Peter Reid

26 November 1910, Orpington, Kent - 16 August 1939, Isle of Skye

Peter Reid attended Stowe School in Buckinghamshire, and then entered St Catharine's College, Cambridge in 1929. He was awarded a prize for gaining a First Class in the Part 1 Mathematical tripos in 1930. He took Maths part 2 in 1932 (2nd class) and graduated in 1932.

Reid was soon involved in Cambridge University chess activities. In 1930 he played in matches against the Lud-Eagle Chess Club, Insurance CC, and Imperial CC. In 1931 he played board 7 in the annual match against Oxford, scoring a win on board 7. In the 1932 match, now on board 3, he drew with J.M. Aitken, alongside whom he would soon be playing for Edinburgh CC and Scotland. He was also involved in administration, for at one point he was President of the Cambridge Chess Club. He represented Cambridgeshire in County chess matches.

Reid gained further experience with tournament play. In 1932 he played in the Major 'A' tournament at the Cambridge Congress, and at British Chess Federation Congress in London, winning First Class Section 'C' with a score of 8½/11. He entered the Major 'A' tournament at the Hastings Congress 1932/33, scoring 3/9, and he also played in the 1933 Junior Championship event of the City of London CC. He also played for Cambridge Past v Oxford Past in the annual fixture, held in December of 1932 and 1933.

By September 1934 Reid had relocated, probably for work reasons, and was playing for Edinburgh Chess Club. He was a member of the team that reached the final of the Richardson Cup in 1935, 1936, 1937 and 1938, winning his game on each occasion. He also represented the East of Scotland in a match against West of Scotland in March 1935.

Peter Reid was selected for the Scottish team for the Stockholm 1937 Olympiad. This was a hard introduction to international opposition for several members of the Scottish team, who were playing at this level for the first time. Reid scored 4½ points from 17 games. Reid's aggressive, attacking style of play succeeded on a few occasions, notably in a fine win against the Czech master Pelikan, but he also suffered several quick defeats.

Peter Reid died on 16 August 1939, as a result of a climbing accident on An Cioch in the Cuillins, Isle of Skye, where he was holidaying with his fiancée, Dr Barbara Jean Raven. His funeral was held in Portree on Saturday, 19 August 1939. At the time of his death it was reported that he was already qualified to be an Associate of the Institute of Actuaries, and was about to sit for the Institute's examination.

References: British Chess Magazine 1930, pp 5, 73, 100; 1931- pp 158, 523; 1932 - pp 162, 194, 427; 1933 - pp 54, 260; 1934 - p 10; 1939 - pp 396/7; Glasgow Herald 11 March 1935; The Scotsman Friday, 18 August 1939, p 14 and Monday, 21 August 1939, p 11.

Alan McGowan
Historian, Chess Scotland