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> KI-san & NI-san
> NK-san & TK-san
> KN-san & YN-san
> T-san
> Kazuko Yoshida
Jewish Community
Young Asylum Seekers
Individual Reminiscences
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KN-san & YN-san's Story
In the early 1970s before I came to Cambridge, I was a Ph.D student in Osaka University. As part of my study I had read a very influential seminal paper by Professor Max Perutz (Chemistry Nobel laureate, 1962) concerning haemoglobin and oxygen in blood. I decided I wanted to carry out work in the same field of research. |
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At that time a senior member in my department came to Cambridge to set up a research machine for Professor Max Perutz . He suggested that a student from his department in Osaka come to do some study with the professor. Thanks to those circumstances I came to be invited to come to Cambridge to MRC M Lab.
Then in September 1974 I came to the `department` to do research with Max Perutz.
However, before I came to Cambridge – I got married to Y-san, my wife. Why then? Because my future mother-in-law thought it best for us to get married before we left Japan to come to England!
Click image to enlarge
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I first came to work in Cambridge in September 1974. My wife joined me in Cambridge in December 1974 – and we spent our first Christmas in Cambridge in a little flat situated near Elizabeth Bridge. Above is a picture of our Christmas cake in 1974 which my wife baked. |
These are pictures which remind us of our first, enjoyable years in Cambridge. Winter snow
1974-75, with the chapel of Jesus College in the background and having a picnic near Addenbrookes Hospital, 1975. Yoshiko just after the birth of Ken-chan – our first child born in Cambridge and with the children in Regent`s Park London in the early 1970's.
Click images to enlarge |
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KN-san Recalling Then and Now
When we came to Cambridge in 1974 we lived in a little flat situated near Elizabeth Bridge. It only had a small bedroom, bathroom and living/dining room with a small square table. At the time we missed our Japanese food very much. For example, we could not get Udong (a kind of thick Japanese noodles) – and so we improvised using spaghetti as a substitute for Udong.
It was relatively easy to fit into the music side in the University community.
My senior at my department said we should go and join the chamber music group. And that is just what we did. I played the cello and my wife the violin.
At that time (1970s) I recall that people were less prosperous – but more relaxed. It was an enjoyable, less stressful time. You did not have to worry about making sure your doors and windows were locked.
Life now seems more prosperous but also more materialistic and stressful.
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