ICCF IM Toni Halliwell

[Simon Rogers]

I am sorry to inform you that English International Master Toni Halliwell passed away on 27th June 2025, after a short illness.
Toni won the British Ladies Championship numerous times and competed in the Ladies World Championship final. She loved playing in team events and played in the Ladies Olympiad team. She was a strong player and played for England (when the ladies category was abolished). She achieved a Ladies GM title and an open IM title, reaching a peak of 2416.
In addition, she was EFCC (English Federation for Correspondence Chess) Treasurer from 2013 to 2018 and sat on many sub committees.
Toni was also a strong over the board player, where she played in many Yorkshire teams.
She was predeceased by her husband Bruce, who was also a strong OTB player.
Her funeral took place on the 16th July 2025 at Oakworth Crematorium, Keighley.
RIP

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

All of those titles are for correspondence chess, of course. I think Toni's first husband, Cedric Binns, was a chess player as well.
Edit: She posted on this forum back in 2010: memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=6383

[Christopher Kreuzer]

The thread titles should, IMO, get the chess titles right. If these are all CC titles (nothing wrong with those) that needs to be made clear. Thank you, Simon, for flagging up this death. It is a bit sad that she posted about some of her contemporaries (including Miss Loftus) but no-one (including me) thought to document or record more memories in the time available (another 15 years it turned out). Maybe she wrote down or related some memories to others?

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

Just to be clear - Toni Halliwell was Miss Loftus!

[David Shepherd]

From a facebook post by Gary Kenworthy "Toni Halliwell ( prior TONI BINNS) of Keighley, Keighley Chess Club / as per CED BINNS, of (Bingley College mathematics student and Bradford deputy head school teacher etc) who was in the film ""YANKS " along with very noticeable appearance in the 1978 film by her future husband Bruce Halliwell has died today. RIP - We played Human Chess live games at the Market Square at Bingley using BINGLEY COLLEGE students, during rag week 1978 - -- Steve Cox etc --- A great lady and International Player and Yorkshire First Team Player. (in the men's OPEN team, etc former Captain of Bradford cc in the Yorkshire League DIV I .. etc etc -)."

I think she received the WCM title in 2023 https://ratings.fide.com/profile/402745

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Just to be clear - Toni Halliwell was Miss Loftus!

Oops.

[Kevin Thurlow]

CC details on https://www.iccf.com/player?id=212018

[Jon Mahony]

Very sad to hear, I played 2 games of Correspondence Chess with her, by post, around 2010 - I always remember her friendly notes which came with her moves, closing tighter the noose around my neck

RIP.

[James Pratt]

I think she played at the British in Ayr and got married on the way there. We had a little correspondence when I edit BCM. She was very helpful. I know widowhood, if I remember correctly, upset her very deeply. RIP
James