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June 2021
Death Anniversary of Johannes Zukertort (07-ix-1842 20-vi-1888)
BCN Remembers Johannes Hermann Zukertort (07-ix-1842 20-vi-1888) Johannes Hermann Zukertort (07-ix-1842 20-vi-1888), from the Illustrated London News From the July 2012 editorial in British Chess Magazine we had this report : "Johann Hermann Zukertort’s (1842-1888) grave was rededicated last month in London’s crowded Brompton Cemetery, largely thanks to an initiative led by Stuart Conquest. The resting place of one of the leading players of the nineteenth century was recorded but the grave had fallen into terrible dis-repair. See BCM 1888,…
Find out more »Death Anniversary of Sir Richard William Barnes Clarke KCB OBE (13-viii-1910 21-vi-1975)
BCN Remembers Sir Richard William Barnes Clarke KCB OBE (13-viii-1910 21-vi-1975) According to chess-poster.com : "He was commonly known as Otto Clarke” Here is his Wikipedia entry Here is a small article from chess-poster.com Here is detail about the Clarke Grading System and more about chess ratings systems in general From The Oxford Companion to Chess by Hooper & Whyld : Creator of the British system of grading. He gave up active chess after leaving Cambridge University where he played…
Find out more »Death Anniversary of Howard Staunton (01-iv-1810 22-vi-1874)
Here is his Wikipedia entry BCN remembers Howard Staunton (01-iv-1810 22-vi-1874) A curious article about Staunton From The Oxford Companion to Chess by Hooper and Whyld : The world's leading player in the 1840s, founder of a school of chess, promoter of the world’s first international chess tournament, chess columnist and author, Shakespearian scholar. Nothing is known for certain about Staunton's life before 1836, when his name appears as a subscriber to Greenwood Walkers Selection of Games at Chess ,…
Find out more »Death Anniversary of Alan Phillips (28-x-1923 24-vi-2009)
Alan Phillips (riight) receives his prize from television celebrity and magician David Nixon for his equal second placing at the 1973 Islington Open, photographer unknown BCN remembers Alan Phillips (28-x-1923 24-vi-2009) Here is his far too brief Wikipedia entry From Chessgames.com : "Alan Phillips, joint British Champion in 1954, was born in England in 1923. He was the author of Chess: 60 Years on with Caissa and Friends (Caissa Editions, 2003) and The Chess Teacher (Cadogan, 1995)." Here is an…
Find out more »Death Anniversary of Marmaduke Wyvill (22-xii-1815 25-vi-1896)
Marmaduke Wyvill Remembering Marmaduke Wyvill (22-xii-1815 25-vi-1896) Here is his Wikipedia entry Here is an excellent article from the Yorkshire Chess History web site. From The Oxford Companion to Chess by Hooper & Whyld : He was winner of second prize in the first international tournament, London 1851. He developed his chess skill in the 1840s, meeting Dubois in Rome, Kieseritzky in Paris, and many players, including Buckle, in London, His style was that of the English school, and he…
Find out more »Death Anniversary for Vera Frantsevna Menchik (16-ii-1906 27-vi-1944)
Miss Vera Menchik BCN remembers that in the early morning of Tuesday, June 27th, 1944 (i.e. 76 years ago) Vera Menchik, her sister Olga, and their mother were killed in a V-1 flying bomb attack which destroyed their home at 47 Gauden Road in the Clapham area of South London. 47, Gauden Road, Clapham, SW4 6LW in more modern times. All three were cremated at the Streatham Park Crematorium on 4 July 1944. Vera was 38 years old. Signature of…
Find out more »July 2021
Death Anniversary of IM Andrew John Whiteley (09-vi-1947 07-vii-2014)
Hans Ree (left) and Andrew Whiteley (right) examine the European Junior Trophy for 1965/6 in which they tied for first. BCN remembers IM Andrew John Whiteley (09-vi-1947 07-vii-2014) Andrew was born on Monday, June 9th, 1947 in Birmingham, West Midlands to Dennis Edward Hugh Whiteley (1914 - 1987) and Muriel Sutton (1919 - 1967). Andrew completed his education at Magdalen College School, Oxford and then in law at Pembroke College, Oxford. His highest Elo rating was 2395 in January 1977…
Find out more »Death Anniversary of FM David Rumens (23-ix-1939 08-vii-2017)
FM Dave Rumens enjoys being introduced as "The late Dave Rumens" at the 2013 Terafinal by Mike Basman, Loughborough Grammar School. Courtesy of John Upham Photography BCN remembers FM David Edward Rumens who passed away on July 8th, 2017 David was born in Hendon, London (his mother's maiden name was Little). In his latter years he lived in Olney and then Wavendon both in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. He became a FIDE Master in 1980 at the age of 41. According…
Find out more »Death Anniversary of Ken Whyld (06-iii-1926 11-vii-2003)
Ken Whyld (06-iii-1926 11-vii-2003) BCN remembers much loved Ken Whyld who passed away on July 11th 2003 in Lincolnshire. Ken Whyld from CHESS magazine, January 1950. courtesy of the Ken Whyld Association From Chess : The Records : "Ken Whyld was the editor of Chess Students Quarterly in the early 1950s and from 1955-63, Chess Reader, in which he reviewed more than 500 chess books. He has written seven tournament books and one match book. Ken Whyld (06-iii-1926 11-vii-2003) With…
Find out more »Death Anniversary of Dr. Julian Farrand QC (Hon) (13-viii-1935 17-vii-2020)
Prof. Julian Farrand at the King's Place Rapidplay, 2013, courtesy of John Upham Photography BCN mourns the passing of Dr. Julian Farrand (13-viii-1935 17-vii-2020). He was 84 years of age. Julian Thomas Farrand was born August 13th, 1935 in Doncaster in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Dr. Farrand QC(Hon), formerly the Insurance Ombudsman, became the Pensions Ombudsman, and he had been a Law Commissioner and a University Professor of Law at the University of Manchester where he was Dean of…
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