HYLAND
The year was 1923. It was appallingly hot, and of course we
only had fans. My parents had taken a small two storey Japanese
house at Zushi. It stood a little way back from the sea. My
grandmother had come from England on a visit, and we were
enjoying a lovely holiday. However on September 1st at about
noon the earth began to shake. is was the beginning of the Great
Earthquake. My mother
was taking a pre lunch
swim. My grandmother
was upstairs in the house.
Barbara and I then only
3 and a half and 2 years
old were in the garden
with our Chinese amah.
As the ground shook
and went on shaking our
amah realized what was
happening and shielded
us two with her body.
ere was a huge tidal
wave and my mother rushed back up to the house. e house
fell over with my grandmother, but luckily she fell one way while
the house went the other so she survived, but vowed never to
return to Japan!
My father who was travelling back from Tokyo had to walk
across miles of twisted track and collapsed bridges after his train
had been stopped. He finally managed to find us together with
A birthday pary at the Chapman's, Japan, 1920's.
