Mr A. G. [Tony] Midgley 22/5/29

Tony died 3rd April 2007 at 9.20pm aged 77, at his ex-wife's home in Long Lane, Dalton, Huddersfield. He had been ill for some time previously and had only recently been discharged from Huddersfield Royal Infirmary after suffering from dehydration. He met his wife-to-be Fiona Broadbent on a blind date with Edgar Priestley and his wife-to-be Sheila, and married her in 1958. The marriage lasted until 1980. There were no children. A cousin of his, Derek Paffley, played for Wakefield Chess Club.

[Arguably Derek was the best player in Yorkshire since the war. He was the first Yorkshire to qualify for the British Championship [1950] under the new system. In those days Wodhouse Cup matches were played at 48 moves in 2 hours and then the result agreed on the spot or the game sent in for adjudication. Derek was a wizard at finding wins in these unfinished games. He died in mysterious circumstances - he went missing and his body was later discovered in the river Calder. ]

Tony Midgley was born in Huddersfield on May 22, 1929, and worked initially on his father Oswald's building site. He worked as an insurance salesman before running the Wagon and Horses pub at Outlane between 1970 to 1980. Before that he had been an insurance salesman. His last job was for Kirklees Council where he worked in the Salaries department from 1985 to 1993. He had been a member of Huddersfield Chess Club from 1943 to 1964. During his intitial period he was Club Champion 5 times, 1952,1954=, 1955=, 1956, 1998 and played on the top boards for the Woodhouse Cup Team. He also won the Section 1 Individual Knock Out 1950, 1952, 1954, 1957 and 1959. He then took a 16 year break before returning in 1980 until the present day. During his second spell he served as a Treasurer 1986-88. He was President of the club twice but also played for David Browns and Polytechnic. He also played for Huddersfield in the Woodhouse Cup and played top board for a while. He served on the Huddersfield & District Chess Association Handicap Committee for ten years. His mother Vera died in 1980 and he lived in her home at George Street, Lindley, until his death. Tony was a stylish and attacking chess player, and lover of big band music. He became a Honorary Member of Huddersfield in 1998. He was a natural raconteur and did not suffer fools gladly.