It is with great personal sadness that I write this obituary to Claude Stokes, who passed away on Saturday 22 June 2019 at the age of 83.

I first met Claude in 1974, and he invited me to be his partner – a partnership which lasted for over 25 years.

Claude was always an innovator in bridge bidding, and he and I were very early adopters of Precision Club. This led to many successful campaigns, the highlight of which was reaching the Crockfords Cup final in 1979, playing with Phil O’Gorman and Nigel Bardsley.

Claude was a key figure in Essex Bridge at that time, being the lynchpin of the Clacton Congress (run by Frinton Bridge Club on behalf of the Essex Contract Bridge Association). His enthusiasm and boundless energy were well suited to the task, to say nothing of his excellent organisational capabilities. His wife Janet produced the most wonderful floral displays for the front of stage at the Congress, a feature much admired by all who played there. The Congress was extremely popular, always with 60 tables, and for many years had a (lengthy) waiting list too. This highly successful format was unashamedly copied when Suffolk set up their congress held in Felixstowe, in which Claude also played a key role in its organisation. 

As has been reported in a previous article regarding the history of the Suffolk Contract Bridge Association - click SCBA -  Claude was a key member of the group of players who were instrumental in the Suffolk Contract Bridge Association being reborn. He was a very active member of the county committee, holding various posts over his very long tenure. This despite having a very senior role in Marconi, commuting from Frinton to Chelmsford every day. One of his company cars had the registration letters NJU – which he joked meant “Not forJanet’s Use”.

Claude played regularly for the Essex county team in the Eastern Counties League, and then for Suffolk when that came into being.

Phillip Edwards
24 June 2019