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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200914
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200915
DTSTAMP:20200914T093726Z
CREATED:20190824T102152Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200914T093726Z
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SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of Alexander McDonnell (22-iv-1798 14-ix-1835)
DESCRIPTION:We remember Alexander McDonnell who died aged 37 on September 14th\, 1835 in Tavistock Square\, London. \nPlease note : We have referenced a number of secondary and tertiary sources on AM and they agree on heritage. However\, following painstaking research of primary sources by James O’Fee and Tim Harding it has been demonstrated that the father of AM was not Dr. Alexander McDonnell but\, in fact\, Thomas McDonnell\, a merchant. \nAlso\, we do not have a primary source confirming the date of birth. 22-iv-1798 was obtained from the family tree of a distant relative. \nHopefully we will be permitted to publish further details unearthed by James O’Fee \nAlexander McDonnell was born on Tuesday\, May 22nd 1798 in Belfast\, Antrim\, Northern Ireland to Dr Alexander McDonnell\, age 34. His mother is unknown. \nHis (half-)brother Robert died (in a riding accident) on 19 July 1818 in Belfast\, Antrim\, when Alexander was 20 years old. He also had one sister\, Eliza (Elizabeth) \nFrom The Oxford Companion to Chess (OUP\, 1983) by Hooper & Whyld : \nThe best player in England around 1830\, Born in Belfast\, the son of a doctor\, he spent some years in the West Indies and later worked in London as\nsecretary of the Committee of West Indian Merchants. William Lewis\, who taught McDonnell in the 1820s\, soon found that he could not successfully offer odds of pawn and move to his pupil; but challenged to play even Lewis declined\, fearing for his reputation.  \nFrom June to October 1834 McDonnell played six matches against La Bourdonnais; of the 85 games that were played McDonnell won 27\, drew 13\, and lost 45. McDonnell’s lack of experience against strong opponents was a serious handicap. On occasion his combinative play could be brilliant and imaginative\, but his opening play (based on Lewis’s teachings) and his technique were inferior. He is described as ‘quiet\, reserved\, outwardly imperturbable’ with ‘an insular sense of’decorum’\, quite different from his extrovert opponent.  \nWhereas La Bourdonnais played fast and with ease\, McDonnell concentrated at length upon his moves and retired from a playing session exhausted\, sometimes ‘walking his room the greater part of the night in a dreadful state of excitement’. His contemporaries believed that this long period of stress hastened his death from Bright’s disease. The games were regarded as the finest ever played. They were first published in England where they greatly stimulated interest in the game.  \nUnlike his great rival\, McDonnell died wealthy; besides chess he was interested in political economy on which he wrote half a dozen books or\npamphlets.” \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nFrom The Encyclopedia of Chess (Robert Hale\, 1970 & 1976) by Anne Sunnucks : \n“The greatest player Ireland has ever (1976) produced\, McDonnell is remembered mainly for his series of games against La Bourdonnais in 1834 which were described by Morphy as ‘beautiful models of chess strategy’. \nThe son of a Belfast doctor\, McDonnell’s profession of Secretary to the Committee of West India Merchants brought him to London.\, where he took chess lessons from William Lewis and as a member of the West London Chess Club soon established the reputation of being the strongest amateur of his day. He was also a strong blindfold player. \nIn 1823 he lost some games against La Bourdonnais. These were probably played in Paris\, since there is no record of the players meeting in England. In 1834 La Bourdonnais came to London\, and a further contest was arranged. There are a number of conflicting reports on the sub-division of the games into matches\,but a total of 84 games were played\, of which McDonnell scored +27-44=13 before La Bourdonnais was recalled to Paris on business. \nIt was intended that the series should be continued\, but before this could be arranged McDonnell fell ill with Bright’s disease and died on 14th September 1835.” \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nFrom The Encyclopedia of Chess (Batsford\, 1983) by Harry Golombek : \n“Britain’s leading player before Staunton. McDonnell was Irish born\, the son of a Belfast doctor. He was secretary to the Committee of West India Merchants in London. After he studied chess with Lewis\, he rose to the front rank of British players. \nIn 1834 he was engaged in a marathon series of matches with the visiting French champion La Bourdonnais. Five complete matches of varying lengths were played and a sixth was left unfinished\, comprising a probable total of 85 games (there is some dispute among chess historians over the details of the final two matches)\, with the victory going to La Bourdonnais by 45 games to 27 with 13 draws. The standard of play was high and these contests did much to kindle interest in chess in both France and England. McDonnell died the following years of Bright’s disease.” \nEdward Winter in Chess Notes writes  \nFrom Wikipedia : \n“Alexander McDonnell (1798–1835) was an Irish chess master\, who contested a series of six matches with the world’s leading player Louis-Charles Mahé de La Bourdonnais in the summer of 1834. \nIn 1825 he became a pupil of William Lewis\, who was then the leading player in Britain. But soon McDonnell had become so good that Lewis\, fearing for his reputation\, simply refused to play him anymore. \nAround 1825–1826\, McDonnell played Captain Evans\, while the latter was on shore leave in London. McDonnell was beaten with what is now regarded in chess circles as the creation of the Evans Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4).[3] \nLa Bourdonnais matches\nMain article: La Bourdonnais – McDonnell chess matches\nAt that time the world’s strongest player was the French aristocrat Louis-Charles Mahé de La Bourdonnais. Between June and October 1834 La Bourdonnais and McDonnell played a series of six matches\, a total of eighty-five games\, at the Westminster Chess Club in London. McDonnell won the second match\, while La Bourdonnais won first\, third\, fourth and fifth. The sixth match was unfinished. \nIn the first game of the third match\, McDonnell successfully introduced a new variation in the King’s Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.Nc3) known today as the McDonnell Gambit.” \nWe are not convinced that the photograph above is of AM. We received this reply from Tim Harding : \n“I don’t recall ever seeing ANY image that was definitely of him\, but I have referred your enquiry to James O’Fee in Belfast who is probably the only person who might know of one. \nIt doesn’t help that he had in Belfast an almost exact contemporary of the same name (who came to work in Dublin and long outlived the chess player) and there is some issue about which one was the son of a doctor and which the son of a merchant. So even if you found an image online it’s more likely to be of the wrong man. \nUnless I am wrong there was never any image of Alexander McDonnell in a chess context.\nThe main chance would perhaps be in connection with his lobbying for the Demerara planters. \nBest wishes\nTim” \n Save as PDF
URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-alexander-mcdonnell/
CATEGORIES:Death Anniversary,History,Player
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200916
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200917
DTSTAMP:20200914T094901Z
CREATED:20200409T133157Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200914T094901Z
UID:4260-1600214400-1600300799@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of FM John Littlewood (25-v-1931 16-ix-2009)
DESCRIPTION:John Eric Littlewood was born in Sheffield on Wednesday\, September 16th 1931. His mother’s maiden name was Wheeldon. He last resided in the WN8 postal area of Skelmersdale\, Lancashire. \nHe became a FIDE Master in 1989 at the age of 58. According to Felice his peak FIDE rating was 2395 in January 1980. However\, it is almost certain that it would have been higher than that\, in the 1960s and 1970s. \nJohn\, Jenny and Paul Littlewood\, circa 1962. Kindly supplied by Paul Littlewood.\nHe coached his son Paul who became British Champion in 1981. His brother Norman was also a very strong player. \nJohn and Paul on Skegness beach circa 1958. Kindly supplied by Paul Littlewood. George and Ringo are out of shot !\nFrom “Chess Coaching” : \nJohn Littlewood is a National Coach and the Director of Junior Chess to the British Chess Federation. He is a FIDE Master with national and international playing experience\, and is an established chess write\, translator and journalist. \n03-01-1962 37th Hastings International Chess Congress\, 1962. World Champion Mikhail Botvinnik (R) playing against John Littlewood of England\nFrom “Learn Chess 2” \n“A British Master\, formerly Northern Counties Champion and currently (1984) a National Coach for the British Chess Federation. John Littlewood has played for England in several international tournaments\, including two Olympiads” \nJohn Littlewood giving a simultaneous display\nJohn Was Northern Counties Chess Union (NCCU) Champion in 1971\, 1972\, 1977\, 1978\, 1979\, 1980 and 1981 : a record seven times ! \nJohn with chess friends\n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nJohn won the Appleby-Frodingham Chess Club tournament in 1962 with 3.5/5 : \nAppleby-Frodingham Tournament of 1962 crosstable\nand then\, in the same year came 3= in the British Championships with 7.5/11 : \nTruncated crosstable from the 1962 British Championship in Whitby\nand in 1969 in Rhyl John was unfortunate not to share the title with Dr. Jonathan Penrose after losing to Frank Parr in the final round : \nTruncated crosstable of the British Championships of Rhyl 1969\nJohn Littlewood at Hastings 1963-4. Still taken from Pathe news reel footage\nJohn Littlewood playing Wolfgang Unzicker in round one of the 1969-70 Hastings International Congress\nJohn won the Southport Open in 1972 and the picture below was taken shortly afterwards : \nJohn and family following winning the 1972 Southport Open. See the BCM article below for a full caption\nJohn won the Chorley tournament of 1977 with 7/9 \nChorley 1977 tournament crosstable\nJEL won the British Chess Federation’s President’s Award in 2000. \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nFM John Littlewood at 4NCL courtesy of Helen Milligan\nIn 2006 John won the BCF Veterans / Seniors title for the first time repeating the feat in 2008 sharing with George Dickson. \nWith the White pieces John almost exclusively played 1.e4 favouring the Wormald Attack\, Open Sicilians and the Rossolimo variation. \nAs the second player John played the Closed Ruy Lopez\, the Sicilian Dragon and the Grünfeld defence. \nIn the following video IM Andrew Martin discusses the game Bisguier – Littlewood\, 1962. \n\n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nRather than reinventing an already round wheel we reproduce the following ten page tribute in the October 2009 issue of British Chess Magazine. The tribute is by John Saunders : \nBritish Chess Magazine\, Volume CXXIV (129)\, 2009\, Number 10\, October\, page 536\nBritish Chess Magazine\, Volume CXXIV (129)\, 2009\, Number 10\, October\, page 537\nBritish Chess Magazine\, Volume CXXIV (129)\, 2009\, Number 10\, October\, page 538\nBritish Chess Magazine\, Volume CXXIV (129)\, 2009\, Number 10\, October\, page 539\nBritish Chess Magazine\, Volume CXXIV (129)\, 2009\, Number 10\, October\, page 540\nBritish Chess Magazine\, Volume CXXIV (129)\, 2009\, Number 10\, October\, page 541\nBritish Chess Magazine\, Volume CXXIV (129)\, 2009\, Number 10\, October\, page 542\nBritish Chess Magazine\, Volume CXXIV (129)\, 2009\, Number 10\, October\, page 543\nBritish Chess Magazine\, Volume CXXIV (129)\, 2009\, Number 10\, October\, page 544\nBritish Chess Magazine\, Volume CXXIV (129)\, 2009\, Number 10\, October\, page 545\nA rather detailed article from Tartajubow on Chess II \nHere is how news of his passing was received on the English Chess Forum \nHere is an obituary from Leonard Barden in The Guardian \nHere is an obituary published in The Times of London \nFarewell to John Littlewood : The Lincolnshire Poacher \nand\, finally a history of JEL from the Yorkshire Chess Archives \nFM John Littlewood (25-v-1931 16-ix-2009)\nHere is John’s Wikipedia entry \nHow to Play the Middle Game in Chess by John Littlewood\, Collins\, 1974\nChess Coaching by John Littlewood\, The Crowood Press\, 1991\nLearn Chess by Edward Penn and John Littlewood\, Pitman House\, 1980\nLearn Chess : Teacher’s Book\,  by Edward Penn & John Littlewood\, Pitman House\, 1980\nLearn Chess 2 by John Littlewood\, Adam & Charles Black\, 1984\nFM John Littlewood (25-v-1931 16-ix-2009)\n Save as PDF
URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-fm-john-eric-littlewood-25-v-1931-16-ix-2009/
CATEGORIES:Death Anniversary,History,Player
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200920
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200921
DTSTAMP:20210920T225258Z
CREATED:20190920T100224Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210920T225258Z
UID:1405-1600560000-1600646399@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of Hugh Blandford (24-i-1917 20-ix-1981)
DESCRIPTION:BCN remembers Hugh Blandford who was a British composer. \nHugh Francis Blandford was born on Wednesday\, January 24th in 1917 in South Stoneham\, Hampshire\, England. \nOn this day Ernest Borgnine was born and an earthquake measuring 6.3 in magnitude struck Anhui Province\, China\, causing 101 deaths. \nHugh’s father was the Rev Albert Francis Blandford and his mother was Alice Rhoda Crumpton Evans. Hugh had two younger brothers\, Philip Thomas. and Evan Arthur. \nThe family moved to Jamaica and he spent his early childhood there until he was nine years old when they sailed from Kingston\, Jamaica with his family to Bristol on board the SS Carare (Elders & Fyffes Line) : \nPassenger Manifest (part) for SS Carare \, 30th May 1926.\nHis mother Alice Rhoda Crumpton passed away on 19 July 1964 in Minehead\, Somerset\, at the age of 79. \nHis father Rev Albert Francis passed away in December 1967 in Somerset at the age of 79. \nHe had three children during his marriage. \nHe died in Hatfield\, Hertfordshire on Sunday\, September 20th\, 1981. \nBlandford is also known for participating in defining the GBR (Guy\, Blandford Roycroft) code. \nIn 1961 he was awarded the title of “International Judge of the FIDE for Chess Composition” \nCM Bent wrote the following obituary in the British Chess Magazine\, Volume CI (101\, 1981)\, Number 12 (December)\, page 532 : \n“The modest and self-effacing composer who formerly conducted our Studies column from 1951-1972 died in September. His work as a metallurgist and his family responsibilities allowed him to make periodical contributions over a long span and to offer us many of his own original compositions.  \nHis style\, as with his manner\, was essentially quiet and it was a rarity for him to compose anything other than wins.  \nHis last voluntary labour was to compile an index for E.G. of all studies published there to date. His loss to the world of of studies will be greatly felt.  \nThe first prize winner below is a classic of exquisite refinement and matches the immaculate handwriting which was always such an elegant feature of his work” \nStudies by Hugh Francis Blandford\nSolutions to studies by Hugh Francis Blandford\nSee more of his compositions here from the arves.org database. \nFrom The Encyclopedia of Chess by Anne Sunnucks : \n“British study composer and FIDE Judge of Endgame Studies. Born on 24th January 1917. Since July 1951\, Hugh Blandford has conducted the Endings Section of the British Chess Magazine. By profession a metallurgist\, he was married and had two children. Of his 60 or more studies he was best known for the excelsior theme.” \nFrom Wikipedia : \n\nHugh Francis Blandford (24 January 1917 – 20 September 1981) was a chess endgame composer born in Southampton\, England.[1]\nHe spent several years of his childhood in Jamaica with his father\, the Reverend Albert Francis (Frank) Blandford\, a Minister in the Congregational church\, his mother and two younger brothers\, Evan Arthur and Philip Thomas Blandford. All three brothers then returned to England and attended Eltham College (the School for the Sons of Missionaries) in South-east London\, while their parents remained in Jamaica. He married Marjorie Cox\, whom he had worked with during the Second World War. \nHe played chess from his schooldays and as well as playing\, also started to compose original chess endings. He became known in the field of chess endgame studies for a small but elegant body of compositions\, expertly edited and published after Hugh’s death by his long-standing chess endings colleague\, John Roycroft.[2] \n\n1st Prize\, Springaren 1949\, White to move and win\n\nHugh Blandford was co-inventor with Richard Guy – and\, later\, with John Roycroft – of the Guy–Blandford–Roycroft code for classifying studies.[3] In July 1951 he began as the endgame study editor for the British Chess Magazine.[4][5] He was made an International Judge for Chess Composition[4] in 1961.[6] \nA metallurgist\, he continued to compose chess endgame studies until the end of his life\, dying of a heart attack in early retirement in Hatfield\, England\, on 20 September 1981.\n \n Save as PDF
URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-hugh-francis-blandford/
CATEGORIES:Composer,Death Anniversary,History,Problemist,Studies,Writer
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210922
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210923
DTSTAMP:20260817T135339Z
CREATED:20210924T195734Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T135339Z
UID:18921-1632268800-1632355199@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of Colin Russ (19-iii-1930 22-ix-2021)
DESCRIPTION:Death Anniversary of Colin Russ (19-iii-1930 22-ix-2021) \n Save as PDF
URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-colin-russ-19-iii-1930-22-ix-2021/
CATEGORIES:Composer,Death Anniversary,Problemist,Writer
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200924
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200925
DTSTAMP:20210924T120919Z
CREATED:20190822T162717Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210924T120919Z
UID:994-1600905600-1600991999@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of WIM Rowena Bruce (15-v-1919 24-ix-1999)
