Edward Claud Sowden

[Simon Rogers]

I am sorry to inform you that Edward Sowden died at the age of 85, after a short illness on Sunday 13th February 2022.
Edward played for Wiltshire in the 1970s and captained Pressed Steel (later Rover), in Swindon, to win the Major League, then known as the Four a Side League.
He also played for Wiltshire Police and later the Cornwall county team.
On retirement, Edward continued with his love of chess and turned to postal chess, where he played many times for Great Britain, where he won the UK Veterans championship twice.
He also became an International Master.
There is a tribute along with archive pictures on the Wiltshire Chess Association website:
http://www.wiltshirechess.org.uk

[Kevin Thurlow]

EFCC say,

"Thank you for informing me of that sad news.

Edward was indeed a past winner of the British Veterans Championship on two occasions – 2000/1 and 2009/10. He was a cc IM with a highest rating of 2407 in the 2001/2 ICCF rating list at the same time he was awarded the IM title.

Edward represented England and not Great Britain (which for cc chess has not existed for a very long time as we now have separate Federations)!"

[Mick Norris]

ECF