Anthony John GillamGILLAMAnthony "Tony" John Gillam, aged 83, passed away on 15th August 2026.
Born on 20th January 1943 in Derby to Lucy and Charles Gillam, Tony moved to Nottingham to train as a teacher. While at college, he met Mary, whom he later married. They were married for 17 years and had three children: John, Catherine, and Rachel.
Although formally trained as a teacher, Tony devoted much of his working life to public service and to his lifelong passion for chess. He served as a councillor for Gedling Borough for more than 30 years, becoming an Honorary Alderman of the Borough of Gedling in 2024. He was widely known in the chess world as "The Chess Player". His greatest interest was the history of the game, and he spent decades researching, publishing, and authoring hundreds of books and articles on the subject. Through this work, he became a respected and trusted figure among chess historians around the world.
Tony was a kind and generous man with a strong sense of justice and social responsibility. He lived a life of purpose and conviction and will be remembered with affection by family, friends, colleagues, and the many people whose lives he touched.
The funeral service will be held at Gedling Crematorium on Wednesday 16 September at 11.30 am.
John, Catherine, and Rachel, together with Tony's grandson Paul, kindly request family flowers only. Tony's online memorial can be found at https://anthony-gillam.muchloved.com
Donations in Tony's memory may be made to Dementia Research UK or Chess in Schools and Communities via the memorial site.
Coop Funeralcare, 36 High Street, Arnold, Nottingham, NG5 &DZ
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