In Memory of Departed Friends of Oxfordshire Chess

Andrew English

I've received sad news that Andrew English passed away on 12th August 2026. Andrew was diagnosed with terminal cancer last November and received treatment in January this year. Andrew was a maths teacher at Abingdon Boys School. Being a keen chess player he started Abingdon Boys Chess Club, and in 2015 the school joined the ODCL. Andrew managed to secure weekly tuition from GM Peter Wells, and so it wasnt long before Abingdon Boys became a very competitive team within the ODCL. Andrew retired early to concentrate on his philosophical writing projects.

Tim Dickinson

Adam Dickinson wishes to let the Oxfordshire chess community know that Tim Dickinson died a couple of weeks ago.

As well as organising the Oxford teams in the 4NCL, Tim was the esteemed controller of many local tournaments, blending excellent knowledge and leadership with unfailing good humour.

Tim's funeral will be held at 15:00 on Thursday 19 June at the West Lancashire Cemetery and Crematorium, Burscough. The website has directions. Anyone is welcome to attend.

John Yates

John Yates passed away at the John Radcliffe earlier this month.

A longstanding member of Oxford City, John made an enormous contribution to City as a regular team player and captain. He also served the club as an affably effective treasurer for many years. He played for the county, was a regular at the Kidlington and Witney tournaments and was known to many players throughout Oxfordshire.

There will be a service for John at the Oxford Crematorium, Headington in the small chapel on Friday 27 December at 15:30. All those who wish to pay their last respects are welcome. Further details will be available on the Oxford City Chess website in due course.

Chris Evans

Chris recently and unexpectedly died. Chris started playing for Banbury 50 years ago and had played for the club for the majority of these years. Work and family led to him to move for periods of time to Bristol and Spain where he continued to play. In addition to club chess he played both OTB and online for Oxford in the 4NCL.

Chris always played quickly and loved to attack. His games often featured the Vienna and Sicilian where he had a good knowledge of sharp lines. Often his team mates whilst still in their opening phases would find the team one nil up thanks to a very quick win from Chris (he accepted quite cheerfully that occasionally his style led to quick losses). Chris could on his day down significantly higher graded players.

Our thoughts are with his family.

Robin Carr

I'm very sad to announce that Robin Carr passed away on August 5th 2024. Robin has been an avid chess player in the OCL for many years. First playing for Cowley, then Cowley Workers. In 2006 he moved home to Cumnor and subsequently joined our club. Robin was instrumental in growing Cumnor chess club during its formative years in the league. Our club has a lot to thank him for. He will be greatly missed by all of us at Cumnor.

Kelly Riley (1945-2022)

Last year I posted that Kelly Riley had entered nursing care. News recently broke that Kelly died in December 2022. My thanks to Graham Willis and Phil Hayward for finding this sad news out, via Kelly's friend Harry Hudson.

As Phil aptly put it, Kelly was a big character on and off the board but also generous and good natured. Sometimes his competitive ways got the better of him but, usually, this merely resulted in yet another good story: stuff just seemed to happen around Kelly and most of the stories (including the time an IM allowed him mate in one!) are true.

John Taylor

I learned yesterday evening, and am sad to have to report, that John Taylor died at home on 6 April at the age of 89. Cowley's oldest member, a regular on club nights, and a very active player in our League teams up until late 2019 (recently mostly in division 3), he will be remembered fondly and greatly missed by his fellow chessplayers, not only at Cowley but throughout Oxfordshire and beyond.
Much more than a fellow lover of the game of chess, he was a kind, generous, and modest man; always pleasant company; a true gentleman.
Requiescat in pace.

Ian Brooke

I have just received the very sad news of the death of Ian Brooke. Ian has been a stalwart of the OCA and the Oxford City club for more years than most can remember - a former Chair of the OCA, he ran the Oxfordshire open team, and was been Chairman of the Oxford City club for almost 30 years. He was also an active and more than useful participant (as I know to my cost!) into his nineties, playing right up to when Covid curtailed over the board chess when he won a prize at the last Kidlington tournament. He was also kind enough to go with me to tournaments in the West Country (see link to a picture), and I know over the years he has done similar for many other players in the county.

