Events Search and Views Navigation
June 2022
Death Anniversary of Robin Matthews (16-vi-1927 19-vi-1983)
BCN remembers Robin Matthews CBE, FBA who died in Cambridge aged 83 on June 19th 2010. Probate (3367272) was granted in Ipswich, Suffolk on September 6th, 2010. Robert (Robin) Charles Oliver Matthews was born in Edinburgh on Thursday, June 16th 1927. Born on the same day was England cricketer, Tom Graveney. His English father, Oliver Harwood Matthews became an Edinburgh solicitor and his mother was Ida Matthews (née) Finlay. Robin had a daughter Alison. Academia He was educated at Edinburgh…
Find out more »July 2022
Birthday of FM David Friedgood (11-vii-1946)
Birthday of FM David Friedgood (11-vii-1946) David was born in Cape Town, Republic of South Africa and now resides in England. He first won the South Africa Championship in 1967 in Johannesburg, again in 1971, and in 1973 in Cape Town when his main rivals were Piet Kroon and Charles de Villiers. He plays for Cavendish, Hendon and 4NCL MK Phoenix. He gained his FM title in 1982. His peak rating of 2335 was achieved in January, 1980. David Friedgood…
Find out more »Birthday of John Rice (19-vii-1937)
BCN sends best wishes to John Michael Rice on his birthday, July 19th in 1937. John was born in Scarborough, Yorkshire, North Riding, his mother's maiden name was Blake. John lives in Surbiton, Surrey and teaches Modern Languages at Tiffin School, Kingston-Upon-Thames. An ABC of Chess Problems From An ABC of Chess Problems : "The author is one of the country's most prolific foremost composers and problem critics. He has gained mainly tourney honours, both at home and abroad, and…
Find out more »Birthday of (Arthur) John Roycroft (25-vii-1929)
We are delighted to offer (Arthur) John Roycroft best wishes on his birthday, this day (July 25th) in 1929. John was born in Hendon, London and his mother's maiden name was Banks. AJR aged 9, courtesy of the BCPS web site. John moved to Brighton and then evacuated to Calcot, North Wales and returned to Brighton when the threat had subsided. He married Betty in 1961 and they had a son and a daughter and now have several grand children.…
Find out more »August 2022
Birthday of Barry Barnes (01-viii-1937)
BCN wishes happy birthday to Barry Barnes (01-viii-1937) Barry Peter Barnes was born in Brighton and his mother's maiden name was Simpole. (Barry is a cousin of Julian Ivan Peter Simpole, who was a Brighton school teacher and who taught Edward Gerard Winter to play chess). Barry now lives in Halling, Rochester, Kent with his wife Jean. From The Encyclopedia of Chess (Robert Hale, 1970 & 1976) by Anne Sunnucks : "International Master of FIDE for Chess Compositions (1967) and…
Find out more »Death Anniversary of John Driver (21-vii-1928 01-viii-1979)
Death Anniversary of John Edward Driver (21-vii-1928 01-viii-1979) See Sunnucks From The Encyclopaedia of Chess (Batsford, 1977), Harry Golombek OBE, John Rice writes: "British problemist. Output consists of two-movers, helpmates and fairy problems. Inventor of the Edgehog, a fairy piece which moves along Q-lines but always either to or from a square at the board-edge."
Find out more »Death Anniversary of Gerald Anderson MBE DFC (24-ii-1898 23-viii-1984)
BCN remembers Gerald Frank Anderson MBE, DFC (24-ii-1898 23-viii-1984) From British Chess (Pergamon, 1983) by Botterill, Levy, Rice and Richardson we have an article written by John Rice : "Gerald Frank Anderson was born in South Africa on 23 February 1898, and has published nearly 500 problems of many different types. From the start he was a versatile composer, and Weenink's The Chess Problem (see introduction) contains two three-movers of his illustrating anticipatory half-pin (see Diagram I) a reflex-mate in…
Find out more »September 2022
Death Anniversary of Hugh Blandford (24-i-1917 20-ix-1981)
BCN remembers Hugh Blandford who was a British composer. Hugh Francis Blandford was born on Wednesday, January 24th in 1917 in South Stoneham, Hampshire, England. On this day Ernest Borgnine was born and an earthquake measuring 6.3 in magnitude struck Anhui Province, China, causing 101 deaths. Hugh'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. The family moved to Jamaica and he spent…
Find out more »October 2022
Death Anniversary of Charles Fox (09-xi-1866 11-x-1935)
BCN remembers Charles Fox (09-xi-1866 11-x-1935) Charles Masson Fox was born on Friday, November 9th 1866 in Falmouth, Cornwall. his father, Howard, was 29 and his mother, Olivia Blanche Orme, was 22. He had one brother and two sisters. His sister Olivia Lloyd was born on 5 February 1868 in Falmouth, Cornwall, when Charles Masson was 1 year old. His sister Stella was born on 11 December 1876 in Falmouth, Cornwall, when Charles Masson was 10 years old. In 1881…
Find out more »November 2022
Death Anniversary of Charles Edward Kemp (09-xi-1986)
Death Anniversary of Charles Edward Kemp (09-xi-1986)
Find out more »