In my early days of managing the EBU there were many major issues to be addressed, not least of which was staffing. My own duties were overwhelming and there was a lack of staff with bridge knowledge who could offer meaningful support. I was able to recruit Sandra Claridge in a general administrative and secretarial role, which steadied the ship considerably but more was needed. I had become aware when engaging directors for tournaments that there was one recently qualified trainee who showed outstanding promise allied to a keen interest in bridge administration: his name was Max Bavin and he was working for the Stratford on Avon Town Council, organising dustbin rotas – not exactly a long-term career option. It soon became apparent in discussion that he would welcome any employment opportunity with the EBU and his original engagement with us was in the role of master points secretary – a position which wouldn’t impact on his ability to undertake directing commitments in EBU or other tournaments at weekends.
This was in the early 1980s when consolidation and then expansion were very much in the air. The EBU was outgrowing its headquarters in Thame and computerisation was beginning to offer new opportunities for business management systems and tournament organisation. It quickly became apparent that Max had a sharp mind and an easy grasp of problem solving, so it wasn’t long before his usefulness spread in all directions. By the middle of the decade there was a team in place capable of tackling an agenda of expansion: a Board of Directors comprising (among others) Keith Stanley as Chairman, Peter Stocken, Grattan Endicott, Tom Bradley and Margaret Curtis provided solid and reliable support to management without undue interference and a management team of myself, Sandra and Max tackled the major issues and projects on a practical level. These included an increase in our profile within the European Bridge League and World Bridge Federation via (a) the instigation of international friendly competitions and (b) staging of the European Championships at Brighton Conference Centre in 1987 and the World Junior Championships in Nottingham in 1989, plus the establishment and financing of new purpose-built headquarters in Aylesbury. During this turbulent period we still enjoyed the sunset of Harold Franklin’s influence: Harold was a larger-than–life maverick and freelance entrepreneur responsible for many major advancements in tournament organisation and as Chief TD of the EBU, EBL and WBF he was ideally placed to further Max’s own training and advancement to the point where, when Harold retired, Max had become a successor-in-waiting. The wonderful Roy Higson held the fort for a while until Max was deemed ready to become Chief TD himself and after that followed an easy passage for him to rise within the ranks of the EBL and WBF, eventually assuming the top directing role in each. He retained his professional duties at EBU headquarters but as I neared retirement he took over responsibility for all aspects of tournament organisation, including booking of venues and TD staff in addition to directing the events themselves. He was also a key member of the Laws and Ethics committee and had a major impact on development of the Laws both nationally and internationally.
The above gives some idea of Max’s importance to the EBU over the 30-odd years of his employment. After retiring he continued his roles with the EBL and WBF, albeit on a decreasing curve.
Personal recollection of Max is of an amenable and committed colleague who commanded the utmost respect. He found it easy to communicate on a working level but had more difficulty with personal relationships, being of a rather solitary disposition. Having said that, although his marriage to Roz ended, he remained on very good terms with her and was always a dutiful and caring father to their son Ben. When things didn’t go well for him he could become moody and withdrawn without permitting any discussion, but his main problem in life was a stubborn refusal to look after himself, despite the best efforts of all who cared about him: he smoked heavily, his taste in food (when he bothered to eat) veered towards the junk variety and he had a life-long devotion to beer (though he was never a drunk), coupled with an aversion to fruit and veg.
Max was a fine bridge player who loved the problem-solving aspect of the game and welcomed over-complication. I spent a year as his partner for club and county and likened it later to going ten rounds with a monkey in a dustbin (which I think he found amusing): he was hard to please without ever being unpleasant and his main enemy at the table was himself. After his dalliance with me he formed a partnership with N. Ireland’s Nick Perceval-Price and they developed a highly complex and artificial bidding system which seemed to lead to endless confusion. At the end of that particular episode he came to the conclusion (as had Harold Franklin before him) that he was simply unsuitable as a bridge partner for reasons of temperament, and so stopped playing abruptly.
Max was a massive sports fan (of the armchair variety only): whilst we shared an obsessive interest in the England cricket team our football allegiances (Man U for him, Arsenal for me) were a constant distraction: we once sat in a service station carpark on the M27, on our way to a Bournemouth congress, listening as Michael Thomas’s last-minute goal at Liverpool won Arsenal the league championship: he was quiet but dignified for the rest of the journey. The only time I ever remember him playing sport was when we were in Guernsey setting up their inaugural congress: we ventured a round of golf but had to give up the unequal struggle when all of our balls were lost in the water or the woods.
Max will be much missed by all at the EBU and the other bridge authorities he served so well, as well as by Roz and Ben, to whom our fondest sympathy is extended.