George Edward Luckman Gauntlett
Encyclopedia
George Edward Luckman Gauntlett (b. Dec. 4, 1868, Swansea
, Wales
; d. July 29, 1956, Tokyo, Japan) was a Welsh educator.
After completing his primary education in his hometown, he went on to Brighton
for his secondary education, and to London where he entered a Music College. It is also said that he studied architecture, electricity, surveying
, the arts, etc.
In spite of his parents' objections, he went to the United States of America at the age of 20. From there he went to Canada
, where he joined a church.
Went to Japan in 1890 or 1891 as a missionary for his Canadian church. In Japan he taught English at several schools in the Tokyo-area (Tokyo Commercial College, Azabu
Middle School, Chiba
Middle School) before he resettled to Okayama, where he taught at the Nr. 6 College. Four years later, he moved on, this time to Kanazawa
, where he taught English at the Nr. 4 College. Six years later, he went to Yamaguchi
, where he taught at the Yamaguchi Commercial College (stayed there for 8 years). From 1919 to 1936 he taught English and other subjects (among them Latin
) in Tokyo at Rikkyō University
.
He is credited with introducing to Japan the mothods on how to teach commercial English, shorthand
, calligraphy
.
While in Okayama, he also taught his students Esperanto
, and was one of the founding members of the Japanese Esperanto Society in 1906.
Being musically gifted too (he was related to the composers William Henry Monk
and Henry Gauntlett
), he was an organist at the Hongo
Central Church, which boasted Japan's biggest pipe organ
at the time. He taught Sunday school
too.
Gauntlett married Tsune Yamada (the sister of composer Kosaku Yamada
) in 1898. It is said that theirs was the first officially registered marriage between a Japanese and a foreign citizen. They had six children, their eldest son, J. O. Gauntlett, taught English at Aoyama Gakuin University
and was also a flutist
. J. O. Gauntlett also gave a set of lectures on teaching English as a foreign language at Nanzan University
in Tokyo that were edited by James A. Noonan and then published as a book by MacMillan Press.
He is a recipient of the Order of the Sacred Treasure
, 5th class.
In his old age he took Japanese citizenship and changed his name to Ganto Takeshi 岸登烈 (which is a transliteration of his English name's pronunciation, and can be read in Japanese as "Gantoretto" too).
He died at his home in Tokyo of a heart attack, and is buried at the Tama
Cemetery.
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
; d. July 29, 1956, Tokyo, Japan) was a Welsh educator.
After completing his primary education in his hometown, he went on to Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
for his secondary education, and to London where he entered a Music College. It is also said that he studied architecture, electricity, surveying
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
, the arts, etc.
In spite of his parents' objections, he went to the United States of America at the age of 20. From there he went to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, where he joined a church.
Went to Japan in 1890 or 1891 as a missionary for his Canadian church. In Japan he taught English at several schools in the Tokyo-area (Tokyo Commercial College, Azabu
Azabu
is an area within Minato in Tokyo, Japan, built on a marshy area of foothills south of central Tokyo. Its coverage roughly corresponds to that of the former Azabu Ward, presently consisting of nine official districts: Azabu-Jūban, Azabudai, Azabu-Nagasakachō, Azabu-Mamianachō, Nishi-Azabu,...
Middle School, Chiba
Chiba, Chiba
is the capital city of Chiba Prefecture, Japan. It is located approximately 40 km east of the center of Tokyo on Tokyo Bay. Chiba City became a government designated city in 1992. Its population as of 2008 is approximately 960,000....
Middle School) before he resettled to Okayama, where he taught at the Nr. 6 College. Four years later, he moved on, this time to Kanazawa
Kanazawa, Ishikawa
is the capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan.-Geography, climate, and population:Kanazawa sits on the Sea of Japan, bordered by the Japan Alps, Hakusan National Park and Noto Peninsula National Park. The city sits between the Sai and Asano rivers. Its total area is 467.77 km².Kanazawa's...
, where he taught English at the Nr. 4 College. Six years later, he went to Yamaguchi
Yamaguchi, Yamaguchi
is the capital city of Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan.As of February 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 198,971 and a population density of 194.44 persons per km²...
