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Sheffield
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8th Meeting of the West Yorkshire Chess
Association
Victoria Hotel, Sheffield
20th May 1863
Although West
Yorkshire Chess Association meetings were normally held on Saturdays, this
one was arranged to avoid a Saturday, as in Sheffield at this time Saturday
was market-day.
The minute book
contains a handwritten report. A report in the Sheffield &
Rotherham Independent of Saturday May 23rd 1863 appears to be based on
the same source, but is restructured, with some additions appropriate to the
newspaper article as such. The text of the newspaper article was as
follows.
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WEST YORKSHIRE CHESS ASSOCIATION.
The annual
meeting of this association was held on Wednesday last, at the Victoria
Hotel, in this town. The large dining-room was open for play at 11
o’clock, and numerous amateurs assembled during the afternoon.
[The handwritten report says, more reasonably, “during the forenoon
and afternoon”.] Herr Löwenthal, who had been engaged by
the committee, arrived at Sheffield on Tuesday evening, and conducted a
number of games simultaneously at the meeting. In nearly all he came
off the victor, though one or two of his opponents succeeded in drawing
their games. Unfortunately, Mr. Deacon and Mr. Hampton were prevented
at the last moment from being able to attend. Several skilful
amateurs from the neighbouring towns were present, among whom we may
mention Dr. Wilson, Messrs. Cadman and Myers, from Leeds, Mr. Marsden, from
Huddersfield, Messrs. Tomlinson, Shepherd, Oswald, and Elliott, from
Wakefield, &c. The majority of the company consisted of Sheffield
gentlemen, including J. Rimington Wilson, Esq., Henry Wilson, Esq., Dr.
Aveling, Dr. Elam, Mr. Merryweather, Mr. Greening, Rev. C. T. Wilkinson,
Messrs. Boss, Pearson, Latham, Cockayne, Short, Barlow, Ebert, Mort,
Rowbotham, &c., &c. At six o’clock the company
adjourned to the coffee-room, where an elegant and excellent tea was
served. About fifty gentlemen sat down, the chair being taken by
Edmund Thorold, Esq., the President of the Association for the year.
When ample justice had been done to the viands provided by Mr. Meyer, the
President, on rising, observed that on these occasions any thing like a set
speech was manifestly inexpedient, both because the brief space of one day
was felt to be too short for the full development of their chess-playing,
and as amateurs of this game were a rather reticent order of beings, it
would be out of harmony with the spirit of the congress. He would
only assure them, in the name of the Sheffield players, of the hearty
welcome accorded to the members of the association from this town, and
congratulate them on being honoured with the presence of the illustrious
visitor on his right (Herr Löwenthal), whose presence alone was
everywhere sufficient to guarantee a successful chess gathering. . . . On
the motion of Mr. Marsden, the next meeting of the association was fixed to
be held at Huddersfield. . . . Mr. Shepherd then proposed a vote of thanks
to the Sheffield committee for the handsome manner in which the
arrangements had been carried out ; and on this being briefly acknowledged,
by the President, the company resumed their play. No. 4 [sic], the
single game tournay, was ultimately won by Dr. Wilson, of Clay Cross.
The details were as follow :-
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First
Round.
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Dr. Wilson
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defeated
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Mr. Mort
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Mr. Marsden
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,,
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Mr. H. Wilson
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Mr. Cadman
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,,
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Mr. Short
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Mr. Barlow
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,,
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Mr. Boss
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SECOND Round.
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Dr. Wilson
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defeated
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Mr. Cadman
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Mr. Barlow
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,,
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Mr.Marsden
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THIRD Round.
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Dr. Wilson
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defeated
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Mr. Barlow
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The whole
proceedings terminated about twelve, after a very pleasant meeting. Great
thanks are due to Mr. G. Cocking, the secretary, for all his exertions for
the success of the meeting, and the whole appointments at the hotel
reflected much credit on the management of Mr. Meyer. We hope shortly
to lay before our readers one or two of the best games contested by Mr.
