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Tom Barbour, 1927-2007
Tom Barbour died in hospital on Christmas Eve 2007 aged 80. Tom was
taken into hospital during the night of 23rd-24th
December suffering with a heart attack and died a few hours later.
Tom attended several of our chess events during recent years. He
particularly enjoyed social events such as the minor Tournament - as it was
- and the Theme Breaks run by Peter and Celia Gibbs. Tom will be
remembered more for his musical ability and for his warmth and kindness
than for his chess ability. Tom had many friends and he was always
ready to offer encouragement, friendship and support to those who needed
it.
The BCA was just one of the many organisations that benefited from Tom's
support including: the Visually Impaired Musicians Association (VIMA), the
National Federation of the Blind (NFB),
Guide Dogs, British Wireless for the Blind Fund and his church. Tom was a
devout Roman Catholic and played the organ at Sacred
Heart Church,
Middlesbrough for sixty years. It
was in this Church that Tom's funeral service was held on Monday 7th January 2008.
He will be greatly missed by his many friends and admirers.
Lilian McCarthy has kindly allowed me to include extracts from a tribute
she prepared for some of the many associations who benefited from his
support:
“I always found Tom to be fair, kind, considerate and caring.
Always there for me through thick and thin, always ready with a sympathetic
ear or ready to share in my joys. Tom hated injustice and would
always stand up for anyone whom he felt had been unfairly treated. He
had a constant desire to keep learning and always enrolled at Middlesbrough
College for some course or other and I have no doubt he would have done so
again this year if he had lived.”
Stan Lovell
B.C.A. Publicity officer.
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Obituaries
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