, where he taught at the Yamaguchi Commercial College (stayed there for 8 years). From 1919 to 1936 he taught English and other subjects (among them Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
) in Tokyo at Rikkyō University
Rikkyo University
, also known as Saint Paul's University, is a private university, based on Christian precepts, in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. There is a suburban campus in Niiza in nearby Saitama.It is known for its liberal climate symbolized by the motto -History:...
.
He is credited with introducing to Japan the mothods on how to teach commercial English, shorthand
Shorthand
Shorthand is an abbreviated symbolic writing method that increases speed or brevity of writing as compared to a normal method of writing a language. The process of writing in shorthand is called stenography, from the Greek stenos and graphē or graphie...
, calligraphy
Calligraphy
Calligraphy is a type of visual art. It is often called the art of fancy lettering . A contemporary definition of calligraphic practice is "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"...
.
While in Okayama, he also taught his students Esperanto
Esperanto
is the most widely spoken constructed international auxiliary language. Its name derives from Doktoro Esperanto , the pseudonym under which L. L. Zamenhof published the first book detailing Esperanto, the Unua Libro, in 1887...
, and was one of the founding members of the Japanese Esperanto Society in 1906.
Being musically gifted too (he was related to the composers William Henry Monk
William Henry Monk
Probably better known in his day as an organist, church musician, and music editor, William Henry Monk composed a fair number of popular hymn tunes, including one of the most famous from nineteenth century England, "Eventide", used for the hymn Abide with Me...
and Henry Gauntlett
Henry Gauntlett
Henry John Gauntlett was an English organist and songwriter known in British music circles for his authorship of a large number of hymns and other pieces for the organ....
), he was an organist at the Hongo
Hongo
Hongō is a district of Tokyo located in Bunkyō-ku, due north of the Tokyo Imperial Palace and west of Ueno. Hongō was a ward of the former city of Tokyo until 1947, when it merged with another ward, Koishikawa, to form the modern Bunkyō....
Central Church, which boasted Japan's biggest pipe organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
at the time. He taught Sunday school
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
too.
Gauntlett married Tsune Yamada (the sister of composer Kosaku Yamada
Kosaku Yamada
was a Japanese composer and conductor.In many Western reference books his name is given as Kósçak Yamada. During his music study in the Imperial German capital of Berlin from 1910-13 he hated the times when people laughed at him because his "normal" transliteration of his first name "Kosaku"...
) in 1898. It is said that theirs was the first officially registered marriage between a Japanese and a foreign citizen. They had six children, their eldest son, J. O. Gauntlett, taught English at Aoyama Gakuin University
Aoyama Gakuin University
, abbreviated AGU, is a Japanese Christian university in Shibuya near Omotesandō, Tokyo, Japan. Aoyama Gakuin University is part of a comprehensive educational institute called Aoyama Gakuin, which includes a kindergarten, an elementary school, junior and senior high schools, and a women's junior...
and was also a flutist
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
. J. O. Gauntlett also gave a set of lectures on teaching English as a foreign language at Nanzan University
Nanzan University
is a private, coeducational university located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The main campus is in the Shōwa Ward of Nagoya City, with another in Seto City and a recently established satellite campus near Nagoya's Takaoka Station on the subway Sakura-dōri Line....
in Tokyo that were edited by James A. Noonan and then published as a book by MacMillan Press.
He is a recipient of the Order of the Sacred Treasure
Order of the Sacred Treasure
The is a Japanese Order, established on January 4, 1888 by Emperor Meiji of Japan as the Order of Meiji. It is awarded in eight classes . It is generally awarded for long and/or meritorious service and considered to be the lowest of the Japanese orders of merit...
, 5th class.
In his old age he took Japanese citizenship and changed his name to Ganto Takeshi 岸登烈 (which is a transliteration of his English name's pronunciation, and can be read in Japanese as "Gantoretto" too).
He died at his home in Tokyo of a heart attack, and is buried at the Tama
Tama
-Religion:* Tama , part of the soul in the Japanese Shinto faith, roughly equivalent to ghost, spirit, or soul* Tama , a votive deposit or ex-voto used in the Eastern Orthodox Churches...
Cemetery.