Nick Stout (Purbeck) reports on the following very sad news.

It was with great sadness that the members of Purbeck Chess Club learned of the death last Tuesday of Paul Stanley, a long-standing club member and Captain of the C-team.

Our founder and honory President, Brian Beard writes:

“Paul had been a valued member of Purbeck Chess Club for a number of years. Regretfully I cannot find a note in my files when he first joined but it would have been about twelve years ago. He was well liked without exception by all members and we can all recall his enthusiasm, including frequently to be the team driver for away games … Chess clubs always need stalwarts such as he was. He will be sadly missed.”

Paul was a valued member of our club; modest and kind with a quiet sense of humour, a capable captain and a ready provider of lifts to those who needed one.

I got to know Paul first as a new member of the club in 2017 and when he played me for the C-team. He was a regular at the club, at the Swanage Chess Cafe and at the ‘garden chess’ events which started during Covid and lasted into the Summer of this year.

He was very fit and active getting me into paddle-boarding and canoeing. He cycled regularly from Swanage to Corfe Castle for chess. Paul became increasingly frail over the past year nevertheless his sudden departure remains a shock to us all.

Paul leaves a wife, Jenny and two sons James and Daniel.

We will miss him.