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DEATH OF A GREAT JUDOKA
Dear Fellow Judokas,
It is with great sadness that I have to report the death of
Chris Hopkinson, 3rd Dan (BJA), aged 72.
Chris was founder of the Shiro-no club way back in 1957. He
was admitted to hospital last November suffering from cancer
of the bladder, which he accepted bravely right up to the
end. He died peacefully last Sunday, 4th January.
Shortly after I was appointed secretary of the club Chris
informed me he had been unhappy with the British Judo Association
for countless years, feeling that it was detrimental to the
true spirit and practice of Kano judo. Without realising it
Shiro-no, under Chris' tutelage, had been practicing Zen Judo
since the club's formation. Such was the quality of the judo,
compared to the overly-publicised sports judo, numerous black
belts from the North West were regular visitors to our dojo
(and still are!) to glean techniques from Chris' star student
and protégé George Launders 3rd Dan BZJFA (3rd
Dan BJA fighting).
On moving the club from Whitefield ('Shiro-no' is Japanese
for ' Whitefield') to the larger local town of Bury, its name
was changed to Bury Judokwai. However, last November, out
of profound respect for Sensei Hopkinson, the club reverted
back to its original 'Shiro-no' name and added 'Zen' to it
after we joined the BZJFA. Sensei George Launders visited
Chris in hospital on a number of occasions and on the occasion
he informed Chris of the club reverting back to the name 'Shiro-no'
tears welled up in Chris' eyes. He was most supportive of
the club's leaving the BJA to join the BZJFA.
Judo has lost a tremendous exponent and a great man of principle.
Our sadness is that Sensei Millard and Sensei Lawson will
not now be able to meet the great man himself, as Chris would
have been delighted to see them both in February, when we
hope to run a Zen Judo course. It is now our sincere hope
that both respected judokas can attend in February to "officially" open
the club to Zen judo and, at the same time, as a fitting memorial
to Chris' 48 years dedication to the art - which is profoundly
appreciated by his students, past and present, and those judokas
around the country who had the privilege of seeing him in
action.
Thanks to the British Zen Judo Family Association, Shiro-no
Zen Judokwai can now rightly be recognised for the true Judo
is has been practicing for almost 5 decades and , under Sensei
Launders' superb tutelage, the North West of England now has
access to the judo championed by Sensei Hopkinson since 1957
- Zen Judo.
He will be greatly missed and never forgotten.
Ian Hinze
Club secretary :- 19, Wingate Drive, Whitefield,
Manchester. M45 7GX.
Tel:- 0161-767-9871
e-mail :-i.hinze@ntlworld.com
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