PETER CHAPPELLS - PARKFIELD LISCARD C.C.

Date: 8th November 2010

A Paul Edwards copyright exclusive for L&DCC Official Website.

Very many cricketers in Merseyside, Lancashire and beyond will have warm memories of Peter Chappells, whose death at the age of 74 has been announced.

They will, perhaps, recall an umpire who officiated with a mixture of sound knowledge, commonsense and good humour. Peter never strayed across the line which must separate players from officials but he understood that the cricketers in the match under his care were almost always giving of their best and he strove to match them. Like all the very best umpires, Peter knew that he was not infallible and he acknowledged his occasional error with an apology and a rueful smile which somehow spoke volumes for the difficulty of the official's task. The result of all this considerate work was that summer afternoons in Peter's company were invariably a delight, for a wise and thoughtful umpire can do so much to establish the temper of a match.

It was in no sense surprising that Peter became Secretary of the Merseyside branch of the ACU&S, nor that when he had retired from umpiring he became a boundary assessor for the MCUA. I am sure he did both jobs very well.

Peter's funeral will take place at Southport Crematorium on Thursday 11th November at 9.30a.m. His umpiring colleagues and his many friends in the world of cricket, particularly those who cannot attend the funeral, send their sympathy to his family. Any donations should be made to Queenscourt Hospice, Town Lane, Southport.