Löwenthal during his visit to Sheffield. Mr. Rimington Wilson
kindly sent over for inspection some extremely rare and valuable
chess-books, among which was a fac-simile of Caxton’s work on the
game. Mr. Wilson’s Chess Library, including upwards of 700
volumes, is probably the largest collection in Europe.
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George Bailey Cocking’s
hand-written report read as follows.
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Eigtht [sic] Annual Meeting
Held at Sheffield on Wednesday May 20th 1863
--------------------------------------------------
President Mr. Ed. Thorold; Secretary
Mr. Geo. B. Cocking
====================================
The Annual
Meeting of the Association was held as above at the Victoria Hotel.
The large Dining
Room was opened for Play at Eleven o’Clock (a.m.) and numerous
amateurs assembled during the forenoon and afternoon.
The following
Members of associated Clubs were present on the occasion – viz.
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Leeds
–
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Mess
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Cadman and
Myers.
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Huddersfield
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,,
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Mr. Marsden.
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Wakefield
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,,
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Tomlinson, Shepherd, Oswald and Elliott.
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The majority of
the company consisted of gentlemen resident in Sheffield and its
neighbourhood amongst which may be mentioned
Dr Wilson (Clay
Cross) J. Rimington Wilson Esq., Hy Wilson Esq., Dr Aveling Dr Elam, Revds
G. Sanford and Wilkinson, Mess Boss, Cockayne, Latham Greening, Short,
Barlow, Ebert, Thorold, Cocking &c
The committee
had engaged the services of the eminent continental player Herr
Löwenthal who conducted several series of Simultaneous Games in
most of which he proved victorious.
Mess Deacon and
Hampton had promised to be present, but unfortunately at the last moment
were prevented.
A single game
tournay was conducted as follows
First Round
Dr.
Wilson defeated Mr.
Mort
Mr.
Marsden
,, Mr. H.
Wilson
Mr.
Cadman
,, Mr.
Short
Mr.
Barlow
,, Mr.
Boss
----------------------------------------------
Second Round
Dr.
Wilson defeated Mr.
Cadman
Mr.
Barlow
,,
Mr.Marsden
----------------------------------------------
Third Round
Dr.
Wilson defeated Mr.
Barlow
----------------------------------------------
At Six 0’Clock
the company adjourned to the Coffee Room, where an elegant and excellent
tea was served. About Fifty Gentlemen sat down thereto, the chair
being occupied by Edmund Thorold, Esq., the President of the Association
(for the year) Edmund Thorold Esqr.. When ample justice had been done
to the viands provided by Mr. Meyer, The President, on rising observed,
“That on these occasions any thing like a set speech was manifestly
inexpedient, both because the brief space of one day was felt to be too short
for the full development of their Chess-playing, and as amateurs of this
game were a rather reticent order of beings, it would be out of harmony
with the spirit of the congress. He would only assure them, in the
name of the Sheffield Players, of the hearty welcome accorded to the
members of the Association from this town, and congratulate them on being
honoured with the presence of the illustrious Visitor on his right (Herr
Löwenthal), whose presence alone was everywhere sufficient to
guarantee a successful chess gathering. . . . On the motion of Mr. Marsden,
the next meeting of the Association was fixed to be held at Huddersfield. .
. . Mr. Shepherd then proposed a vote of thanks to the Sheffield Committee
for the handsome manner in which the arrangements had been conducted, and
on this being briefly acknowledged by the President, the company resumed
their play.
The whole
proceedings terminated about twelve o’Clock after a very pleasant
meeting.
Great thanks are
due to the Secretary, for all his exertions for the success of the meeting,
and the whole appointments at the hotel reflected much credit on the
management of Mr. Meyer.
Mr. Rimington
Wilson (whose Chess Library which includes upwards of Seven Hundred Volumes
and which is probably the largest and most valuable collection in
existence) Kindly sent over for inspection some extremely rare and valuable
chess-books, among which was a fac-simile of Caxton’s work on the
game.
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