Obituary: Fred Manning

Fred Manning was born 29th September 1931, being 75 years old and died on Wednesday 6th June 2007 - he was a chartered accountant by profession, being single.

Fred joined Wimbledon Chess Club in the early sixties from Streatham owing to the fact that Wimbledon had numerous matches in the Surrey League and at the time he worked in Weybridge for British Aircraft Corporation.

Fred was a medium strength player during most of his chess career and often finished at the end of the season as having played the most games in the Wimbledon club. To highlight Fred’s performance as a combative player, he was reserve in a Wimbledon match in division 1 of the London league about twenty-five or thirty years ago and had to play on board 1 as the nominated player could not appear – Fred obtained a draw!

Fred was a tower of strength as an administrator and had been treasurer of Wimbledon and Surrey County Chess Association for very many years and treasurer of the Thames Valley League for several years. Fred had a most accommodating nature and abiding passion for the game of chess, was a gentleman in the truest sense, always willing to help and he could not refuse a task he was requested to do, often being overburdened.

Fred will be greatly missed by all his friends at Wimbledon and in Surrey and this exceptional man will be remembered with the deepest affection.

Trevor Brugger (Wimbledon Chess Club Secretary)