Robert Chaloner (Bob) Pentecost 1935-2020

[John Clarke]

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I learned recently that my one-time fellow-employee and partner in chess crime passed on earlier this year, a couple of months shy of 85. I’ve written about him before in various other threads on this site, but in this latest piece I’ll stick to his chess-related activities.

Bob was a strong and tenacious player, rating at his peak in the old 4a grade (193-200), though I believe that didn’t last long. When I first came to know him in the mid-1970s, at the Department of Education, he’d dropped as low as 155, enabling him to play in the Major tournament at the 1972 Evening Standard congress, and take a high place. Subsequently his grading recovered to over 170. Throughout these vicissitudes, and despite never bothering too much about opening theory, he remained very hard to beat.

It was as a match captain that he really stood out. For all his personal foibles (which others will no doubt recollect) he had an undeniable knack for getting out a good team and motivating them to bring home the silverware. The Lewisham club’s successes in the Kent County Cup during the 70s owed much to his organisation and drive. The Education Dept team in the Civil Service League usually did well too under his guidance, although his results-driven approach (which I shared) was sometime at odds with the views of the stuffier types on the committee there.

Some years later, after I’d emigrated to New Zealand, Bob became secretary to the SCCU. Other contributors to the Forum may have memories of his tenure in that role. It was around this time that he changed his last name to Lee-Pentecost, in homage to the Confederate general.

Bob was also a notable figure on the social side of chess in SE London. His “HQ”, a spacious if rather run-down top-floor flat in Longton Grove, Sydenham, where he virtually kept open house, was for many years a well-known gathering place. Chess players of all kinds (not just from the Lewisham club) were nearly always assured of a welcome there, a meal of sorts, and - if wanted - a place to lay their heads for the night amongst all the clutter (mostly books) that occupied much of the space. There was usually at least one of them sharing the place in semi-permanent residence, sometimes more. Three chess-boards and a clock always stood on the long table ready for use, and now and then there’d be a bridge foursome going as well. I remember many lively evenings there.

A mass of contradictions, often a controversial character, with some very decided and unpopular views about politics, history and current affairs, Bob was nonetheless at bottom a good-hearted type, and could be generous to a fault with those he took to. Colourful personalities like his seem to have become increasingly rare, possibly because they are so forcefully and humourlessly slapped down nowadays. I for one am sorry that he’s gone, and that his later years were troubled to the extent that they apparently were.

[Kevin Thurlow]

Nice tribute, and right not to dwell on the controversial stuff. He was also "Lee-Anderson" at one stage I think.

[Andrew Martin]

I am very sorry to hear that. RIP Bob.

[Mike Wiltshire]

Bob was a Lewisham member from the 1960s and would normally turn up at club night with a holdall containing a rugby ball and press cuttings of the Springboks rugby matches.

He married Joyce, was subsequently divorced when she bettered herself by marrying Michael MacDonald-Ross and became non playing captain of the successful Kent first team of the period. Bob once tried to leave a telephone message with a Lewisham player who worked for Bromley Council. On being told the person was unavailable he asked for the person's chess secretary and was most put out to be told there wasn't one.

[Neville Twitchell]

I am very sorry to hear of the death of Bob "Lee" Pentecost. I remember him very well from my days as a member of the Dept of Education (as it then was) Chess Club which he captained for many years with success. He was, as John Clarke says in his obituary above, an eccentric but good-hearted chap, generous and gregarious and a great motivator of players, and himself a very strong player though very inclined to take short draws which probably depressed his grade below what it should have been. My first encounter with him was in a London League match where he offered me a draw after I think about nine moves, which I gleefuly accepted since his grade was at that time much higher than mine. He was also a leading light of Lewisham and the Kent county team and I managed to persude him to turn out on a couple of occasions for my Ilford team in the Essex League.
His other great passion was rugby and he inveigled me, as many others, to partake in his improptu rugby sessions at a local park (I still have the bruises). I lost touch with him after I left the DES but know he was still playing for many more years after that. I know that he liked to be called Lee, and that he had actually changed his surname to Lee-Pentecost and then Lee-Anderson. I remember going to his house once which predictably was as chaotic as he was himself!
One of the great characters of the game and sad that he is now gone, as so many others.

[Roger Lancaster]

While I can't say I knew Bob as well as others here, our paths certainly crossed and I knew him as a useful player and good organiser. Sorry to hear of his passing.

[David Robertson]

RIP - though I never knew him. All the same, RIP.

I'm all for characters in our little community; there are plenty of them. Diversity of opinion, and its tolerance, is what makes life liveable. Even the more exotic deserve the kindness of colleagues' thoughts. But I was intrigued by John's comment here:

It was around this time that he changed his last name to Lee-Pentecost, in homage to the Confederate general

Any chance of elaborating appropriately on this?

[Christopher Kreuzer]

John Clarke did mention in his original post that he had "written about him before in various other threads on this site, but in this latest piece I’ll stick to his chess-related activities". It is probably inappropriate to copy out from before what was said, but maybe it is OK to link to them (in case people have trouble searching).

A couple of mentions in the YMCA thread: search on this page for Andrew Martin's anecdote about a Civil Service athletics 'race'.

For what John Clarke wrote earlier, see here.

On the archived page for SCCU trophies:

Nemesis Board
A board presented by RCA Lee-Pentecost in 1982 for the highest-placed second team in the Montague Jones (Second Division) tournament. It was not unusual, at that time, for the first teams of weaker counties to play in this division. The Board was last presented in 1992, and Executive minutes of 1993 record that it is missing.

Lee-Anderson-Kell Trophy
A decorative glass vase presented by RCA Lee-Pentecost in 1986 for the match captain of the Champion County. Last awarded, in 1998, to the Kent match captain; current whereabouts uncertain.

[David Robertson]

John Clarke did mention in his original post that he had "written about him before in various other threads on this site..." [snip] For what John Clarke wrote earlier, see here

Thanks. I didn't follow the Central YMCA thread. I get the drift, so best leave it there