Terry Udall

Terry Udall died on 11th January 2013, aged 84. Terry joined the West of England Bridge club as a young man. This started him on his bridge journey which led him to purchase the Wessex Bridge club in 1963 which he ran for thirty-three years. Over the years the club thrived and was for many years the largest club in Dorset, indeed one of the largest in the South West. It also had most of the top players in the County.

It was Terry’s efforts, aided by his wife, Gigi, that gave the club its deserved excellent reputation; the club met six days a week which meant that there was always bridge available. Terry was recognised as the most knowledgeable and respected director in the area and the sessions were always well organised and ran smoothly.

He played few National events yet achieved the rank of 26 Star Premier Regional Master, being second in the National list for this category.

He became interested in bridge administration and especially with what was known in 1967 as the Southern Counties Association. This was a grouping of the present Counties of Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Wiltshire and the Channel Islands. By the early 1980s Terry was its representative to the EBU and a member of the EBU Laws & Ethics Committee. The growth of the EBU meant that changes had to be made to administration. Among many National changes the Southern Counties re-structured to evolve into its present form of four distinct associations. Terry was there helping in the formation of each.

He was Dorset’s chairman from its creation in 1987 until retiring in 2003. In recognition of these many years of devoted service, in 2005 Terry received the EBU Dimmie Fleming Award. This, he said, meant to him more than any other bridge success.
After retiring, Terry continued playing bridge, primarily with Gigi, and was a regular face at the Bournemouth and Poole Bridge Clubs.

He will be sadly missed.

(Robin Wright, Miles Cowling and Ron Heath)