Church Stretton chess stalwart Jim dies at 102
Jim Samworth, who was a major force on the Shropshire chess scene in the 1960s and 1970s, has died aged 102 at a nursing home in Church Stretton.
He played for both Shrewsbury and the county team, and later for Church Stretton.
David Everington, a multiple county champion for whom Mr Samworth was a mentor in his young playing days at Shrewsbury, said: "Jim was one of the players in Shropshire’s historic win against Worcestershire in 1969 when his win against G Elwell contributed to our first county-team win since 1916.
"He was a member of the Church Stretton Club after retiring to a bungalow at Little Stretton.
"Jim didn’t play much outside the Shropshire league and county fixtures but was a high-class postal player and had an encyclopaedic knowledge of all aspects of the game, including its centuries-old history.
"He kept a rather splendid Bentley in which he sometimes transported the Shrewsbury team to away fixtures.
"In the early 1960s I was a junior player at the former Priory Boys’ school, and I remember with gratitude how much time he gave as a coach and mentor, and also the memorable piece of tongue-in-cheek advice: 'Never resign a postal game as your opponents will occasionally die!'
"Outside of chess Jim was a civil servant with HM Customs and Excise and had previously served with the Royal Engineers in India and he was member and supporter of the Royal British Legion."
