We are sad report to the death of Baroness Ruth Henig CBE, DL, who was a British academic historian and Labour Party politician and chair of the all-party Parliamentary Bridge group, where she worked hard to support bridge and especially encourage school age players..
She played bridge for over 40 years, often at the Young Chelsea or Acol Bridge Clubs in London.
Baroness Henig was the chair for the Security Industry Authority regulatory body. Prior to becoming a member of the House of Lords she was a modern historian working at Lancaster University.
You can read her obituary in The Telegraph.
Joan Bennett (Youth Coordinator) has also written a short piece about her time with Baroness Henig:
"I first met Ruth Henig in 2013 when she came to play bridge at Nettlebed Primary School. She then kindly arranged for me to take four children from each of the six local primary schools to the House of Lords. The children were all mini bridge players from state primary schools in Oxfordshire and had a great time. We continued the schools' visits annually, all with much help from Baroness Henig.
In 2017, a group of primarily sixth form students from Reading School visited the House of Lords. They were mainly competent players, some of whom are still involved with bridge today. These members include Will Clennell, now a trainee director, and his bridge partner Dominic Cook; Henry Rose, winner of the Young Player of the Year award in 2023; and Zane Soonwalla, who completed his tournament director training in 2023.
In 2021, she and I instituted the Lords Trophy for the winning team in the newly formed Inter-Schools League and have organised the House of Lords team, venue, and food for the last few years."
March 4, 2024