From the Archives
Gloucester Chess Club was founded in 1892. Below are a few extracts from minutes of Annual General Meetings and from newspaper cuttings kept with the minutes. Compiled by Pat Baker
My thanks to Joe Clark, a previous Secretary of Gloucester Chess Club, for the loan of 'The Gloucester City Chess Club Minute Book' covering the period 1924 to 1973 from which I have selected these short extracts - PB
1924
The thirty-second annual general meeting of the club was held on Friday, 19th September 1924 in the Club Room, Botherway's Cafe, Gloucester, when Mr G.W. Davies took the chair.
Botherway's Cafe was on Eastgate Street - PB
Tournaments. After a long discussion it was proposed, seconded and unanimously resolved that, owing to its unwieldiness, the Handicap Tournament be discontinued, and that the said tournament be replaced by a knock-out tournament.
Entrance Fees. It was proposed by Mr A. Hutchison, seconded by Mr L. Mawer, and resolved that an entrance fee of 1/- (5p) be charged in the Championship Tournament.
Medals. Proposed by Mr L. Mawer and seconded by Mr D.S. Hole, it was finally resolved that a medal be presented to the winner of the Championship Tournament each season. It was further moved by by Mr T.C. Johnstone, seconded by the Chairman, and unanimously resolved that, this matter having been under consideration for a number of years, the presentations be carried back to the last year of Mr D.S. Hole's long sequence of successes.
1927
The 35th annual meeting of the club was held at Botherway's Cafe on Tuesday, 27th September 1927.
...The Secretary read an application for membership from Miss A.L. France, and Mr E.P Davies pointed out that ladies had held membership and were certainly eligible for same. Mr D.S. Hole supported this view, and Miss France, Mr Maurice Foston, Mr Reg Tomes, Mr R Smith and Mr J Gannis were elected members...
1928
The 36th annual meeting of the club was held at the headquarters, the Cadena Cafe (the same rose under another name) on the last Tuesday in September 1928.
Presumably Botherway's Cafe had changed its name - PB
...On his resignation from his captaincy of the 1st team a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr D.S. Hole on his long and splendid service to the club.
The usual club nights, Tuesday and Fridays, were agreed to.
It was decided that members registered in the 1st league matches should only be entitled to enter the Senior Tournament for the Club Championship, altho it was agreed that the committee should have the power to add thereto the name of any incoming member of chess reputation, all those ineligible for the senior to enter the junior championship if willing, also that the entrance fee for both tournaments should be 1/- (5p).
As a difficulty arose over deciding the actual champion it was decided that providing 50% of the games had been played the best average should be the deciding factor.
Club Championship won by A. Hutchinson
1935
Honorary Secretary's Report. The past season, though not too successful from the point of view of matches, was undoubtedly one of the most encouraging for years from the purely club standpoint. Attendances improved and once again it is clear that Tuesday is a far more suitable night for the majority of the members than Friday. Several new members joined and exhibited very promising form. A feature of our activities during the season was the visit of M. Koltanowski who at the invitation of the North Glos Chess Association played simultaneously against 25 members. His record was: won 23 drawn 1 and lost 1. The pleasing thing from our club's point of view was that the winner (Capt. Gorton) and the one who drew Mr T.C. Johnstone are both members of this club.
From The Gloucester Citizen (undated):
Glo'ster man beats chess champion
25 players taken on at once
Twenty five North Gloucestershire faces racked with thought staring at 25 chessboards confronted a master-minded Russian at Urch's Cafe last night.
Urch's Cafe was at 14, Southgate Street. Koltanowski was in fact Belgian - PB
The 25 faces belonged to members of the North Glos Chess League, whose best brains were being tackled simultaneously by a famous expert of the game, M. G.Koltanowski.
M. Koltanowski has a formidable record. He is an accomplished blindfold player, and has often played able opponents without seeing the pieces at all. Apart from this little knack, at the Hastings Christmas Congress just ended he took fourth prize against a strong international entry with a score of three wins, five draws and one defeat.
Quick player
At most of the tables he hardly paused, but made his move and swept on, leaving his opponent in a torment that he should not have moved before M. Koltanowski was back again, because he is a very quick player. ..After half an hour last night he had made certain of six victories. The corrugated brows grew more corrugated. Several of the players, among whom was one woman, noted their moves down. M. Koltanowski took about five minutes on each round, far quicker than Yates or Thomas or other champions who have visited the League.
Captain J.G. Gorton, who has victories to his credit against both these players, captured the Russian's queen after three quarters of an hour, and looked like getting another victory. About this time the first two games were decided (in the Russian's favour).
So great was M. Koltanowksi's concentration that he kept a cigarette in his mouth unlighted for a quarter of an hour.
