1898 Southern Counties First Class

1898 Southern Counties First Class		Draw No.	Residence	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Total
1	Joseph Henry Blake	5	Southampton	&;	½	0	1	1	0	1	1	1	1	1	7½
2	William Ward	3	City of London	½	&;	½	1	1	½	1	1	0	1	1	7½
3	William Hewison Gunston	2	Cambridge	1	½	&;	1	0	0	½	1	1	1	1	7
4	George Edward Horton Bellingham	8	Dudley	0	0	0	&;	1	1	½	½	1	1	1	6
5	Dr. Max Blieden	4	City of London1	0	0	1	0	&;	1	½	1	0	1	1	5½
6	Rudolph Johannes Loman	9	London / NED	1	½	1	0	0	&;	½	0	½	1	1	5½
7	Francis Joseph Harman Elwell	6	Southampton	0	0	½	½	½	½	&;	1	1	0	1	5
8	Charles Hugh Sherrard	7	Stourbridge	0	0	0	½	0	1	0	&;	1	1	1	4½
9	Bernard Dinwoody Wilmot	11	Birmingham	0	1	0	0	1	½	0	0	&;	0	1	3½
10	Alfred Rumboll	10	Bristol	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	&;	0	2
11	Alfred Leonard Stevenson	1	Ashford, Kent	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	&;	1

Prizes: 1st - £10.50, 2nd - £5.25, 3rd - £3.15, 4th - £2.10
Draw numbers: it has not been possible to use these to deduce pairings, or even know if they are correct, as it is not known whether the prospective 12th player (H E Atkins, who had had to withdraw) had been assigned a draw number or not.
¹ Dr Max Blieden was from Philadelphia.

1898 Southern Counties Second Class

1898 Southern Counties Second Class		Draw No.	Residence	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Total
1	Mrs Louisa Matilda Fagan	12	London	&;	0	0	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	9
2	J(oseph?) N(ereus?) Smith	6	Marlow	1	&;	0	0	½	½	1	1	1	1	1	1	8
3	George Alan Thomas	2	Southsea	1	1	&;	½	0	0	1	0	1	1	1	1	7½
4	Frank Melluish	8	Bath	0	1	½	&;	1	1	½	1	0	½	1	½	7
5	B M Smith	4	City of London	0	½	1	0	&;	½	1	1	1	½	½	1	7
6	Russell France Bavington Jones	7	Dover	0	½	1	0	½	&;	0	½	1	1	½	1	6
7	Miss Kate Belinda Finn	5	London	0	0	0	½	0	1	&;	½	1	1	1	½	5½
8	(Lt Colonel) Edwin Law	1	Chippenham	0	0	1	0	0	½	½	&;	½	1	0	½	4
9	Francis Albert Joyce	10	Newport IOW	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	½	&;	0	1	1	3½
10	Charles Frederick Corke	9	Sevenoaks	0	0	0	½	½	0	0	0	1	&;	0	1	3
11	Lady Edith Margaret Thomas	11	Southsea	0	0	0	0	½	½	0	1	0	1	&;	0	3
12	Arthur Schomberg	3	Melksham	0	0	0	½	0	0	½	½	0	0	1	&;	2½

Prizes: 1st - £6.30, 2nd - £3.15, 3rd - £2.10, 4th - £1.05
Rev. J F Welsh (Warminster) and Samuel James Osborn (Parkstone) withdrew before completing half their games.

1898 Southern Counties Third Class

1898 Southern Counties Third Class		Draw No.	Residence	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	Total
1	Charles Chapman	12	Sevenoaks	&;	1	0	1	0	1	1	1	1	1	0	1	1	1	10
2	Rev. Edward Gates	11	Kettering	0	&;	1	1	½	1	1	½	½	½	1	1	1	1	10
3	George Ivie Gribble	9	Brading IOW	1	0	&;	0	0	1	1	½	1	1	1	1	1	1	9½
4	Campbell Tracey	7	Exmouth	0	0	1	&;	1	0	1	1	½	1	1	1	1	1	9½
5	Rev. Frederick Tracey	8	Ramsgate	1	½	1	0	&;	0	1	0	½	1	1	1	1	1	9
6	F Sutton	2	Salisbury	0	0	0	1	1	&;	1	1	½	0	1	1	0	1	7½
7	Alfred Watson	1	Salisbury	0	0	0	0	0	0	&;	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	7
8	Rev. Arthur Law	4	Dauntsey	0	½	½	0	1	0	0	&;	½	1	1	0	1	1	6½
9	Miss Alice Elizabeth Hooke	5	Fulham	0	½	0	½	½	½	0	½	&;	1	0	1	1	1	6½
10	(Henry Breithaupt) Oakley Gummer	14	Salisbury	0	½	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	&;	0	1	1	1	4½
11	Francis Hooper Rawlins	13		1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	&;	0	½	0	3½
12	Miss Kate Eyre	3	London	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	&;	1	0	3
13	Rev. Henry Bremridge	10	Devon	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	½	0	&;	1	2½
14	Mrs Christina Maria Chapman	6	Ogbourne St Andrew	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	&;	2

