About Us

T Mark Hall in Korea

​The T Mark Hall Foundation was formed following the death of T Mark Hall in December 2013 following a large bequest in his will. 

His intention was that the Foundation should be used principally to promote the playing of Go in the United Kingdom, with the initial subsidary aims to include:

  • the maintenance and storage of his library until a permanent location for the books, magazines and pictures can be found
  • research to find a permanent London Go Centre which would be open most afternoons and/or evenings
  • the provision of financial grants to young players to assist with living costs to enable them to study Go in the Far East for periods of up to two years

We would welcome any suggestions or applications for projects or grants which meet these aims. There is no specific application form, so please contact one of the Directors.

The Foundation is a Company Limited by Guarantee and the Directors are specified int he Articles as John Fairbairn, his long-term friend and partner in Go Games on Disk (GoGoD), and the President, Secretary and Treasurer of the British Go Association. At the Company's formation in October 2014 these were Jon Diamond, Jonathan Chin and Toby Manning. In anticipation of his becoming Association President, Roger Huyshe was co-opted onto the Board in November 2015; after standing down as Association President at the Association AGM on 2 April, Jon Diamond left the Board  

In November 2017 Roiger Huyshe died suddenly and unexpectedly, and in April 2018 Richard Wheeldon joined the Board.

In October 2019 John Fairbairn announed his resignation from the Board, and in November the BGA appoointed Pat Ridley to the Boad to replace him. At the same time the Board coopted Alex Rix.

In April 2020 Colin Williams replaced Jonathan Chin as a Director.

In September 2020 Richard Wheeldon resigned from the Board.

In November 2020 the Articles were amended at the AGM; the Board now consists of 2 members appointed by the BA, 2 elected by the members, and up to 2 co-opted members. Toby Manning and Colin Williams remain as the BGA-appointed members, and Alex Rix and Pat Ridley were elected as members. As at the end of 2020 the Board had not co-opted any additional Directors.

A “Company Limited by Guarantee” is subject to the same legislation as a plc, but it has “members” rather than shareholders. Its objectives, etc. are defined in the Articles of Association. Members are required to guarantee the sum of £1 in the event that the Foundation goes bankrupt. Members of the British Go Association who have been members of that organisation for a continuous period of at least 5 years, who are over 18 and have a UK address are entitled to be Members of the Foundation. Please contact us if you wish to be a Member. Members are entitled to attend  the Foundation's General Meetigns and to vote on any resolutions.