DESCRIPTION:We remember WIM Rowena Bruce who died this day (September 24th) in 1999. \nRowena Mary Dew was born on Thursday\, May 15th\, 1919 in Plymouth\, Devon. Her father was Clement Warner Harvey Dew and her mother was Mary Jane Rowe. \nThe Bruce and Dew families circa 1923. Rowena is at the front and on the right aged around four years. Source : ancestry.co.uk\nShe married Ronald Mackay Bruce in July 1940 when she was 21 years old. \nHer father Clement Warner Harvey passed away on 7 October 1957 in Plymouth\, Devon\, at the age of 79. Her mother Mary Jane passed away on 3 August 1958 in Cornwall at the age of 73. Her husband Ronald Mackay passed away in April 1991 in Plymouth\, Devon\, at the age of 87. They had been married 50 years. \nFrom The Anglo-Soviet Radio Chess Match by Klein and Winter : \n“Mrs RM Bruce was born in Plymouth in 1919\, and learned chess at the age of twelve. She won the Girls’s World Championship in 1935 and the British Ladies Championship in 1937. During the war she served with the WVS in Plymouth. Apart from chess\, she is interested in music and plays the cello. \nRowena practising the cello. Courtesy of Keverel Chess\nShe is married to RM Bruce\, who is a well-known Plymouth player.” \nIn 1984 both Rowena and Ron received the BCF President’s Award for Services to Chess. \nFrom British Chess (Pergamon Press\, 1983) by Botterill\, Levy\, Rice and Richardson : \n“I was taught by my Mother Mrs. May Dew\, when recovering from a mastoid operation in 1930\, and I joined Plymouth Chess Club on 5th November 1931\, aged 12.5. \nI started receiving chess tuition from the Plymouth Match Captain\, Ronald Bruce in 1934. (Married him in 1940!). \nI won the Girls’ World Championship in 1935. I won the British Ladies’ Championship for the first time in 1937\, and again in 1950\, 1951\, 1954\, 1959\, 1960\, 1962 and 1963. I tied for first place in 1955\, 1967 and 1969. \nI represented Great Britain in the West European Zonal tournament held in Venice 1951\, where I finished 2nd. This qualified me to represent Great Britain in the Candidates tournament held in Moscow in 1952. I finished 12th out of 16. \nWorld Chess Championship (Women)1952 Candidates Tournament\nIn 1952 we adopted a little girl – Rona Mary. \nOther tournaments abroad included zonals in Italy\, Yugoslavia and Germany\, and Olympiads in Germany\, Poland and Bulgaria. \nThis last-named ended in disaster because I collapsed with a stroke during my second game. Obviously my chess playing was affected\, but I was indeed fortunate to make a fairly good recovery. \nWIM Rowena Mary Bruce at the 1952 Moscow Candidates tournament\nI returned to competitive chess playing a year later but\, in the meantime\, several young players have surged forwards\, and that British Ladies’ Championship seems to have become much more difficult to win ! \nBut I now have three grandchildren! \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nBCN is grateful to WCM Dinah Norman for sending us these memories : \n“Rowena Mary Bruce (need Dew) was born on 15 May 1919 and died in Plymouth in 1999. Rowena was the youngest of 3 children born to Harvey and Mary Dew. Mary Dew was a member of the Plymouth Chess Club and tried unsuccessfully to get her 2 sons interested in the game but Rowena was the only child who was interested. \nWhen Rowena was 10 her mother organised private lessons for her with the Plymouth Champion\, Ron Bruce. At the age of 21 Rowena married Ron Bruce and it was a very successful and happy marriage. They had an adopted daughter Rona who had no interest in Chess. Rowena had to wait until she was 21 before she could marry Ron. Rowena lived in Plymouth all her life.  \nRowena and Ron married in July 1940. Ron and Rowena cemented a formidable playing and organising partnership which benefited chess in Devon for almost half a century. \nA stern-looking Rowena offers advice to one of the juniors at the WECU Congress\, Easter 1951\, in the analysis room at the Penolver Hotel\, Newquay. Courtesy of Keverel Chess\nAfter the War Rowena was one of the leading quartet of British Lady players which included Elaine Pritchard (née Saunders)\, Anne Sunnucks and Eileen Tranmer. In 1951 Rowena played in the Ladies Zonal in Venice and qualified for the Candidates in Moscow to be played the following year. \nAT the age of 53 she qualified for the East European Zonal in Sofia\, Bulgaria in 1972. Sadly in Round 2 of that event she collapsed at the board with a major cerebral haemorrhage which left her right side paralysed. By sheer force of will after many months of convalescence she taught herself to speak and walk again. She had to give up playing her cello which was awful for her. \nLadies Chess Tournament Fenny Heemskerk\, Rowena Mary Bruce (née Dew)\, Donner\, Architect Date: January 12\, 1953 Personal name: Architect\, \, Bruce\, R.\, Donner\, \, Heemskerk\, Fenny Institution name: Block Chess Tournament – Image ID: 2ARK3JK\nThe steely determination with which she followed her 75 year chess career and her recovery from serious illness belied her gentle nature. She was a modest\, kind and gracious person who always thought the best of others. \nShe won the British Ladies title 11 times. \nI shared the title with her in 1967 and 1969 after 2 play offs. She was a very pleasant and sporting opponent.” \nFrom The Encyclopedia of Chess (Robert Hale\, 1970 & 1976) by Anne Sunnucks : \n“International Woman Chess Master and winner of the British Ladies Championship on 10 occasions. \nShe was taught to pay chess by her mother\, who was the Devon Lady Champion\, after a mastoid operation when she was 10. In 1931 she joined Plymouth Chess Club\, where she met R. M. Bruce\, the Devonshire Chess Captain\, who coached her and was largely responsible for later success. She married him in 1940. \nOpening Ladies Danlon chess tournament in Amsterdam\, v.l.n.r. T. Roodzant\, F. Heemskerk\, I. Larsen\, L. Timofeeva\, E. Rinder\, R. Bruce Date: October 21\, 1959 Location: Amsterdam\, Noord-Holland Keywords: group portraits\, chess Person Name: Bruce\, Rowena Mary\, Heemskerk\, Fenny \, Larsen\, I.\, Rinder\, Elfriede\, Roodzant\, Toos\, Timofeeva. Lidia – Image ID: 2AW6KHJ\nIn 1935 she won the Girls’ World Championship and two years later the British Ladies’ Championship for the first time. She has won the title outright or been joint holder on 10 occasions in 1937\, 1950\, 1951\, 1954\, 1955\, 1959\, 1960\, 1962\, 1963 and 1967. \nMrs Bruce has represented Great Britain in matches against the USSR and the Netherlands and the British Chess Federation in qualifying tournaments for the Women’s World Championship. In Venice in 1951 she came 2nd in the Western European Qualifying Tournament for the Women’s World Championship and thereby qualified for the Candidates tournament in 1952\, when she came 12th out of 16. \nRowena at the 1952 Moscow Zonal tournament. Courtesy of Keverel Chess\nApart from chess\, her hobbies are music\, gardening and bridge. \nShe is principal ‘cellist in the Plymouth Orchestral Society.” \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nAn obituary (presumably written by John Saunders) appeared in the British Chess Magazine\, Volume CXIX (119\, 1999)\, Number 11 (November)\, page 584 : \n“Rowena Bruce died peacefully at home on 23 September following a long