BCN remembers John Cochrane who passed away on March 3rd 1878. From The Oxford Companion to Chess by Hooper & Whyld : Scottish player, barrister, called to the bar in 1822. If the so-called romantic style existed then Cochrane has a claim to be regarded as its founder. A dashing player, he attacked at all … Continue reading Death Anniversary of John Cochrane (04-ii-1798 02-iii-1878)
BCN remembers Nancy Elder MBE who passed away on Wednesday, March 4th 1981, i.e, forty years ago in Perth, Western Australia. Nancy Conchar Gordon was born on Tuesday, May 25th 1915. On the same date was born Robin Day in High Wycombe who went on to design the polypropylene stacking chair. Nancy was born in … Continue reading Death Anniversary of Nancy Elder MBE (25-v-1915 04-iii-1981)
Death Anniversary of GM Daniel Abraham Yanofsky OC QC (25-iii-1925 05-iii-2000)
BCN remembers Richard Guy who passed away in Calgary, Alberta, Canada on Monday, March 9th, 2020 at the splendid age of 103. Early Life Richard Kenneth Guy was born on Saturday, 30th September 1916. On this day construction on the Hell Gate Bridge in New York City was completed. He was born in Nuneaton, Warwickshire … Continue reading Death Anniversary of Dr. Richard Guy (30-ix-1916 09-iii-2020)
William Norwood Potter Death Anniversary of William Norwood Potter, (27-viii-1840 13-iii-1895)
Death Anniversary of IM William Albert Fairhurst CBE (21-viii-1903 13-iii-1982) From The Encyclopedia of Chess by Anne Sunnucks : "International chess master, British Champion in 1937 and Scottish Champion in 1932, 1933, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949 and 1962. Born in Alderney Edge in Cheshire on 21st August 1903, Fairhurst taught himself … Continue reading Death Anniversary of IM William Fairhurst CBE (21-viii-1903 13-iii-1982)
We remember IM Simon Webb (10-vi-1949 14-iii-2005) David Nixon and Simon Webb at the London Evening Standard Congress Simon became England's fourth Correspondence Grandmaster in 1983 following Keith Richardson, Adrian Hollis and Peter Clarke. IM Jonathan Speelman vs IM Simon Webb at the 1978 British Championships in Ayr, Courtesy of John Upham {[%evp 0,74,19,29,18,21,56,-11,-17,-25,25,16,18,-3,56,33,50,36,37,36,38,34,59, 54,58,44,43,48,44,23,44,31,47,31,43,36,24,22,8,17,17,-16,-27,-79,-109,-66,-59, … Continue reading Death Anniversary of IM Simon Webb (10-vi-1949 14-iii-2005)
BCN remembers Gerald Abrahams who passed away in Liverpool on Saturday, March 15th 1980. He was buried in the Allerton Cemetery in the Jewish Springwood plot. Gerald Abrahams was born in Liverpool on Monday, April 15th 1907. On this day the Triangle Fraternity was formed at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. His parents were … Continue reading Death Anniversary of Gerald Abrahams (15-iv-1907 15-iii-1980)
BCN remembers Reginald Bonham (known as "Bon") who passed away, this day, March 16th in 1984 in Worcester, Worcestershire. In 1970 New Years Honours, Civil Division he was awarded the MBE for "Services to the blind". Interestingly, in 1992 his sister Mary also received an MBE for "Services to the blind" This is surely an … Continue reading Death Anniversary of Reginald Bonham MBE MA (31-i-1906 16-iii-1984)
Death Anniversary of FM Stephen H Berry (18-iii-1951) Obituary from Andrew Stone
BCN remembers Sir Stuart Milner-Barry KCVO CB OBE who passed away on Saturday, March 25th, 1995 in Lewisham Hospital, London aged 88. He was laid to rest in the Great Shelford Cemetery, Cambridge Road, Great Shelford, Cambridge CB22 5JJ. A memorial service was held for him at Westminster Abbey on 15 June 1995. Great Shelford … Continue reading Death Anniversary of Sir Stuart Milner-Barry KCVO CB OBE (20-ix-1906 25-iii-1995)
Remembering Percy Francis Blake (6-xii-1873 26-iii-1936) From his Italian Wikipedia entry : "Percy Francis Blake ( Manchester , December 6, 1873 - Grappenhall , March 20, 1936 ) was a British chess player and chess composer , among the best English problem players of the period 1900 - 1936 . He composed over 500 problems, … Continue reading Death Anniversary of Percy Blake (6-xii-1873 26-iii-1936)
BCN remembers Comins Mansfield MBE who passed away on March 28th 1984 in Torbay, Devon. Comins was the first English born chess grandmaster when in 1972 he was awarded the the title of "International Grandmaster of the FIDE for Chess Composition" three years before the first correspondence GM and four years before the first English … Continue reading Death Anniversary of Comins Mansfield MBE (14-vi-1896 28-iii-1984)
Death Anniversary of Augustus Mongredien (1807 - 30-iii-1888) Here is his Wikipedia entry
BCN remembers Ken Messere who passed away on Thursday, March 31st 2005 aged 76 in Paris-16E-Arrondissement, Paris, France. Kenneth Charles Messere was born on Monday, April 16th, 1928 in Richmond-on-Thames, Surrey. His father was Charles (George) Messere (1901-1974) or Eisenberg and aged 26. His mother was Gertrude Marie Newman (1899-1978) and aged 29. Ken had … Continue reading Death Anniversary of IMC Ken Messere OBE (16-iv-1928 31-iii-2005)