Jim Fox, a long term Wimborne Chess Club member sadly died on 18th May.

He joined the Club soon after it started in the 70s. He travelled from Blandford and on away matches left his car in Wimborne where we shared transport. For a scotch or a Merlot he would enthral us with amazing stories, some about his time in the RAF. There may have even been some truth in them.

Jim played the trumpet and did the clubs and pubs. He was well read and had a better general knowledge than most of us.

As a young man he had a stall in Piccadilly Circus selling trinkets. John Osborne the writer met him there and again in the club where Jim played in the band. John asked Jim if he could base the main character in the play he was writing on him. So the trumpet playing, stallholder, angry grammar school boy in, “Look back in Anger”, is Jim Fox. But as Jim said, “it didn’t do me much good.”

So Wimborne and the wider chess circle and his family have lost a good team player, and a great character. He was the last winner of the DCCA Minor Trophy (pictured). We will miss him. We send our condolences to his family.

Tony Buckfield, May 2021