Derek Miller RIP
1935-2020
Barrow Chess Player
The news of
Derek’s demise was a shock even though he had been suffering from cancer
and had undergone treatment for a few years. One thing that Derek will
be remembered for was his unfailingly sunny disposition. Whether it be
cancer or losing a game of chess, his unflappable and cheerful nature
was infectious. |
Derek to
the best of my knowledge had been in the club for the best part of 30
years, joining in the early 1990’s. Derek became a very proficient
player and although his grade didn’t reach great heights, it didn’t dim
his enthusiasm for the game. He would turn out in all weathers and play
for the Barrow teams in the Cumbria league whenever requested. He was a
player that you took for granted at your peril and had some notable
scalps. Derek was also a winner of the Barrow Summer League (Minor), the
Doubles competition twice and winner of the John Game Trophy. |
I first met
Derek in 1979 when he worked in the shipyard Machine and Pipe shops,
when neither of us had an inkling of playing chess in a club, but would
then listen in the chess club to his tales of work and playing table
tennis in the Barrow leagues for which he was fearlessly competitive and
by all accounts one of Barrow’s top players. His spirit surely rubbed
off on his grandkids where he would regale us with stories of their
training and in matches of them playing football and rugby. |
One of the
features of a chess club night would be listening to Derek and Alan
Llewellyn discussing the merits of the England and Welsh Rugby Union
teams performance on the Monday night after the weekend match;
come the Wednesday evening chess club,
the conversation would still be
going on! |
Derek was a
great character and laughed at most things, but had a serious side when
his stern voice came to the fore and you knew he meant it. It was
obvious Derek loved playing chess and talking about it along with musing
on life in general. |
Derek after
a defeat would shrug his shoulders and say ‘It’s alright, it doesn’t
matter’ – he was right of course; just move on to the next game - but of
course it did matter in his own mind, as he would go home, set up the
postion and go though the game.
A true gentleman who will be fondly remembered and sorely missed
in Barrow Chess Club. |
Chairman Barrow Chess Club