The funeral of top Luton chess player was held today, he will be greatly missed by all. Considered by IM Andy Ledger to be the strongest player in the league because he played moves you could not understand, and also a softly spoken gentleman who was kind, knowledgeable and friendly…we shall miss him much. Since his passing, I have felt sad everytime I thought about him. I lament not being able to see him again greatly, as I am sure we all do.
Andy played top board for the county many times throughout the years and was considered to be Luton’s strongest player for the longest time. He became county champion in 1982. I first met him when Luton and Kents amalgamated in June 1988. I asked club sectretary Ken Liddle about him and was surprised to learn he was a postman. I thought he was a scientist when I was young because he had a certain look I thought. That summer, when I was only 16, I asked him one evening if we could play a 30 minute game as I wanted to pit my wits against our strongest player. Andy wrote down the moves. I was black and it was a closed Sicilian. I caught him out with a move order change which he was impressed by, he said after the game, which of course I lost. I always looked up to him and liked talking to him whenever I could, as most did as he was a well-respected figure in the league.
I posted some details about his death here: Andrew Perkins -ECF Foum. I attached a newspaper article about him, written in the 60s as he was very pleased when I gave him a copy of it and requested that he keep it, to which I gladly obliged.
And I attach social media content here. 5 players (4 from Luton and 1 from Bedford: Damon D’ Cruz, Peter Montgomery, Samir Vora, Thomas O’Brien and Paul Habershon) attended today’s funeral. Unfortunately I could not make it as I am posted abroad as per usual. And yes this does make me feel cut off and powerless when such tragedies occur, as you might expect.
Many of his best games can be found here:
https://www.lutonchessclub.com/games
Once upon a time, I managed to find Andy’s rating in his youth, see here: Andy
A great loss for the club, our county, his family, his church, and society on the whole. Rest in peace Andy.
Into my heart an air that kills
From yon far country blows:
What are those blue remembered hills,
What spires, what farms are those?
That is the land of lost content,
I see it shining plain,
The happy highways where I went
And cannot come again.
A Shropshire Lad Stanza 40 -A.E.Housman
M J M
McCreadyandChess 
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