I know many of us will miss him, especially his positive and generous character, and I am sure all our thoughts go to his family.

Mike Duck

Sadly I have to report that Mike Duck lost his battle with cancer on the 9th July. Mike was previous Secretary (and then President) of the OCA and a stalwart of Didcot Chess club. He will be very much missed.

Chris Fox of Banbury Chess club

It is with great sadness that I have to report that Chris Fox of Banbury Chess Club died on the 1st June. Chris had been ill for some time but his health deteriorated rapidly in the last two weeks.

Chris played for Banbury Chess Club for almost 15 years. He joined after we had a stall at the Canal Day and he won a bottle of wine by solving a chess problem. Thereafter he became a regular at the club and it was not long before he became a team captain which he did for many years. He was always ready to step in and help out if a higher level team were short of a player.

Chris was modest about his chess playing ability but in 2015 won the Leamington League Under 90 Individual Cup, he twice played in cup winning teams and in 2017 scored a high percentage to help us gain promotion from the Oxford 4th Division. He also was a regular for the Warwickshire U100 until illness prevented him from playing.

He will be missed by all who knew him.

Wantage Club former treasurer Derek Punter passes away

Long standing Wantage Club member Derek Punter, who served  for over a 
quarter of a century as its very efficient treasurer, passed away on 
Saturday morning 24th November 2018

As a chess player Derek would never have counted himself as one of our 
strongest players, but was content to play in our lowest team as a 
reliable member.  He often got good positions  only to lose out to a 
tactical blunder, as he would freely admit himself .  

However on his day he could be a formidable opponent.  
as in the following game in the 1999-2000 club championship in 
April 2000 when he scored a notable triumph over Arnold  Jones, a
former Club champion 

************************************************************

[Event"Wantage Club Championship"]
[Site "Wantage"]
[Date "April 2000"]
[Round "5"]
[Opening "Four Knights Game"]
[White "Derek Punter"]
[Black "Arnold Jones"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. h3 Bc5  5. Bc4 O-O
6. O-O d6  7. Ng5 h6 8. Nf3 Na5  9. Bd3 a6  10. a3 Ba7
11. b4  Nc6 12. Ne2 Kh7  13. Bb2 b5  14.c4 bxc4  15. Bxc4 Be6
16. Bxa6 Nxe4  17. Bd3 f5  18. Qc2 Nxf2  19. Rxf2 Ne7
20.  g4 e4  21. Nfd4 exd3  22.  Qxd3 Bd7  23. Kh2 g6
24. Rg2 c5 25. Nc2 Qb8 26. Ng3 d5 27. Re1 Nc6
28. Qxd5 Qc8  29. b5 Nd4  30. Re7+ Kh8 31. Qe5+  1-0       

It was his greatest day at the chess board.  RIP

George Spalding
 

				

Ray Starkie (1955-2018)

I am very sad to have to announce that Ray Starkie died yesterday.

He was taken ill earlier this year and subsequently diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus, but the cancer had already spread too far for it to be treatable.

Ray was not merely a strong player but a highly respected figure on the Oxfordshire chess scene over several decades. He was a member of Cowley Chess Club for more than 40 years, playing throughout that time for our Division 1 teams in the League. He had also served as a team captain, as Chair of the club and as Editor of the club's magazine, The Chequered Board. During my time at Cowley I have frequently had occasion to appreciate his courtesy, dry wit and always thoughtful comments and advice on club and county chess matters, and I was very fortunate to have him as a Cowley 2 teammate in the last few seasons.

We shall miss him.

  Gerard O'Reilly (22 May 2018)

Julian Booker, Wantage

News just reached us this afternoon, via his son Simon, of the sudden  
passing of Julian Booker, a result of a cerebral haemorrhage.
Julian had been a stalwart member of the Wantage Club for at least
two decades. Always willing to turn out for any of our teams, he 
played as recently as Tuesday 15th March.

