By Yoon Ja-young
Hundreds of handicrafts, archives and photos that belonged to Albert Taylor, a correspondent for the Associated Press (AP) who reported to the world the realities of life in Korea under Japanese occupation, have returned to Seoul.
According to the Seoul Museum of History, Jennifer L. Taylor, a granddaughter of the journalist, donated a total of 451 items belonging to her grandparents. They are of significant importance as they provide a glimpse of life in Seoul while it was under Japanese colonial rule.
Born in the United States in 1875, he came to Korea with his father who was engaged in gold mine development. In 1919, he reported on Koreans’ March 1 Independence Movement to the world after finding a document of the Declaration of Independence at Severance Hospital where his son, Bruce, was born. Korea independence movement leaders were there preparing for the massive movement.
He also reported on the massacre of Koreans at Jeam-ri in Hwaseong.
The Taylor family lived at a house they named Dilkusha, which was at that time the biggest brick house in the country. They lived there from 1923 until 1942 when they were expelled by Japanese. Taylor was even jailed for six months by the Japanese for resisting expulsion. He passed away in the United States in 1948, but is now buried at the cemetery for foreign missionaries in Seoul.
The historic Dilkusha, which still stands near Sajik Tunnel’s western entrance in Jongno-gu, is undergoing restoration to be opened to the public in 2019, commemorating the Taylor family’s dedication to the country’s struggle for independence.
Jennifer L. Taylor has already donated 57 items during a visit to Seoul.
Among the donations this time is a photo album that depicts a 1930s-era gold rush in Korea. Albert Taylor took photos of a gold mine in Gangwon Province while his wife made drawings of people’s daily life there.
A draft for “Chain of Amber,” a book by Mary Taylor depicting life in Seoul, as well as her amber necklace were also donated to the museum. In the book, Mary Taylor wrote in detail on people’s lives, folk rituals and traveling to Geumgang Mountain. She also left portraits of Koreans who helped with the family’s housework.
“The items donated by the Taylor family are closely related with major incidents of Korean history,” an official at the museum said. “It will also help with restoration of Dilkusha.”