Obituary: Wilfred (Tom) Widdows

It is with sadness I report the death of Tom, for very many years a stalwart of Worcester City Chess Club and Worcester Chess Association reported to me by Bill Watson.

The text of Bill's letter reads: "He died on 29.6.08 and the funeral is on Wednesday next (9.7.08) at Worcester Crematorium at 1pm. No flowers. Donations to Air Ambulance via Funeral Directors (CRUMP), Hanbury Road, DROITWICH."

A feature article published in 2002 by Worcester Evening News states Tom was born in South Wales in 1912. Tom learned to play chess at the age of 7 being taught by his father Thomas, a railwayman. In 1920, the family moved to Worcester when Tom's father's job was transferred to Shrub Hill Railway Station. Tom attended Stanley Road School and then Worcester Technical School. Tom left school aged 15 to work as an apprentice draughtsman for Heenan & Froude Engineering Company. He later served the successor company Redman Heenan as manager of the company's environmental services and travelled several times to Brazil and Argentina in connection with their business.

He retired in 1975 and was retained by the engineering company as a consultant. After the formal retiring age of 65, he took part- time work with Reddiplex, the plastics extrusion firm in Droitwich and finally retired from paid employment at the age of 81.

Tom joined Worcester City Chess Club when he was 22. In the 1958-9 season, Tom was board 4 of an extremely strong Worcester City side that won all seven matches in Worcestershire County League, the team dropping only two game points in the whole season. Not only a player, Tom was a well-respected Competitions Secretary for over 30 years for Worcestershire Chess Association who dealt fairly and firmly with occasional disputes. He was Life Vice President of the Worcestershire Chess Association. In addition to chess, Tom was a bridge player with his wife, June, in Droitwich.

At the close of the second World War, Tom took on the job of Chess Correspondent for Worcester Evening News. Writing under the byline Checkmate, his first column appeared on October 9, 1945 and he put down his pen in 2006 and is almost certainly the world record holder of the title "longest serving chess correspondent" of any newspaper in the world.

The Worcester chess scene has lost a much respected member.

Ray Dolan