Mr T.C. Johnstone (Gloucester City), a former Gloucester champion, had the first favourable result, securing a draw after an hour and a half. Quarter of an hour later Koltanowski resigned from his game with Captain Gorton, admitting his third defeat in 70 matches.
1936
Season 1936/7 Hon Sec's Report
General
The past season was notable for a further increase in membership, and the renewed interest shown in 1935/6 was again very evident. A good send-off was assured by the visit of Sir George Thomas Bart. who played simultaneously against about 40 North Glos members.
Matches
(a) Foxwell Cup
The record in this competition was certainly better than that of the preceding year, the score being - played 6 won 2 lost 4. In games we won 15 lost 21 drew 24. The wins are the same as last year and the losses reduced by 7. Mr Johnstone with 3.5 out of 4 put up the best individual score.
(b) Morton Cup
The revival of the second team was a popular move and at full strength our second strings were a tough proposition.
(c) Friendly games
Two friendlies were played home and away against new opponents in Charfield both of which we won.
Championship Tournament
In view of the increased numbers it was thought advisable to run this tourney in two sections of approximately equal strength. As generally expected the group winners were Messrs T.C. Johnstone and Mansel Davies. After his excellent performance in the matches it was anticipated that Mr Johnstone would make a fine bid for the trophy, but Davies was fortunate in meeting him on a decidedly off night, and with an unbeaten record retained the championship for the fourth time.
Lightning Tourney
The feature of the latter part of the season was a well attended lightning tournament when a most entertaining evening was spent. The finalists were Messrs R.E.G. Smith and Mansel Davies, the latter winning after a most exciting struggle.
The late Mr P.R. Haine
Before concluding I must pay tribute to one who was just after the war a most popular and energetic officer of this club. Mr Haine, whose sudden passing this year was a great shock to all who knew him, was for some years Secretary of this club, and when his many other activities prevented him from taking an active part in the game he never failed in his interest in our affairs, and the Treasurer will say that he has several times had occasion to be grateful to Mr Haine.
In conclusion may I thank on behalf of the members those gentlemen who placed their cars at the club's disposal for away matches.
Mansel Davies
From The Gloucester Citizen (undated):
10 SECONDS A MOVE IN CHESS
Speeding up Gloucester Tournament
A large number of members of Gloucester Chess Club took part in a lightning tournament at Urch's Restaurant. Two ladies acted as timekeepers, and rang a bell every ten seconds, when the player whose turn it was to move had to do so immediately or resign the game. Thus the average game of 30 moves lasted only ten minutes.
Accurate chess was not to be expected, and mistakes occurred wholesale, writes a correspondent. It was most amusing to watch a nervous player who, having arrived at a complicated position requiring close study, would jump a foot when the bell rang, grab the first piece available, possibly his queen, and place it with trembling hand just where his opponent would take it for nothing. Another would move his opponent's pieces in preference to his own, while a third would move his own king into check with the most reckless abandon.
The tournamnet was run in four sections, the sectional winners forming a semi-final. The semi-finalists were W.J. Burley, F.E. Tanner, R.E.G. Smith and Mansel Davies. R.E.G. Smith defeated F.E. Tanner and M. Davies defeated W.J. Burley. In the final Davies beat Smith.
The club was indebted to Mrs L. Davies and Mrs R.F. Newman who acted as time-keepers.
1937
From The Gloucester Citizen (undated):
M. Georges Koltanowski, the Belgian master and blindfold expert, is paying a return visit to the Gloucester Chess Club on Tuesday next to give a simultaneous exhibition. Two years ago M. Koltanowski took on 25 players ..this time it is hoped more players will pit their strength against him.
Expert plays 23 opponents in Gloucester
At the Gloucester Chess Club yesterday, Georges Koltanowski playing simultaneously against 23 opponents, scored 20 wins, one loss (to J.R.Webb) and two draws (R.E.G. Smith and W.F. Sheppard). This he accomplished in the excellent time of two hours.
After refreshments had been served, M. Koltanowski addressed the company, and gave some very amusing reiniscences of his career. The following true story was particularly well received:
Giving a simultaneous blindfold display at Liskeard a few days ago, he was sitting in a chair with his back to his opponents, and, of course, no chessmen in front of him. An old lady stood watching him very intently for about a quarter of an hour, then in a loud whisper to a friend she remarked "I have been watching that man very closely and he is no more blind than I am." M. Koltanowski said he almost returned her her money.
Born in 1903 George Koltanowski was at this time was making his living as a chessplayer by giving displays, lectures and blindfold exhibitions. He also offered an adjudications service at 2/6 (12p) per position and game annotations at 5/- (25p) per game. He often gave several blindfold displays in a week and the following year (1937) at Edinburgh he set up a world blindfold record, playing 34 boards simultaneously and scoring +24 =10 in 13.5 hours. I have a copy of 'En passant', a collection of games and studies written and published by Koltanowski and signed by the author (published price 2/- (10p)) which I found in a second hand bookshop in Gloucester, and which was almost certainly bought from the author on one of these two visits to Gloucester Chess Club.
