Source: English Bridge Union

Of High Wycombe, England.

I remember our party travelling by Icelandair to a tournament in Reykjavik. We were surprised to find our team featured in the In-Flight magazine. The team members were described as two Women's World Champions, a one time World Junior Champion and myself as 'Elderly Statesman'! I was just a little aggrieved being a WBF World Master with silver medals in the European Championship and in the Bermuda Bowl; nearly 40 international appearances and many home triumphs including 7 Gold Cup wins.

On the other hand Statesman is not too bad a description for someone who was a member of the Board of Directors of the English Bridge Union and the council of the British Bridge League (BBL) for many years.

I was President of the BBL on two occasions. In that role I was pleased, following the sterling work of Roy Absalom to modernise its structures and enhance the competitive edge of British teams.

In particular I started the national coaching scheme for juniors, which led to two world championship wins in 1989 and 1995 and a European win in 1994. But perhaps the major success was to appoint Anna Brabner (now Gudge) as secretary of the BBL from where she has grown into a treasured figure in the international family of bridge.

Married to Sally Brock with two children, Toby and Briony.