| The Ron Baker Story
It was 1959. Ron Baker was in a local pub when a television programme above
the bar caught his eye and ear. It was a documentary about
Japanese Buddhist priests who chanted the phrase Nam
Myoho Renge Kyo. He was fascinated by the sound of
the chanting and would have liked to have heard what was being
said, but because he was in a men’s bar where darts and cards
were being played, football was being discussed, he could
not.
He left the bar and virtually forgot about the programme
he had seen until some six months later.
Ron was the Jimmy
Saville of the Welsh Valleys, being the first to bring
the disco to Wales. He also was an entertainment’s agent,
being the manager of a pop music band called The Celts. The
band was on tour six months after Ron was in the pub bar.
As Ron relaxed in a hotel room, he switched on the television
and was surprised to see a repeat showing of the documentary
he had glimpsed months before. Only this time he was able
to listen intently to what was being said.
Ron belonged to the Theosophical Society and had read the
works of Judge Christmas Humphries who was himself a Buddhist
Scholar. On his return from the tour, he wrote to Humphries
asking him if he knew anything of a school of Japanese Buddhism
called Nichiren Shoshu. The Judge wrote back and admitted
that he knew nothing of them. So Ron decided that he would
write to the High Priest at Tai sekiji for more information.
Some weeks passed before a reply arrived from Japan. It advised
Ron to contact Mr Yamazaki. A member of the Soka Gakkai living
in Paris. Ron sent off a letter to Dr Yamazaki and received
a reply shortly after.
He was given the name and address of a Japanese lady living
with her British husband in London.
Not long afterwards, Ron was on a train bound for London
and a meeting that was to alter the course of his life forever.
He was to meet with Mrs Lynch.
Ron was warmly welcomed and with the help of Mr Lynch (Mrs
Lynch’s English was very limited at this time) was given some
basic instructions on how to practise Nichiren Daishonin’s
Buddhism. He left after several hours with a Gongyo book and
as much knowledge as could be imparted in a few short hours.
As the weeks went by back in South Wales, and Ron struggled
with Gongyo and the prayers – which were entirely in Japanese
– he came to an understanding that he had found his mission
in life. To become a follower of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism.
But with such a vast geographical expanse between himself
and the only other practitioner in the country, he knew it
was going to be difficult.
Ron decided there was only one thing to do. He would sever
his ties with his hometown of Aberdare, and move to London.
Ron sold his business interests and bade farewell to his homeland
and his family. He would be gone for twenty years.
As he was making his way to Cardiff Central Station in 1960,
a man from the same village that he lived in joined him. He
had decided to travel with Ron to London in search of a new
job. The pair got off the train some hours later at Paddington
Station. They had arrived in London, but had no idea where
they were going to stay or what they were going to do to get
a job to support themselves. They looked at a map of the London
underground on a wall. They decided that they would pick an
area at random and make their way there, and try to firstly
find a place to stay and secondly find work.
Ron closed his eyes, moved his hand around in a circle a
couple of times and then stabbed at the map. When he opened
his eyes, his finger rested on Hounslow Central. That was
it! That was where they would try their luck.
The pair got out of the underground train some time later
and began walking along the streets of Hounslow, with no real
idea of where they were going. They saw a public house and
Ron’s friend suggested that they have a sit down and a relaxing
pint of beer while contemplating their situation. This they
did. As they stood propping up the bar, Ron heard a familiar
Welsh voice behind:
" Good god! Ron Baker. What are you doing here?"
Ron turned and saw a man he knew from Aberdare who had left
for the big city of London some years before. Ron explained
that the two of them had come to London looking for work and
a place to stay.
The newcomer had found work for himself as a postman and
had room for the two Welshmen in his home whilst they sorted
themselves out with work. So that evening, they left the pub
and carried their few belongings to the postman’s home.
The postman recommended that they look for work at a local
engineering factory who had vacancies. This they did the following
day. Ron had some engineering knowledge having worked as a
coal miner for many years. He and his friend were hired. Not
long after Ron was able to rent his own ‘pad’, since he now
had a good job.
Ron now had all that he needed. A good job, a place to live,
and most importantly to him, he was living in London and close
to Mrs Lynch, the only other practitioner of Nichiren Daishonin’s
Buddhism in the UK. In 1961 he received his Gohonzon.
As the years went by he saw the group expand and grow and
some of those early members he had seen join, now have senior
positions in SGI-UK.
Ron Baker died 10th September 2001.
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