| JAMES GORDON SEAFIELD AMBERTON ashes were scattered at a small seaside village of Mundesley in Norfolk on 23rd September where he was born on 2nd March 1959. The family moved to Africa where his father was stationed with the Royal Navy. They returned to Mundesley on their return from Africa before moving to Edgware, London.
His family then moved up to Leicester where Jim aged fourteen took up fencing at school. A year later he joined Charles Keen College fencing club where Henry De Silva was master. Over the next few years he travelled around the junior circuit with the school and Henry with good success. Jim was encouraged to become a coach at an early age and took his first coaching award at Lilleshaw aged just seventeen. He started his own fencing club ‘Granby Fencing Club’ which has now been running for over 25 years. Leicester Fencing Club, as the club is now called, has a strong junior section and averages 51 fencers per week. He also helped set up the Market Harborough fencing club and was head coach at Leicester University and East Midland Cadet Squad.
His contribution to fencing was not just limited to coaching but Jim has been East Midland Hon. Secretary, Leicestershire Hon. Secretary, East Midland Cadet Squad coach and Chairman of Leicester fencing club.
He would always ensure by hook or crook that the East Midland had a full team to take down to Millfield for the Cadet Winton Cup, even when other regions dropped out or fielded half teams. These teams were let off the ‘Pink Elephant’ and it was awarded to the East Midlands on numerous occasions because Jim had put enormous efforts producing a full team that always had the best team spirit! Most people remember Jim as a coach but he was a good foilist appearing in the back pages of the Sword regularly during the eighties and early nineties. He fenced in the Excalibur Trophy, Winton Cup and the World Masters but my fondest memories was when we decided to have some fun and enter the Warwickshire triplets mixed competition. Much to our disbelief and amusement we beat the pride of the West Midlands in 1990, 1991, 1992 and relinquish title in 1994 when we finished second. He was honoured by the Leicestershire Schools Sports Federation for his hard work by being awarded their ‘Most Dedicated Volunteer over 21’ award in 2005.
Jim was always the centre of attention (good or bad), was larger than life, excelled with children,
always could be relied on and put enormous energy into fencing. He will be missed greatly.
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