illness. Rowena Mary Dew was born in Plymouth on 15 May 1919\, and she was taught the game at the age of 10\, while she was convalescing from surgery\, by here mother Mary Dew\, herself a very able player who had been Devon Ladies’ Champion. \nRowena joined the Plymouth Chess Club\, where she met her future husband\, Ron Bruce\, himself a strong player. She won the World Girls’ Championship in 1935 and the British Women’s title two years later. Rowena married Ron in 1940 and won the British title under her married name ten more times (seven outright and three jointly) between 1950 and 1969. \nShe represented Great Britain in matches against the USSR and the Netherlands. She qualified for the Women’s World Championship by coming 2nd in the Western European Zonal in Venice\, and in the subsequent Candidates tournament in Moscow in 1952 she came 12th out of 16. She was awarded the women’s international master title in 1951. \nRowena locking horns with her friend Fenny Heemskerk\, who finished in a magnificent 2nd place. Courtesy of Keverel Chess\nThe contribution to chess that Rowena and Ron Bruce made to national\, west country and Devon chess was well recognised at the highest level\, and when the British Chess Federation instituted a new award in 1983\, the President’s Award for Services to Chess\, they won it jointly in only its second year. Ron died in 1991. \nRowena was a past president of the Devon County Chess Association and the West of England Chess Union and continued playing for Devon until about four years ago when her increasing frailty made it impossible for her to travel to away matches. \nHer other accomplishments included music : she was a principal cellist in the Plymouth Orchestral Society. She also partnered husband Ron in strictly non-competitive bridge for many years. She leaves a daughter Rona and three grand-children.” \nWIM Rowena Mary Bruce\nFrom The Encyclopedia of Chess (Batsfords\, 1977) by Harry Golombek : \n“International Woman master and eleven times British Ladies champion or co-champion. \nAt the age of fifteen in 1935\, Miss Dew won the girls World championship and two years later\, still under he maiden name\, se won the British Ladies championship at Blackpool. Thereafter she won the championship under her married name in 1950\, 1951\, 1954\, 1955\, 1959\, 1960\, 1962\, 1963\, 1967 and 1969. \nHer best international result was a 2nd in the 1951 Western European Zonal tournament\, qualifying for the Women’s Candidates tournament in Moscow 1952\, where she came 12th/16. She has represented England in a number of team events\, has excellent combinative powers\, but lacks steadiness in strategy.” \nRowena (far left) during the 1952 Moscow Candidates tournament. Courtesy of Keverel Chess\n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nDavid Hooper (seated right) in play at the West of England Championships in Bristol\, Easter\, 1947. His opponent \, ARB Thomas \, was that year’s champion. Among the spectators is Mrs. Rowena Bruce\, the 1946 British Ladies’ Champion. BCM\, Volume 118\, #6\, p.327. The others in the photo are L – R: H. V. Trevenen; H. Wilson-Osborne (WECU President); R. A. (Ron) Slade; Rowena Bruce; Ron Bruce; H. V. (Harry) Mallison; Chris Sullivan; C. Welch (Controller); F. E. A. (Frank) Kitto.\nHere is an interesting article from Tartajubow on Chess \nFrom Wikipedia : \n“Rowena Mary Bruce (15 May 1919 – 24 September 1999)\, née Dew\, was an English chess player who held the title of Woman International Master (WIM\, 1951). She was an eleven-time winner of the British Women’s Chess Championship (1937\, 1950\, 1951\, 1954\, 1955\, 1959\, 1960\, 1962\, 1963\, 1967 and 1969). \nBiography\nFrom the end of the 1930s to the end of the 1960s\, she was one of England’s strongest women chess players. In 1935\, she won the FIDE World Girls Championship. Rowena Mary Bruce won the British Women’s Chess Championship eleven times: 1937\, 1950\, 1951\, 1954\, 1955\, 1959\, 1960\, 1962\, 1963\, 1967 and 1969[1]. In 1952\, in Moscow\, she participated in the Women’s Candidates Tournament where she took 12th place[2]. In 1951\, she was awarded the FIDE Woman International Master (WIM) title. \nOn 21 June 1946\, Bruce played (and lost) a “radio chess” match against Lydmilla Rudenko. Bruce was one of two women who were part of a twelve member British team who played in a four day tournament. The British team played their moves in London while the Russian team played their moves in Moscow.” \nRowena with Spassky and the Lord Mayor of Plymouth\, Alderman Pascho.\n“Rowena Mary Bruce played for England in the Women’s Chess Olympiads: \nIn 1966\, at second board in the 3rd Chess Olympiad (women) in Oberhausen (+5\, =5\, -2) where she won an individual silver medal\, and\nIn 1969\, at second board in the 4th Chess Olympiad (women) in Lublin (+5\, =3\, -6).\nFrom 1940 to 1991 she was married to Ronald Bruce (1903–1991)” \nWIM Eileen Betsy Tranmer & WIM Rowena Mary Bruce\n Save as PDF
URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-rowena-mary-bruce/
CATEGORIES:Death Anniversary,History,Player
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200926
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200927
DTSTAMP:20210925T140242Z
CREATED:20190823T001025Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210925T140242Z
UID:1122-1601078400-1601164799@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of WIM Eileen Tranmer (05-v-1910 26-ix-1983)
DESCRIPTION:We remember WIM Eileen Betsy Tranmer who passed away on September 26th\, 1983. \nEileen Tranmer\nShe was the first English woman to be awarded by FIDE the Woman’s International Master title in 1950. \n“From The Anglo-Soviet Radio Chess Match by Klein and Winter : \nMiss E. Tranmer was born in Scarborough\, North Yorkshire in 1910\, and learned chess at the age of six. She did not take it up seriously\, however\, until 1936. Under the tuition of W. Winter she has made notable progress\, and her performances include a second prize in the British Correspondence Championship 1944\, as well as first prize in one of the subsidiary tournaments at Hastings\, 1945. \nBy profession Miss Tranmer is a musician and has played principal clarinet in the Scottish and Sadler’s Wells Orchestras.” \nFrom British Chess Magazine\, Volume CIII (103\, 1983)\, Number 11 (November)\, page 482-83 (presumably written by Bernard Cafferty) : \n“Eileen Tranmer died in hospital at Ticehurst on September 26th after a long illness. Born in Scarborough\, May 5th 1910\, she was a professional clarinet player and played in a number of prominent British orchestras till forced to retire by deafness. \nMandatory Credit: Photo by ANL/Shutterstock (3880870a)Miss Eileen Tranmer The British Women’s Chess Champion Pictured Here Playing A Clarinet In The Orchestra While Appearing At The Theatre Royal Glasgow.