One of a chess playing family - his father was also a club mainstay for decades and our library is named after him, whilst his five brothers were all taught to play to a high level - he started playing seriously close to 70 years ago and as a junior played the Russo-French master Znosko-Borovsky (who died not long afterwards) in a simul held at the club. He won the club title in 1955, and again a mere 33 years later.
A regular for many years at congresses in the NW, he was a patient and tricky player who could be highly resourceful in saving bad positions - and carried on playing at a very decent level until the end. I usually managed to beat him (especially in recent years) but he managed a few wins and some draws too (plus he had bad luck in some other games) He was one of our most regular players in the local leagues, and more than once filled a gap at short notice. Though some of us were relieved when he finally gave up driving duties in his dotage
Also a complete gentleman at the board, who "treated triumph and disaster just the same". Few ever had a bad word to say about him.
He will indeed be hard to replace. RIP.