Thanks for your comments Norman. Much appreciated!

John

– some thoughts for you personally on your excellent ‘Memories of BH’. I really like this series of yours – bringing past friends and acquaintances from our chess fellowship back to life.

In the autumn of 1961, BH opened a chess shop in Belgravia and invited me to run it on my own. Contrary to the experiences of some others, I found him to be a very good employer. He used to come most Saturdays with fresh stock and I met his wife, Marjory – a lovely woman. She always took my side on the very few occasions that BH was critical of my work (e.g. not cleaning the windows well enough!) In time, I met all of the rest of the family.

After Christmas, I was offered a job + flat in Mainz and left London. Otherwise, I would have been very happy to stay at the shop. Whenever I met up with BH at congresses afterwards, he always gave me a handshake and a grin. I liked him very much.

One anecdote: Later on, I did an MSc in Birmingham and my wife worked evenings as a volunteer at the hospital over the road from BH’s house. I used to park at the end of his drive when I took her back and forth. When I mentioned it to him a few years later, he feigned annoyance and asked: “Why on earth didn’t you call in?” I said that I had given up chess (& bridge) for the year in order to concentrate on my studies. He asked if I had gained the MSc – when I confirmed, he laughed and said: “So we are fellow-alumni”.

regards,
Norman