and could play anything on the piano. “a remarkable pianist”. “I recall Alan as a very dignified tall and slim built man.”.
The Tytheridge Travelling Scholarship
In New Zealand Alan had left a will relating to his New Zealand assets, which showed he had property in the Christchurch area, shares in the New Zealand Farmers’ Cooperative Association Canterbury and money in a Trust Account. He left everything in Trust to Canterbury University College to establish a travelling scholarship. The Tytheridge Travelling Scholarship in Arts is offered every four years. It is a 2-year scholarship for $20,000 per annum (approximately £10,000) plus grants for fees and travel. It is for honours students of the University of Canterbury in the arts or music to give the scholar an opportunity for further study or to carry out research work at some approved institution. The scholarship is still in existence today 60 years after his death. It is a fitting legacy.to Alan and his love of travel, music and the arts.
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| Add Alan Tytheridge's Grave inForeign Cemetery Yokohama, Japan Published by kind permission of Jenny Stroud |
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| Alan Tytheridge's Grave in Foreign Cemetery Yokohama, Japan Published by kind permission of Jenny Stroud |
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