Yorkshire Chess History

 

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Alan Brian Burkett

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Sheffield Sub-Site

 

Born:

1933, Knaresborough

Died:

29/08/1995, York

 

Non-Chess Life

 

Alan Burkett was one of at least two children born to Edward Cyril Burkett (born 1909, Knaresborough) and Alice Butkett (nee Rymer), who had married in 1932, in Knareborough:

 

Alan Brian Burkett

born 1933, Knaresborough

Margaret D Burkett

born 1937, Knaresborough

 

In 1939 the family lived in Harrogate.

 

Sister Margaret married Harry Lake in 1957, in York, suggesting the whole family might by then be living in York.

 

Alan himself got married in 1964, in York, to Nadezda Muskarska (“Nada”) who was of Yugoslav origin, for which reason Alan regularly took an annual holiday in Yugoslavia, visiting the in-laws.

 

The couple had at least two children, both born in that part of York's periphery (e. g. Pocklington) which falls in the Howden registration district:

 

Anita Jovanka Burkett

born 1966

Gorgi Josip B Burkett

born 1971

 

For some years before he died, Alan had been suffering from an unidentified condition which seemed to destroy the cartilage of the nose and palate.  The way he held out so long against this condition epitomised his character in general.  He appeared at the YCA AGM preceding his death, in effect to say “goodbye”.  He ended his days in St. Leonard’s Hospice in York.

 

Chess  (taken from an obituary by Dave Hardcastle, 1995)

 

For many years Alan was one of the best known personalities in both York and Yorkshire chess.  He willingly took on many of the official posts in both organisations, being at various times the Yorkshire Competitions Controller and the Chief Yorkshire Grader (including in this task the handling of all the information from the York League).  He also had spells as secretary of York Chess Club, York League Competitions Controller and Yorkshire Evening Post chess columnist.

 

As a player Alan was not in the top flight, but had considerable natural ability which made him a dangerous opponent, and he would have produced better results if he had played more slowly.  Indeed some of his best congress results came in the last years of his life when he was already very ill.

 

Death

 

Alan Brian Burkett died aged 61 on 29/08/1995, at St. Leonard’s Hospice, York.

 

 

 

Created

23/08/2018

Copyright © 2018 Stephen John Mann

Census information is copyright of The National Archive, see UK Census Information

Last Updated

23/08/2018