Jeremy Morse
Sir Christopher Jeremy Morse | |
|---|---|
| Born | 10 December 1928 Kensington, London, England |
| Died | 4 February 2016 (aged 87) |
| Occupation(s) | Banker, cruciverbalist, chess problem composer |
| Known for | Chairman of Lloyds Bank; Chancellor of the University of Bristol; cryptic crossword compiler as "Esrom"; chess problem composer |
Sir Christopher Jeremy Morse KCMG (10 December 1928 – 4 February 2016) was a distinguished English banker, renowned cruciverbalist, and chess problem composer. He held the position of Chancellor at the University of Bristol between 1989 and 2003 and also chaired Lloyds Bank.
Early life and education
Born in Kensington, London, in 1928, Morse was the sole son of Francis John Morse of Lenwade House, Norwich, and Kinbarra Armfield-Marrow. His lineage traced back to a cadet branch of the landed gentry Morse family from Lound, Suffolk, with Quaker roots. Francis John Morse was the second son of Sir George Henry Morse, who was both a brewer and a former Lord Mayor of Norwich.
Morse's schooling took place at West Downs School followed by Winchester College. After completing two years of national service with the 60th Rifles stationed in Mandatory Palestine, he matriculated at New College, Oxford.
Career
Morse pursued a banking career beginning at Williams and Glyn's Bank and ascended to become chairman of Lloyds Bank from 1977 until 1993. At 48, he was the youngest individual to lead a clearing bank. His tenure included serving as an executive director on the Board of the Bank of England from 1965 to 1972 and later as a non-executive director from 1993 to 1997. Additionally, he was appointed as the inaugural Chairman of the International Monetary Fund’s Committee of Twenty (C20). In recognition of his contributions to reforming the international monetary system, he was honoured with a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in the 1975 New Year Honours.
Outside his banking accomplishments, Morse gained acclaim for his skill in cryptic crosswords, crafting puzzles under the alias "Esrom." He achieved notable success in clue-writing contests such as those run by Ximenes and Azed, which included a special dedication in Azed’s December 2008 puzzle celebrating his eightieth birthday. His frequent contributions appeared in Word Ways: The Journal of Recreational Linguistics, and he authored Chess Problems: Tasks and Records. The World Federation for Chess Composition awarded him an Honorary Master title in 2006.
Morse was also an honorary fellow at both New College, Oxford and All Souls College, Oxford. The fictional detective Inspector Morse, created by Colin Dexter, was named in his honour.
Personal life
In 1955, Morse wed Belinda Marianne Mills, daughter of Lt-Colonel Robert Breynton Yarnton Mills, OBE, MC, belonging to the landed gentry Mills family of Sudgrove. Together they had five children: three sons and two daughters; tragically, one daughter passed away from leukaemia at age four.
Sir Christopher Morse passed away at age 87 on 4 February 2016 due to complications related to jaw cancer at Royal Trinity Hospice in London.