Harry Golombek

[Barry Sandercock]

I live in Chalfont St.Giles and today I made a pleasant discovery. In the local churchyard by the enterence to the church there is a bench with the dedication " Harry Golombek, O.B.E. Code Breaker, Chess Correspondent, Writer " with the birth and death dates. I've lived here many years, but never knew it was there.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

I live in Chalfont St.Giles and today I made a pleasant discovery. In the local churchyard by the enterence to the church there is a bench with the dedication " Harry Golombek, O.B.E. Code Breaker, Chess Correspondent, Writer " with the birth and death dates. I've lived here many years, but never knew it was there.

Nice story. Can you get a photo?

[Barry Sandercock]

Thanks for your comment Christopher, but I'm afraid at my age (82) I'm not really up to this modern technology and don't have a photo. It is a nice wooden bench in good condition and the plaque, also in good order with the dates 1 March 1911-7 January 1995.

[Neill Cooper]

The Wikipedia article on Harry Golombek states: "After the war he lived at 35 Albion Crescent, Chalfont St Giles."

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Hopefully Barry hasn't been living in that house without realising its history?

Brief anecdote about Golombek and Turing here:

http://liberalengland.blogspot.co.uk/20 ... ombek.html

[Barry Sandercock]

I certainly know the house as I occasionally gave him lifts back from the station. His front door had a nice leaded glass panel with a red knight in the centre. But its all been altered now. Nothing stays the same !

[Christopher Kreuzer]

I certainly know the house as I occasionally gave him lifts back from the station. His front door had a nice leaded glass panel with a red knight in the centre. But its all been altered now. Nothing stays the same !

Ah, I hadn't realised you had known him! That makes my previous comment look a bit silly! It's another great anecdote, though (are there any others you would be willing to share?). My grandfather (who took up wood-carving) did a carving at one point featuring his three great life interests/hobbies, one of which was chess. And one of the panels featured a chess piece (or board, can't remember exactly). It is always nice to see people proclaim their love of chess like that, and in Golombek's case on his front door no less. In another age, it would have been chess tattoos...

[Gordon Cadden]

Good to know that Harry Golombek is remembered at Chalfont St. Giles. He left his book collection with the National Chess Library at Hastings, and this will be a permanent memorial in his name.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

There was also a Harry Golombek Memorial Tournament held at Paignton in 2000.

[Gordon Cadden]

The Hastings Masters Tournament also awards the Golombek Perpetual Trophy, to the winner of this event.