Con Power

[Paul Buswell]

By Marc Bryant, Chairman, Hastings & St Leonards Chess Club, re-posted with permission, very minor editing.

It’s my sad duty to report the death of Con Power who died at home on Thursday 5 May

Con had been the rock on which Hastings Chess was built for over half a century.

I first met Con in 1977 at the Hastings Chess Congress, where he already been Congress Secretary for many years. At this time he was also running the Hastings Junior School Chess League and was a Trustee of Pelton House Ltd, which owned the building in which we play today. He was also a Vice President of the club and served as a Trustee on the Junior Education Fund. This does not even touch upon the duties he performed as a Club Committee Member.

Con became director of the Hastings Chess Congress round about 1980 and his quiet and firm guidance was respected by all. He continued in this role up to 2014 when he relinquished the role as he felt that it was beginning to take its toll on his health. During this time he was recognised by FIDE and was awarded the title International Chess Organiser in 1995. It was a testament to Con that he was one of the very first to be recognised by FIDE in this way. Also in 1995 he received the British Chess Federation's President's Award. It was a testament to Con's quiet, unassuming nature, that they again tried to give him the award in 2014, when you can only win it once!

Con did not restrict his activities to just the Chess Congress, he was also a valued chess club committee member serving in various posts over many years. He also helped in organising a simultaneous chess tournament, on the pier, which Patrick Moore attended. He also helped with the Maureen Charlesworth tournament held locally.

Con was not just about chess, he enjoyed going on holiday, long walks and quizzes.

He will be sadly missed by all those that knew him. I for one will not forget him, and would like to extend my condolences to Claire and her family.

Rest in peace, Con

Marc Bryant


Funeral: St Mary Star of the Sea Church, Hastings, Wednesday 11 May, 12 noon, no flowers, no black.

[John McKenna]

I always sent him my Hastings entry form, etc.

Although I never actually knew him, personally, I will miss him.

[Kevin Thurlow]

Very sad. He was always there, appearing calm and ensuring the players had a good time.

[David Sedgwick]

My thanks to Paul Buswell for posting the sad news on here. As a result I learned of it in time to arrange for a minute's silence to be observed at the Kent Finals Day on Sunday afternoon.

One of the last times I saw Con was when he brought his grandson Ben to the London Chess Classic on 12th December 2015. Malcolm Pein introduced Con to the audience and he received a big round of applause for his 30+ years' service to the Hastings Congress. With his typical modesty, he looked rather embarrassed.

[Mick Norris]

Hastings website