Frank Parr - Biography

Biography

Parr won the Hastings Premier in 1939/1940 with a score of 6/7, allowing only two draws. He played in uniform, having been called up for military service in 1939. This was his only Hastings Premier appearance, although he played in many Challengers' sections up to 2002/3.

Parr was the British correspondence chess champion in 1948 (joint with Gabriel Wood), 1949 (joint with H Israel), 1950, and 1956.

Parr played in 25 British Chess Championships from 1936 to 1991, compiling an overall score of 134.5/275. He made his first appearance in the championship in 1936, taking fifth place with 6/11 including a victory over George Alan Thomas. In his second appearance in 1955 he scored 7.5 with wins over Robert Wade and Jonathan Penrose. His best result was in 1956 when after managing only a draw in the first two rounds, he won eight consecutive games before drawing with Leonard Barden in the last round to finish with 9/11. Although this score would have secured first place in most years, he took second a half point behind Conel Hugh O'Donel Alexander despite winning their individual encounter in round eight.

Parr was a traveling reserve member of the English team for the 1937 Anglo-Dutch match in Amsterdam, but he did not play. He scored 1.5/2 on ninth board at the 1939 Anglo-Dutch match in The Hague. Surprisingly, he never held any FIDE or British Chess Federation titles.

Before retirement he worked as a messenger at the London Stock Exchange. He had three sons and one daughter. Aside from chess, his main hobby was gardening, but he was also a supporter of Fulham Football Club and a regular patron of Surrey County Cricket Club.

After a long illness Parr died in Epsom on 28 December 2003, the opening day of the Hastings International Chess Congress.