Paul Buswell

[John Upham]

Is the unknown man in the photo Darren Lee?

You have won the lounge suite!

[Alex McFarlane]

An obituary from Marc Bryant.

Paul Henry BUSWELL
14th of March, 1950 to 18th of October 2022

Paul BUSWELL as he was generally known was born in Kingston on Thames on the 14th of March, 1950, I do not know much about Paul’s early life only that he has a sister Anita who is 10 years his junior. On leaving school Paul furthered his education at Norwich University and on finishing university Paul obtained a position as general Secretary of the British Chess Federation. At that time he was the only paid employee

I first met Paul at the British Chess Championships in Portsmouth in 1976. My first view of Paul was of a Ginger denim shirt and jeans on a stage, carrying boxes. Paul would have been 26 years of age I was 15

Paul was still based in Norwich with the British Chess Federation when they bought the British Chess Magazine in St Leonard’s and with a building there the BCF decided to relocate. Paul made the decision to relocate with them.

It was at this time I renewed my acquaintance with Paul when he required an office boy so to speak to do the mundane things in the office. This would have been about 1982, I worked for Paul for approximately three years as a one day a week person.

After 11 years Paul decided to give up the post of General Secretary of the BCF.

However, Paul’s interest in chess still continued when he joined the committee of the Hastings International Chess Congress. This was at the time the of the Foreign Colonial sponsorship and formed the local end of the trio of Buswell, Power and Bryant’.

During that time Paul instigated his famous Buswell and Bryant Rapid play at the Congress (and yes, I was still the office boy) and it got national and international press coverage.

Do not take my word on it just ask Mark Hebden, Keith Arkell or Simon Williams about them.

And I will always remember that night in the Carlisle when the Germans came to play in force. Well if not to play certainly to drink and sing. The atmosphere was electric, something that only Paul could do.

Paul was also involved with the Friends of British Chess of which, I believe, for some years he was treasurer.

In the 1990s Paul became involved with the Hastings and St Leonards Chess Club, holdings positions of match captain, treasurer and eventually chairman

It was about this time Paul instigated his famous French trips for club members with two packed out cars taking the tunnel and playing the French and this was so popular it continues to this day with the club having another trip on November 11th. This was all down to Paul who also introduced his one-day Rapid Play at the club which is always extremely popular.

Paul was also instrumental in converting the Hastings and St Leonards Chess Club into a limited company. This had huge implications when Covid came along through the club receiving numerous government subsidies that would never have happened had it not been for Paul’s insight

Paul was a no fuss kind of guy who never liked having his photo taken and was very modest when people or organisations wish to honour him too the best of my knowledge. He twice turned down the English Chess Federation’s Presidential Award for Services to Chess. I can think of no better honour to Paul to honour him in death with an award that he refused in life.

I considered nobody more deserving to this award for over 50 years serving British chess
What he refused in life should probably be awarded to him in death.

I was with him at Scarborough last year when he started to lose his appetite and Paul being Paul with an inherent fear of doctors put off getting diagnosed and unfortunately when he was diagnosed with bowel cancer it was already too late.

Paul died peacefully at Saint Michael’s hospice in his sleep on October the 18th at 9.15.
It has to be said Paul was a victim of his own fears and a self-fulfilling prophecy.
In accordance with Paul wishes, Paul’s funeral will have no guests, no fuss, no expense, no religious aspects. Therefore the Executors will honour those wishes.
However, we may do something at the spreading of the ashes. Anybody wishing to honour Paul may do so by offering a donation to Saint Michael’s Hospice in Hastings who gave Paul excellent care in the last two weeks of his life.

I would like to offer my sincere condolences to Paul’s sister and his extended family.

And lastly on a personal note good night my friend and sleep well you are already missed.

Marc A Bryant

Any donations should be sent too
25 Upper Maze Hill, St. Leonards-On-Sea TN38 0LB
01424 445177
stmichaelshospice.com
In Paul BUSWELL’s name.

[James Plaskett]

Busby´s gone!
I sent him a couple of e mails this year after he forwarded me a 15 Quid Amazon voucher sent by an anonymous donor to me via the ECF.

Sad news.

[John Upham]

Busby´s gone!
I sent him a couple of e mails this year after he forwarded me a 15 Quid Amazon voucher sent by an anonymous donor to me via the ECF.

Sad news.

Was the voucher from Chris Tarrant possibly?

Did it have a Buckleberry postmark?

[James Plaskett]

In the last e mail I sent Busby - perhaps a month ago - I quite reasonably speculated that it was probably as a mark of acknowledgement for a spiel of mine of some 70 mins lpoaded to Youtube headed
Why the coughing major must be paid.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbBSDREP6f8
Never in my wildest dreams would I have had a Patreon there.
It´s addressed to ´GM J. Plaskett´
So maybe some appreciative punter lobbed it my way via a plausible channel; the ECF!?

But, Chris Tarrant!?
Now there´s a thought...!?

And, since you mention Tarrant, well, he was the last man in our mouths!
For the very last time I saw Paul was on November 13th 1999 when I bumped into him and Grete White as I boarded a train to take me home to Hastings.
When I told them I had just appeared on Millionaire? they eyed me with interest. I had not yet disclosed how I had fared! A guy, upon heaiing our conversation, rang a friend on his mobile to tell him he was sitting next to someone who had just appeared on Tarrant´s show.
"This could be the beginning of a new religion", Busby said to Grete.
When we got to Hastings he drove me home whereupon I told him I had won nothing!
He told me he was an atheist, so above details of his not wishing any religiosity to accompany the disposal of his remains does not come as a surprise.

[James Plaskett]

I´ve been writing my dreams down since February 9th 1984.
So, on a personal note please permit me to post here a dream I recorded on November 15th 2022 -

November 15th 2022

Many dreams including one of a Bedford Modern School Old Boys Reunion do which morphs into a scene where about four Old Bedford Modernians are preparing lunches. One is John Phillips who is sawing away at a meat or fish dish.
Then a later scene with where that was going on becoming an adjacent room to where the food is being served. Then a more classy presentation in a bigger room with references to ten million pounds having been raised by one thousand people and also recurrent references to how "Terminator Two" has helped the OBMs. I ask how come and am told it is something to do with the voice of the speaking clock.
A variety of images of deceased Old Bedford Modernians goes up and they are named. One is Paul Buswell. From that I deduce that this must be a contemporary setting, although I had earlier asked somebody what year we were in.
I recall another, unconnected, scene with my stroking a very large horse...

I think that´s the only time Paul Buswell ever popped up in any dream of mine!