Geoff Steele

[John Philpott]

The following text, provided by Mike Wiltshire, has appeared on the ECF website this morning in respect of my immediate predecessor as ECF Company Secretary

It is with much regret that I write to inform you of the recent death of Geoff Steele.

Geoff was a stalwart member and officer of Kent County Chess Association for nearly fifty years and during that time held several positions ranging from organiser of the under 18 team to chairman and finally President. He was one of the founders and organisers of the Thanet chess congress which commenced some 43 years ago at St Lawrences College, Ramsgate as well as the Folkestone annual congress and the Vera Menchik memorial tournament in 1994 at Maidstone. In 1937 Vera Menchik married RHS Stevenson, the Kent chess association secretary who had himself organised the successful April 1914 Dartford International tournament, a forerunner of Geoff's subsequent events.

Geoff, a chartered accountant, was also an auditor of the BCF for several years.

Michael Wiltshire
Chairman, Kent County Chess Association

[Gordon Cadden]

The following text, provided by Mike Wiltshire, has appeared on the ECF website this morning in respect of my immediate predecessor as ECF Company Secretary

It is with much regret that I write to inform you of the recent death of Geoff Steele.

Geoff was a stalwart member and officer of Kent County Chess Association for nearly fifty years and during that time held several positions ranging from organiser of the under 18 team to chairman and finally President. He was one of the founders and organisers of the Thanet chess congress which commenced some 43 years ago at St Lawrences College, Ramsgate as well as the Folkestone annual congress and the Vera Menchik memorial tournament in 1994 at Maidstone. In 1937 Vera Menchik married RHS Stevenson, the Kent chess association secretary who had himself organised the successful April 1914 Dartford International tournament, a forerunner of Geoff's subsequent events.

Geoff, a chartered accountant, was also an auditor of the BCF for several years.

Michael Wiltshire
Chairman, Kent County Chess Association

Thank you for that information on Geoff Steele, Mike. I should mention that at the time of his marriage to Vera Menchik, RHS Stevenson was also the secretary of the British Chess Federation.

[Kevin Thurlow]

Geoff was still helping out at last year's Thanet. He was always friendly and quietly got things done - a sad loss.