Perhaps his greatest day at the board was on 8th Feb 1998, when he 
beat this writer in the last round to earn second equal prize in the 
Kidlington Minor event of that year with a score of 4.5/5

He will be sadly missed by all of us at Wantage

George Spalding   
				

Arthur Mushens RIP

Sad news indeed about former Witney Chess Club stalwart Arthur Mushens, whom many of us will remember with great fondness  his son Jeffrey has just emailed me to let me know that he has passed away after many years of ill health.

Do please contact Jeffrey with your own messages (or indeed if you would like to attend Arthur's funeral).

Mike

Dear Mr Truran

I am sorry to have to let you know that my father, Arthur Mushens, died late on Saturday 20th June.

He had been unwell for some time.

The funeral, which will be a requiem Mass, is next Friday, 10th, at 12 noon in the chapel at Nazareth House, Durnford Street, Plymouth. PL1 3QR, followed by a Committal at the Weston Mill, Plymouth crematorium at 2pm.

He greatly enjoyed reading your emails and reminiscences on the occasion of his 80th birthday.

Any donations should be sent to the RAF Benevolent Fund. I don't know about flowers.

With best wishes and thanks for your friendship with my father.

Jeffrey Mushens
Lorien
18, Seven Ash Green
Chelmsford
CM1 7SE

jeffreyspm at aol.com
01245 354858
07939 575093

Martin Sheridan

Didcot Chess Club is sad to announce that long-time member (and former Abingdon & District Aunt Sally champion) Martin Sheridan died on 25 January. Martin's first match for Didcot 1 was against Kidlington 2 in Division Two in January 1981.

His funeral will be in St Matthew's Church, Harwell at 2pm on Tuesday 3 February; afterwards at The Fox, Steventon.

Neil Jenkinson

Dear all league chess players,

As the Secretary of Cowley Workers Chess Club, I am sad to announce the demise of Neil Jenkinson last Friday. Many of you will have been aware that he was struggling with Leukaemia throughout this season. I was aware that he had to have regular blood transfusions (perhaps thrice a week) over the last few months. It was possibly the secondary infection of pneumonia which ultimately lead to his demise. I have personal experience of this situation and the havoc it causes on a family. Almost 26 years ago, my father was diagnosed with Myeloma (cancer of the marrow bone).During the 2 years and 10 months that he lived after that, he had to go in and out of hospital many times, especially in his last 6 months.

Neil was unable to play any matches for us this season. He was the club's Treasurer. He had ideas for funding for our club, but was unable to put them into effect. He was also the captain of the first team and the club's strongest graded player. Furthermore, he was the most reliable driver who would give a lift to any club members to get to a match (regardless of whether he was playing the match). I only got to know him over the last three seasons at Cowley Workers. The two reasons that I was attracted to the club were Dave Buckland's personality and Neil Jenkinson's strength. I always enjoyed playing him in offhand matches and later analysing with him. They certainly made me feel welcome to their team. I was even trusted to be the captain of the second team.

As you can surmise, Neil will be a huge miss for Cowley Workers Chess club. I gather from the tributes that have poured in that he will be a huge miss from the OCDL. The League will be poorer for the demise of players of his calibre. I would agree that he could challenge anybody to a game and retain a sense of fair sportsmanship.

His funeral will be held on the 29 April at the Barton Crematorium.

Lester Millin

With sadness, I have to report that Lester Millin died yesterday evening 
at the John Radcliffe Hospital. He had been ill for some time with 
cancer, and in the last couple of weeks his condition deteriorated 
rapidly. His contributions, not only to Cowley Chess Club but to local 
chess in general and to junior chess in particular, have been immense. He 
will be remembered by many with much affection, gratitude, and respect, 
and greatly missed. 

Gerard O'Reilly (Cowley Chess Club)