\nOne of the leading British players in the two decades after the war\, Eileen won the British Ladies Championship in 1947\, 1949 (with a 100% score)\, 1953 and 1961\, and played in the British Championship at Buxton\, 1950. Her international record was sparse\, as was the case with nearly all English players of that period. Nevertheless\, she made her mark in the 1949-50 first post-war Women’s World Championship where she finished 5-7th in a field of 16\, beating Bykova\, again\, and finished 7th in the field of 16. \n37th Hastings International Chess Congress\, 1962. USA Ladies champion Lisa Lane (L) playing against British Champion Eileen Tranmer\nWe are grateful to WCM Dinah Norman for sending us these memories : \n“Eileen Tranmer was one of the best English chess lady players of her generation. \nI only played her once at Oxford in an International Ladies Tournament held between 24 July and 1 August 1971. Eileen totally outplayed me and I lost the game. \nEileen was a member of Acton Chess Club where there were three active lady players at that time. They were Jean Rogers\, Olive Chataway and Eileen. Eileen lived in Acton then. \nMandatory Credit: Photo by ANL/Shutterstock (3880957a)Miss Eileen Tranmer The British Women’s Chess Champion.Miss Eileen Tranmer The British Women’s Chess Champion.\nEileen was a professional musician and had to stop playing when she became deaf which was dreadful for her. \nIn 1969 Eileen\, Rowena Bruce and I were selected to play in the Ladies Chess Olympiad Team in Lublin\, Poland. Sadly Eileen was taken ill just before the event so Rowena and I had to play all 13 rounds without a break. I was on Board 1 and at the end Rowena and I were exhausted and I had to withdraw from a tournament in the Czech Republic without playing a game. The food in Poland was awful so we said never again! \n  \nMandatory Credit: Photo by ANL/Shutterstock (3880958a)Miss Eileen Tranmer The British Women’s Champion Chess Player Pictured Playing Some Of The Glasgow Ladies Chess Club At The Green’s Playhouse Cafe Glasgow.Miss Eileen Tranmer The British Women’s Champion Chess Player Pictured Playing Some Of The Glasgow Ladies Chess Club At The Green’s Playhouse Cafe Glasgow.\nEileen was very friendly with Harry Golombek. The expectation among the lady chess players was that they would get married but she never did. Harry did not drive and Eileen was very kind driving Harry and his elderly mother around. \nVery sadly Eileen’s brother was killed in a car crash and after that Eileen suffered mental problems. Eileen lived near John and Jean Rogers and John said Eileen would turn up at their home in the middle of the night wanting to play chess. \nAt Hastings 1959-1960 : Yugoslavia’s red-haired Milanka Lazarevic and Britain’s Eileen Tranmer ran away with the Premier Reserves (afternoon event).\nThe last time I saw Eileen was at Paignton. Her friend Olive Chataway brought her to Paignton and Eileen played in the bottom tournament and did badly. Eileen did not recognise myself or Rowena which was very sad. \n  \nMandatory Credit: Photo by ANL/Shutterstock (4745287a)Miss Eileen Tranmer 43-year-old British Women’s Chess Champion. Box 556.Miss Eileen Tranmer 43-year-old British Women’s Chess Champion. Box 556.\nEileen later left Acton and moved to Tring. Eileen was a pleasant and modest person and was well liked. She had a good sense of humour.” \nFrom the obituary in The Times of London we learn that her last few years were over-shadowed by an illness that preyed on her mind. \nWe take the following game from the August 1944 issue of BCM. The game was played in the BCCA Championship\, and curiously enough there was an enquiry about that event to the BCF only a short while ago – a Georgian journalist wishes to quote that wartime performance as an early example of success by a woman in male chess company! ” \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nGerald Abrahams in Not only Chess\, wrote about Eileen (Chapter 18 : What Achilles Saw Among Women) as follows : \n“To revert to the British Ladies\, they were joined in the late 1930s by a very able pupil of Miss Menchik\, the Yorkshire Clarinettist Eileen Tranmer; a woman whose chess I have seen to express some admirable qualities of mind and character. I had the privilege of watching her is Moscow in 1949-50\, when\, handicapped by influenza of a particularly virulent kind – what the Russians call “grippe” – she won some five or six consecutive games\, to finish in the prize list of the new official Women’s World Championship. There had been two championships before\, which Vera has won easily. Since Vera had unhappily perished in the Blitz\, they looked at Moscow for her successor.” \nHere is her Wikipedia entry \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nWIM Eileen Betsy Tranmer & WIM Rowena Mary Bruce at the 1946 Anglo-Soviet Radio Match\n Save as PDF
URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-eileen-betsy-tranmer/
CATEGORIES:British Championships,Death Anniversary,History,Player,Remembering
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200518
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200519
DTSTAMP:20200517T135203Z
CREATED:20190823T160941Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200517T135203Z
UID:1082-1589760000-1589846399@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of Brian Harley (27-x-1883 18-v-1955)
