John Purdy (chess player)
Encyclopedia
John Purdy was an Australia
n chess
player and Family Court judge.
, an Australian chess International Master, inaugural World Correspondence Chess
champion, and "one of the world's greatest English-language chess writers and teachers". His mother was Nancy née Crakanthorp and held the lease of Greenwich Baths on Sydney Harbour. His maternal grandfather, Spencer Crakanthorp
, was twice Australian chess champion and Spencer's father, Lawrence, had been a leading Australian player.
John attended North Sydney Boys High where his friends encourage him to take up chess at age 13. Less than two years later, in 1951, he was the Australian Junior Chess Champion. Purdy won the title in the last round with 9½ points when John Bailey, the NSW Junior Champion could only manage a draw to finish on 9 points.
. However, that year he failed to qualify for the junior world chess championship
finals in Antwerp (the title was won by Boris Spassky
). He represented Australia in the British championship
in 1955.
He won the Australian title for a second time in 1963. That year, he represented Australia in the Asian Zonal championship in Jakarta (won by Bela Berger
). Also in 1963, he won the first Doeberl Cup in Canberra.
Purdy served as President, Australian Chess Federation in 1971-72.
In 2003, Purdy suffered an aortic dissection
in Lismore and spent weeks at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney. Although rehabilitation allowed him to return to his professional life, he was unable to continue playing chess. His latterday interests became golf, swimming, reading and bridge.
He qualified through the Barristers' Admission Board for the New South Wales Bar where he practised for five years before leaving to work for the Law Society of New South Wales in 1978. He became chief executive officer in 1980.
Purdy died at Taree whilst travelling to attend a funeral at Kempsey.
His funeral was held on 9 September 2011 at the Camellia Chapel, Macquarie Park Cemetery and Crematorium, corner of Delhi and Plassey Roads North Ryde.
He was survived by his wife, Felicity, and their sons Colin and Michael and families.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
player and Family Court judge.
Early life and education
John Spencer Purdy was born on 25 September 25 1935 in Sydney, New South Wales. His father was C J S PurdyCecil Purdy
Cecil John Seddon Purdy was an Australian chess International Master and inaugural World Correspondence Chess champion. Purdy earned the Grandmaster title at Correspondence Chess in 1953...
, an Australian chess International Master, inaugural World Correspondence Chess
Correspondence chess
Correspondence chess is chess played by various forms of long-distance correspondence, usually through a correspondence chess server, through email or by the postal system; less common methods which have been employed include fax and homing pigeon...
champion, and "one of the world's greatest English-language chess writers and teachers". His mother was Nancy née Crakanthorp and held the lease of Greenwich Baths on Sydney Harbour. His maternal grandfather, Spencer Crakanthorp
Spencer Crakanthorp
Spencer Crakanthorp, was a chess player and Australian Chess Champion in 1923−24, 1925−26, 1926 and 1927. He was the father-in-law of chess master Cecil Purdy and grandfather to another chess master, Cecil's son John Purdy John Purdy.-External links:...
, was twice Australian chess champion and Spencer's father, Lawrence, had been a leading Australian player.
John attended North Sydney Boys High where his friends encourage him to take up chess at age 13. Less than two years later, in 1951, he was the Australian Junior Chess Champion. Purdy won the title in the last round with 9½ points when John Bailey, the NSW Junior Champion could only manage a draw to finish on 9 points.
Chess master
In 1955 he became the youngest person to win the Australian Chess ChampionshipAustralian Chess Championship
The Australian Chess Championship is a tournament organised by the Australian Chess Federation and held every two years. The tournament is usually restricted to Australian chess players, although exceptions have been made on occasion. The winner of the tournament holds the title of Australian Chess...
. However, that year he failed to qualify for the junior world chess championship
World Junior Chess Championship
The World Junior Chess Championship is an under-20 chess tournament organized by the World Chess Federation ....
finals in Antwerp (the title was won by Boris Spassky
Boris Spassky
Boris Vasilievich Spassky is a Soviet-French chess grandmaster. He was the tenth World Chess Champion, holding the title from late 1969 to 1972...
). He represented Australia in the British championship
British Chess Championship
The British Chess Championship is organised by the English Chess Federation. There are separate championships for men and women. Since 1923 there have been sections for juniors, and since 1982 there has been an over-sixty championship. The championship venue usually changes every year and has been...
in 1955.
He won the Australian title for a second time in 1963. That year, he represented Australia in the Asian Zonal championship in Jakarta (won by Bela Berger
Bela Berger
Béla Berger was a Hungarian-Australian chess master.He took 5th in the Hungarian Championship at Budapest 1953...
). Also in 1963, he won the first Doeberl Cup in Canberra.
Purdy served as President, Australian Chess Federation in 1971-72.
In 2003, Purdy suffered an aortic dissection
Aortic dissection
Aortic dissection occurs when a tear in the inner wall of the aorta causes blood to flow between the layers of the wall of the aorta and force the layers apart. The dissection typically extends anterograde, but can extend retrograde from the site of the intimal tear. Aortic dissection is a medical...
in Lismore and spent weeks at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney. Although rehabilitation allowed him to return to his professional life, he was unable to continue playing chess. His latterday interests became golf, swimming, reading and bridge.
Accountant then barrister
Purdy qualified as an account and then worked for the Printing and Allied Trades Employers' Association from 1956 to 1973.He qualified through the Barristers' Admission Board for the New South Wales Bar where he practised for five years before leaving to work for the Law Society of New South Wales in 1978. He became chief executive officer in 1980.
Judge, Family Court of Australia
In 1984, Purdy was appointment to the Family Court of Australia. Headquartered at Parramatta, he also travelled on circuit throughout Australia. He retired in 2005 on reaching statutory retirement age.Family life
Purdy married Felicity Stapleton on 6 December 1958.Purdy died at Taree whilst travelling to attend a funeral at Kempsey.
His funeral was held on 9 September 2011 at the Camellia Chapel, Macquarie Park Cemetery and Crematorium, corner of Delhi and Plassey Roads North Ryde.
He was survived by his wife, Felicity, and their sons Colin and Michael and families.