moved to London, living at No. 36, Primrose Mansions, south of the River Thames bordering on Battersea Park.

By 1911, he had risen to Clerk in Principal in the Probate Registry, working in Somerset House, the national headquarters of registration of births, marriages and deaths. He had moved to 101, Albert Bridge Road, Wandsworth in the Parish of Battersea, London. He had a daughter, Ursula aged 8, and a son, Nigel aged 4.

Henry had learned the game at home, but, as was typical of Devon’s rural communities at the time, having few opportunities for over-the-board games, he turned to problem composition as an outlet for his new enthusiasm. He specialised in 2-movers and made his mark in the field of mutates, in which field he was a true pioneerand was described in his BCM obituary as “a persistent and leading figure”. He proved “its most artistic and thematic interpreter with his glorious 1st Prize in the Chess Amateur of 1918 – 19″.

He was highly self-critical and expected the same standards of others. On one occasion, when acting as judge to the Western Morning News problem competition, he famously returned all entries to the Chess Editor, refusing to award any prize at all, deeming them all just not good enough.

He worked as a civil servant in London, at one time serving at the Probate Registry in the department of Receiver of Wills.

Bernard in later life.

He had suffered all his life with asthma, and later in life, to alleviate the associated symptoms, moved to Monaco, from where he