DESCRIPTION:Brian Harley (27-10-1883 18-v-1955)\, from chesscomposers.com and Chess Notes\nDeath Anniversary of Brian Harley (27-x-1883 18-v-1955) \nFrom chesscomposers.com : \n“Brian Harley composed mostly two- or threemovers and wrote many books to make chess problems more popular: for instance his “Mate in Two Moves” inspired Geoff Foster’s first steps into problemdom.\nHarley’s “The Modern Two-move Chess Problem” written in collaboration with Comins Mansfield is probably the best known of his efforts. \nBrian Harley was the inventor of the term “mutate” for the block problems with changed mates. He was the president of the British Chess Problem Society from 1947 until 1949. In his honour\, each year the British magazine “The Problemist” awards the best twomover problem with the “Brian Harley” award.” \nand Edward Winter writes about Brian Harley (scroll down a little).  \nHere is BHs obituary from British Chess Magazine\, Volume LXXV\, Number 9\, pages 284 – 287 written by S. Sedgwick : \n“With the death of Brian Harley on May 18th\,1955\, the chess problem is the poorer by an authoritative exponent\, and a writer of unusual clarity and popular appeal. His sudden passing at his home at Bognor Regis will be mourned. by a very wide circle of friends; to his wife and son\, with whom he enjoyed an enduring happiness\, we extend our deep-felt sympathy. \nBorn at Saffron-Walden\, Essex\, on October 27th\,1883\, Harley was educated at Wellingborough and Haileybury. Qualifying as an actuary he entered the National Provident Institution\, in whose employment\, apart from War Service\, he passed his professional life\, until his retirement in 1947.  \nAs a player he had initially a considerable reputation\, above that enjoyed as a problemist. Two books\,  Chess and its Stars and Chess for the Fun of it\, reflect this aspect of his chess work. When playing was eventually renounced for problems he still retained his love of annotation\, bringing to this a wide knowledge\, larded by the apt witticism and an approach that was neither superficial yet avoided the pitfalls of pedantry. \nChess and its Stars\nHis first problem appeared at the age of fifteen\, in 1898. Whilst Harley’s early period has some noteworthy items\, it lacks the verve and distinction of his later output\, following his awakening of interest in the mutate in 1916_and the fertile years following his appointment as Chess Editor of The Observer\, London\, in 1919. In England under the lead o[ Phillip Williams in the Chess Amateur\, the mutate had sprung into\,popularity during and after the Great War\, with Harley among its ardent exponents. He continued the cult in his Observer column\, where he did much to popularize it. It is possibly symbolic that when Williams died in 1922 his travelling board and men should pass to Harley; it would be difficult to find a comparable instrument that has witnessed the genesis of so much concentrated chess devilry\, implicit in all mutates\, as this board used first by Williams and then by Harley. \nIn July\, 1919\, Harley published his system in the Good Companion folder. This paper\, the outcome of much thought\, attempted to evaluate the constituent parts of a chess problem on a semi-mathematical basis. Point values were set down for the elements in White keys\, Black defences thereto\, and the resultant White mates\, the summation giving values for comparison with other works similarly treated. In an accompanying paper on the block-change it was here that Harley introduced the term “mutate\,” the word passing\, without cavil\, into the current idiom. Under the evocative power of Harley’s work and pen his Observer feature from 1919 onwards has come to rank with the great columns of the past. No composer of substance was absent from its pages and the result is a collection of works and descriptive criticism that has enriched the chess literature of the world. Early on\, Harley came to know the late Godfrey Heathcote\, and the welcome presence of the great composers name in the column gave it a sublimity possessed by no other comparable English journal. Harley’s comments on his contributors work was one of the many attractive features of his column. He kept the popular approach very much in mind without unduly over-weighting it; this\, blended with a brand of humour all his own (often literary in character)\, and a grasp of essentials drove home the salient points of a problem to the uninitiated solver with a peculiar vividness. He could ‘be incisive when wanted\, technical when he pleased\, his gentle rebuke for the inferior production or undetected flaw could not be other than well taken\, authoritative without ostentation\, his succinct criticisms are now legendary to be treasured and repeated when the occasion demands. An incorrigible faddist in his regard for the short threat in the three-mover\, Harley seldom admitted this type to his pages\, pleading aversion by solvers. He conducted over one hundred solving contests during his column’s life; these weekly battles of wits affording enormous pleasure to all concerned. \nChess for the Fun of It\nTo his column came the established composer and the hesitant\, possibly young\, beginner. To this last group Harley gave every encouragement and unreservedly of his advice and help. There must be few British composers who have not felt his benefit directly\, through the medium of his wonderful letters\, lit all the way through by the warm glow of an endearing personality. \nHarley’s constructive powers brought him to the front rank of the world’s composers. His output of 450 includes long range work in four and five moves and in later years\, sui-mates. In the chess-men he found a pliable medium for the realization of an unusual vision and creative gift. In the two-mover he gave to the mutate much substantial and classic work. He appears to have given to this type more specialized attention than any other in the two-move field. Elsewhere in this length his work covers a wide variety of themes with a strong liking for task renderings. A composer with few serious constructive foibles\, his mode of expression\, in consequence suffered little. His was not the temperament to linger with one theme and squeeze it dry. One or two renderings of the theme on hand and he would pass to the next. Hence the diversity of his work which imbues it with especial charm. To underline this point one could indicate\, almost at random\, Harley’s entries in the multimate tourney of the Cleveland Chess Bulletin. Certainty the theme had few attractions for him but his entries showed how superbly such problem ideas could be clothed. \nIn the three-mover Harley has graced both sides of the aesthetic fence\, and that with distinction\, giving equally to the strategic and model-mate.genre. His friendship with Heathcote however influenced him considerably here and one is inclined to the view\, that in this length\, Harley held firmly to the eternal values in chess art. In both types Harley attained especially in task renderings\, rare heights of complexity and construction. His lighter mood showed to the full-to the incipient solver much of the low cunning of which the three-mover is capable. \nHe came to the sui in the late forties. When Heathcote was convalescing in London\, following an operation\, Harley took some specimens with him when he visited his friend The ensuing discussion stimulated Harley to further experiments and the authentic touch of the great master of technique is evident in his work here also. Harley gave many of his works to his own “Observer” column but did not neglect the other sources of publication. To quote his own words his ideal problem was “a mixture of art\, science\, humour\, and puzzlement.” His best work shows brilliantly his love for the integration of the beautiful and the true inner essence and spirit of chess. \nHis contribution to the literary and technical side of chess problems outside his journalistic work is seen in his two books Mate in Two (1931) and Mate in Three (1943).