Koltanowski left Europe for America in 1938. He edited a daily chess column for the San Francisco Chronicle for over 50 years and died aged 96 on 5th February 2000. One of his favourite sayings - 'Pawns are like buttons. Lose too many and your pants fall down.' He was made an honorary GM in 1988. - PB
1939
The 47th annual general meeting of the club was held at Urch's Cafe Oct 10th 1939.
(Nine members were present - PB)
The Treasurer presented the balance sheet which showed a debit balance of 8/4 (42p), but there was one subscription outstanding which the Treasurer hoped to receive.
(Some things never change - PB)
...It was unanimously agreed to meet Tuesdays and Fridays up to Dec 19th. Then to restart on Jan 2nd 1940, the question to be then decided whether the meetings should continue to be two per week.
Subscription to be 10/6 (52p) for the season, but Crypt School lads be only charged 2/6 (12p)
It was also agreed to pay the County fee of 2/6 (12p)
As there was no probability of any matches being arranged, it was decided to run a tournament.
1940
The 48th annual general meeting of the club was held at the Unitarian Chapel in Eastgate Street on November 8th 1940.
...A letter from the Secretary in which he tendered his resignation owing to difficulties in attending during the "black-out" was read.
...The Treasurer reported that although there was an adverse balance of 2/- (10p) the financial position was better than it had been for the past three years.
...It was agreed that a tournament should be run as in the previous year. The club championship for the year 1939/40 was won by Mr W.J. Sheppard. It was also agreed that the annual subscription was to be reduced to 5/- (25p) for ordinary members and 2/- (10p) for juniors. The membership was 17 compared with 21 the previous year.
Owing to the national situation no matches could be arranged, and it was decided that the meetings would be once a week only, and Friday was decided upon.
1941
The 49th annual general meeting of the club was held at the Unitarian Chapel on October 10th 1941.
...The Treasurer reported that the finances of the club were steadily improving, and he was able to show a credit balance for the first time in four years, the balance mentioned being 7/- (35p)
The Secretary drew attention to the considerably reduced number of members, viz 12 as compared with 17 the previous year, this being solely due to the war. As in the year before, no matches could be arranged, but it was decided to run a tournament, and it was hoped that all members would enter. There would be no entrance fee.
It was agreed that our meetings would be once a week on Fridays from 6pm to 10pm.
...It was regretted that Mr R.E.G. Smith who has been a member of the committee for a considerable number of years was unable to continue in office owing to his war time duties taking him away from home. He, however, wished to remain a member.
1944
The 52nd annual general meeting of the club was held at the Unitarian Chapel on October 13th 1944.
...The Secretary reported a very successful year. The membership had increased to practically pre-war strength and the standard of play very high, with the result that Mr R.E.G. Smith, last year's club champion, had to fight some keenly contested games to retain the championship, with Mr Mr T.C. Johnstone and Mr B.B. Partridge tying for second place.
The Treasurer's report was also satisfactory, but reminded the members that as they were now meeting on two nights a week it would be necessary to increase the subscription. After some discussion it was decided to increase the subscription to 10/- (50p) per annum and 5/- (25p) for juniors.
1946
The 54th annual general meeting of the club was held at the Unitarian Chapel on Friday, October 4th 1946.
...The secretary reported that the club...had waon all their matches except one, which was lost to Cheltenham, thereby winning the Foxwell Cup.
The membership of the club had considerably increased since the war and it was hoped a second team would compete in the league games during the forthcoming season.
Mr Mansell Davies was congratulated upon winning the Club Championship and was presented with the Herbet Trophy. Mr L. Winter had the honour of being the runner-up.
The knock-out handicap tournament which was run during the summer months, was won by the junior member Mr Alan John who beat W/O E. O'Neill in the final game.
1947
From The Gloucester Citizen 7th Febrauary 1947:
EMPIRE CHAMPIONS VISIT STROUD
The North Glos Chess Association held the annual social evening at the Community Centre, Stroud, when a simultaneous display of chess was given by 21-year-old Mr D.A. Yanofsky, champion of Canada.
Mr Yanofsky, who was accompanied by his friend, Mr R.G. Wade, New Zealand champion, was introduced by Mr G.P.Powell of Stroud, who commented on the fact of two British Empire champions visiting Stroud together. The champion played 21 games at once.
During the interval, the Foxwell Cup was presented by Mr Yanofsky to Mr T.C. Johnstone, captain of the Gloucester Chess Club, who won the championship last season.