Peter Wilson RIP

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David Sedgwick
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Peter Wilson RIP

Post by David Sedgwick » Sat Oct 17, 2015 4:31 pm

I have just received news that former ECF Director Peter Wilson, 25.7.43 - 16.10.15, died yesterday after battling terminal cancer for five and a half years.

Roger Lancaster
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Re: Peter Wilson RIP

Post by Roger Lancaster » Sat Oct 17, 2015 4:39 pm

Peter will perhaps be best remembered as founder of Mushrooms Chess Club where he remained very active for many years until his health began to fail, remaining as Life President . Background is that the club was founded some 50 years ago when Surrey teenagers, under Peter's initiative and fed up with the attitude of local clubs where they felt less than totally welcome, founded their own club. Needless to say, within a very short period they began winnning the Surrey League.

Kevin Thurlow
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Re: Peter Wilson RIP

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Sat Oct 17, 2015 10:15 pm

The Mushrooms Postal team was enormously strong as well, frequently winning events by massive margins. Peter put a few backs up along the way, but he put a tremendous amount of work into chess organisation, and his enthusiasm was infectious.

He was also extremely helpful if he felt someone had been unjustly treated.

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Matthew Carr
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Re: Peter Wilson RIP

Post by Matthew Carr » Sun Oct 18, 2015 10:00 am

I had the pleasure of working with him at an event, he left a very good impression on me. He will be missed.

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Christopher Kreuzer
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Re: Peter Wilson RIP

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Mon Oct 19, 2015 1:49 pm

An obituary from the ECF website (includes a photo):

http://www.englishchess.org.uk/rip-peter-jb-wilson/

"Born July 1943, died 16th October 2015
Peter was a Midlander, lived in London, but resided much of his later life in Guernsey. He was an International Arbiter, Organiser and Candidate Master. He had been Chairman of the FIDE Computer Chess Committee and also the Commonwealth Chess Association from 1998-2002. He represented Guernsey 6 times in the Olympiad. After he switched allegiance back to England, although continuing to reside in Guernsey, he became ECF Director of Marketing for some years. He received the President’s Award for Services to Chess in 2014.
Peter excelled at being a match captain and that will be his major chess legacy. He was co-founder of the very highly regarded Mushrooms Club which won the ECF Club of the Year Award in 2008. He represented England in the European Senior Team Championship from 2004 to 2010, captaining one of the teams each time. For a couple of years, when I wasn’t team leader of the whole group, he took over that responsibility, and when he died he was still a Senior Selector.
He contracted cancer five years ago and thus his health deteriorated sharply – that sadly spelt the end of his playing career.
Our condolences to his wife, Mary, herself also an International Arbiter."

(written by Stewart Reuben and James Pratt - see notes below)
Last edited by Christopher Kreuzer on Tue Oct 20, 2015 1:01 pm, edited 4 times in total.

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John Saunders
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Re: Peter Wilson RIP

Post by John Saunders » Tue Oct 20, 2015 12:45 pm

Peter Wilson was a lovely man and my deepest condolences go to Mary on her loss.

Re the piece quoted by Chris: the text has been misattributed on the ECF website. It is clear that it was written by Stewart Reuben. I have notified the ECF so they can amend their original. Suggest Chris does the same.
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John Upham
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Re: Peter Wilson RIP

Post by John Upham » Tue Oct 20, 2015 12:56 pm

JDP contributed some of the obit and SR the rest. I suggested to AW that both contributors be credited.
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Andrew Martin
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Re: Peter Wilson RIP

Post by Andrew Martin » Tue Oct 20, 2015 2:07 pm

I am very sorry to hear of Peter's passing.

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Peter D Williams
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Re: Peter Wilson RIP

Post by Peter D Williams » Tue Oct 20, 2015 4:12 pm

I was very sorry to hear of Peter Wilson death.We got to know him when we went to Guernsey chess international. A really nice man. Peter helped my dad who is a very keen stamp collector by posting lots of Guernsey stamps on various letters and post cards to my fathers home address.My father explained to Peter why he needed them posted from Guernsey and Peter was more than willing to help.Peter was also very supportive of Peter jun chess and what Kevin Thurlow said about Peter is very true "He was also extremely helpful if he felt someone had been unjustly treated".
when you are successful many losers bark at you.