Mrs. Boyd Bowman in Japan, 1924-1931

On May 13, 1924 Muriel arrived at her new home in the quaint medieval town of Matsue.

"As I have often said before, Matsue is by far my favorite town in Japan, in fact, above all others it has come to represent Japan for me. This is not only because it is the most beautiful town I have ever seen, but also on account of the indescribable quality of its atmosphere" [Speech: "Matsue-Bristol Sister Cities," circa 1955].

Right from the start she loved Japan and thoroughly immersed herself in the culture. She joined local music clubs, studied Japanese history and even handwrote her own Japanese dictionaries. Most of all she loved being a mother to Peter, born on October 29, 1924.

Monday -- I shall launder Peter's things and practice the piano
Tuesday -- practice singing and study Japanese
Wednesday -- write letters home and piano
Thursday -- do sewing and singing practice
Friday -- write this diary or Peter's or do other writing, the piano.
Saturday -- wash my hair and study Japanese
On Sunday all or more of these things.
[Diary, June 1, 1926 pg. 7-8]

It was during this time Muriel first received the nickname "Meiko" -- a Japanese name Peter used as a term of endearment for his mother. Later her students and close friends would also call her "Meiko".

From the very beginning of their marriage, Muriel and Boodh often argued over money. She did not like the way he handled their affairs and as a result she physically distanced herself from her husband.

"We were never clear from the very beginning -- and that's been the curse. We married without a penny between us -- and with Boodh's salary had at once to furnish a house, pay huge doctor's bills, produce a baby etc. If once we were clear, we could easily manage I am sure... but now we always have to make new debts to pay older ones" [Diary, June 21, 1926 pg. 25].

In late 1927 she discovered she was again pregnant with Boodh's child. This time, Muriel was not happy. She wanted more children, but not with Boodh and not at that time.

On August 28, 1928 Muriel's second son, Anthony Muschamp Boyd-Bowman was born in Karwizawa, Japan. Much to her horror, the baby was born breach with a severe case of Downs Syndrome. She left Japan to bring Anthony to doctors in London.

"I was told by the greatest specialist in town that Anthony would never be normal. He is a so-called Mongolian imbecile -- devoid of thyroid glands -- the only consolation they could give me is that he would not be a criminal imbecile" [Diary, Arabian Sea, November 1927-Lusanne December 1930 pg. 85].

The specialists in England advised Muriel to put Anthony in a special home where he died in 1946 at the age of eighteen.

While Muriel was in England with Peter and Anthony, Boodh lost his job in Japan. In March 1930 he was hired to teach at the Raffles Institute in Singapore.

Although she was fed up with her marriage, Muriel decided to make one last ditch effort and got on a ship to Singapore.

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