\nMate in Two is stamped with all Harley’s inimitable style and remains a mine of information for all levels. Standing\, as it does\, mid-way between the old and the new\, the book\, apart from an absorbing chapter on changed play\, reflects and even labours under the influence of the “Good Companion” period. Harley in later editions to a certain extent remedied this deficiency and the book\, now long out of print\, lies on our shelf\, its fundamentals unimpaired\, as one of the classic expositions in the art. Mate in Three\, written from a’ narrower viewpoint\, proved another successful publication. Here Harley entered more controversial ground\, crossing swords. with hitherto established theory. The book\, although not evoking absolute technical authority\, gives a broad and eloquent outline\, written from the artistic standpoint\, of three-move work fundamentally\, with few significant omissions. Made memorable by the inclusion of many works both by Harley and Heathcote\, the book is that of a true artist\, and is of great importance theoretically as the one modern work devoted to this length by an English author. \nA further important contribution to chess problem theory was his thesis on “Black Correction” read before the British Chess Problem Society on November 29th\, 1935. In the mid thirties\, this thesis\, more than anything else\, was instrumental in precipitating a flood of work on correction and associated ideas. Readers of this magazine will recall this period\, and I trust that this short recapitulation will still the tiresome arguments regarding the choice between “correction” and “continued defences.” Harley’s choice is at once apt and descriptive and it should not be forgotten that here\, he touched upon White Correction\, an esoteric aristocrat\, greeted by ten years or so of utter silence before systematic investigation by the moderns. \nElected President of the British Chess Problem Society in 1947-1949 it so happened that I was its Secretary at the time. We exchanged hundreds of letters on problematic subjects\, the scope of his knowledge always affording surprise. The Society benefited enormously from his advice and counsel\, and during the somewhat delicate situation arising from the arbitration in the two-move section of the 1948 Olympic Tourney it was with alacrity that one turned to a mind of the calibre of Harley. Coming to the man he was widely read\, a Latin scholar\, and his knowledge of Dickens was above average; a keen bridge player\, an instrumentalist (piano)\, all the varied facets of his character would come out at some time in his chess writings. His physical presence at any gathering gave it stature. Of medium height\, lovable\, somewhat dapper\, the shrewd contemplative face of this chess Barrie with its ever present cigarette holder and fund of anecdote has enriched and enlivened many a dull Committee Meeting. \nMate in Two Moves\nOn the death of Anthony Guest in 1925\, Harley succeeded as Problem Editor of the Morning Post until 1932. In addition he was Problem Editor of Empire Review\, 1923-1926\, and Time and Tide\, from 1951 until his death. Lesser appointments included several technical journals where he acted under pseudonyms. Amusing were the anagrammatical pseudonyms used occasionally for composing in Hilary Bream and Harry Blaine. \nBrian’s integrity and character endeared him to innumerable correspondents and solvers. Most of us nourish a characteristic Brian Harley story; one must suffice here. It concerns the time when Brian was introduced to the late Sir John Simon who made the delightful response “l need no introduction for I meet him every Sunday and for years hive wrestled with his problems\, eventually solving them in the House of Commons.” For this weekly enrichment of our lives we have much to thank him for. \nIn middle life Brian married Ella Margaret Beddall; there is one son\, Nigel. With his wife\, Brian shared many problematic triumphs and it was to her that his various\nbooks were dedicated.  \nMate in Three Moves\nBefore closing this brief review of Brian’s achievements a word should be said regarding the summary end of his work in the Observer and a tribute paid by one of his many solvers in this column. On the former it will be regarded with universal regret by all problemists that no arrangements have been made to continue Brian’s incomparable’work in the journal he  served with such distinction. Regarding the latter am very grateful to Halford W. L. Reddish\, Esq.\, for an appreciation that admirably epitomizes the feelings of us all on this melancholy occasion. \nMr. Halford Reddish writes- \n“l am one of thousands of solvers\, from the expert to the merest tyro\, who will miss our weekly battle with Brian Harley in the Observer. In the world of chess and chess problems his name and fame are secure. His characteristically titled Chess for the Fun of It is a delightful exposition of the game: his Mate in Two Moves and Mate in Three Moves are classics in their particular field. \nTo those of us who knew Brian personally his passing leaves an unfillable gap. I had known him and admired him and loved his witty\, cheery\, kindly personality for many years. He was one of those rare beings who became a close friend even before our first meeting-for we had corresponded for a long time before we first came face to face. And although chess and chess problems were our primary link he had many other interests which kept him young and keen in mind after his retirement from business and which enlarged and enriched his correspondence. It is typical of him that no letter came from him without some mention of his dear wife\, who shared to the full his varied interests. To her and to his only son to the deep sympathy of his many friends.” \n Save as PDF
URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-brian-harley/
CATEGORIES:Composer,Death Anniversary,History,Problemist
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