Alec Boswell

[Neil Graham]

I have read elsewhere of the death of Alec Boswell. This doesn't seem recent news so possibly someone can give further details. It certainly hasn't been reported on this forum

Alec was President of the Liverpool Chess Club and was NCCU representative on the BCF Management Board for many years. He was very involved in Junior Chess in the Merseyside and Lancashire areas.

There are some details on this Facebook page :-

https://www.facebook.com/LiverpoolChessClub?fref=nf

[David Robertson]

I don't think this is recent news. But in truth, I don't know. Though living in Liverpool, I play in Chester these days. So I'm out of touch with local news.

It's a nice Facebook timeline for a club with an illustrious history, but a much-diminished present. Alec used to be very active in Liverpool. But not for many, many years. You may find more on his circumstances from this email address, taken from the Facebook page.

[email protected]

[John Saunders]

Alec Boswell was a very fine organiser to whom the chess world owes a debt of gratitude. He deserves to be fondly remembered and I'm sure he is, particularly in Liverpool.

I have discovered his full name and vital dates. His full name was George Alexander Mills Boswell, born 9 November 1921 (Liverpool) and died 3 December 2014. (Liverpool Echo death notice.) He received the BCF President's Award in 1990. The English Primary Schools' Association website recorded his death some time ago and put in this cherishable quote...

he was prominent in the organisation of junior chess both at national and local level in Liverpool for many years. Peter Purland remembers him coming to his primary school (New Brighton) to play the children in a simul. Peter was 9 at the time!

I'm trying to imagine Peter Purland, aged nine (probably already bigger and stronger than I'd ever be)...

[Nick Ivell]

Mention of Alec takes me back to the fine junior training events held at Bluecoat school in the 1970s. I am pretty sure he was the organiser. The elite tournaments were held in the library - the first time I had experienced proper playing conditions, with good lighting, and space between boards making the events a pleasure for spectators. The late John Littlewood gave training sessions during games. These tournaments gave me a flavour of what chess could be; such a change from the Raikes bar in Blackpool, where decent lighting was apparent for precisely one board. The standard of play was high. The two Nigels, Short and Davies, honed their skills in that splendid environment, along with a host of lesser lights. I remember playing Alec's son, Julian, who for a time was one of the most promising juniors in Liverpool. Whenever I think of chess during the Fischer boom, Bluecoat school is at the top of my most pleasant memories.

[Paul Buswell]

Given his support for juniors it is ironic that my clearest memory of Alec is his wish - in the later 1970s, on the BCF Executive Committee - that juniors should not be permitted to play in the various 'amateur' sections of the BCF Congress but that they should be a junior-free zone.

Then I thought his views on that point were fuddy-duddy; now I have far more sympathy with them.

PB

[JamesGallagher]

Hi
I have attached the profile (which I hope you can see) of Alec Boswell that Liverpool Chess club have placed on its Facebook page and the same photograph and obituary hangs proudly on display in Liverpool Chess club in the Cross Keys today
We have revitalised the club which has grown from 10 to 30 members over the past 18 months and this week we have started a Juniors Liverpool Chess club which I know Alec would have been very pleased to see
He is sadly missed and we in Liverpool Chess club will do all we can to ensure his name is remembered in the chess community on Merseyside
Jim Gallagher
President of Liverpool Chess Club