1898 Ladies' Tournament (9-15 September)

1898 Southern Counties Ladies' Tournament		Residence	1	2	3	4	5	6	Total
1	Miss Alice Mary Prothero	City of London	&;						4?
2	Mrs Caroline Kate Wynell Mayow	Devizes		&;					3?
3	Mrs Helen Eliza Sidney	Brighton			&;				3?
4	Mrs Emma Rumboll	Bath				&;			2?
5	Mrs Rhoda Annie Bowles	Ladies' CC					&;		2?
6	Miss Louisa Brodrick Schomberg	Wiltshire						&;	0?

The only newspaper found so far which gives the scores of this section (Salisbury and Winchester Journal, 17 September 1898) has them as given but the overall scores would then add up to 14 and not the correct 15. Hence the queries against each score - JS

---

Biographical Details

Christina Maria Chapman (née Edwards), born 14 December 1843, Wexford, Ireland, m. John Furlong Chapman (1829-84), in 1866, Worksop. Died 13 October 1917, Walmer, Kent. Played in the 1904 British Women's Championship.

Kate Eyre. A regular competitor in British Women's Championships from 1906 to 1925. BMD information not defiite, but probably born 1857, London, became assistant superintendent at the GPO Savings Bank, date of death not discoverable.

Edward Gates (5 October 1846, Aylesbury - 1933/qtr3, Bath) Adm. pens. at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, Aug. 18, 1865. S. and h. of William John, clerk, of Aylesbury. B. there Oct. 5, 1846. School, Peterborough (Mr Whyley). Matric. Michs. 1865; Exhibitioner; B.A. 1869; M.A. 1872. Ord. deacon (Worcester) 1870; priest, 1871; C. of Kenilworth, 1870-2. C. of Shorwell, Isle of Wight, 1872-4. C. of All Saints', St John's Wood, London, 1874-5. C. of Thorpe Malsor, Northants., 1875-6. V. of Pytchley, 1876-1911. Lived latterly at Bath. Disappears from Crockford, 1934. (Northants. Clergy.)

Arthur Law (25 February 1843 - 6 December 1923, Bath). Educ. Marlborough. Matric. Peterhouse, Cambridge, Michs. 1861; B.A. 1865; M.A. 1875. Ord. deacon (Gloucester and Bath) 1867; C. of Chipping Campden, Gloucs., 1866-8. C. of St James's, Leckhampton, 1869. C. of Christian Malford, Wilts., 1869-75. R. of Dauntsey, 1875-1915.

Caroline Kate Wynell Mayow (née Smith) (1826, Oxfordshire - 1912). Married Rev. Mayow Wynell Mayow, vicar of Market Lavington.

Samuel James Osborn (1855 - 23 May 1931). Occ. market gardener. Regular competitor at British Championships.

Alice Mary Prothero (1839/qtr2, Wiltshire - 31 October 1899, London). Member of the Ladies' Chess Club. Dau. of Rev. Thomas Prothero. Obituary by Rhoda Annie Bowles in Womanhood - link.

---

BCM, October 1898, ppn 411-414

The annual chess tournament of the Southern Counties' Chess Union was held this year at Salisbury, commencing on September 12th and lasting till September 20th. Four tournaments, for classes I., II, III., and for the Ladies were the principal events, but in addition there was a handicap on the "knock-out" principle, and a "blindfold" display by Mr. J. H. Blackburne, who played six games simultaneously.

At these chess tournaments there is of course none of the socialising tendencies of the Craigside and Counties' events at Llandudno, or at any rate there is not so much of it, for at Salisbury the forty odd players were scattered over the four corners of the square city of New Sarum.

Players began to arrive on Saturday, and on Sunday quite a number of groups of individuals might have been noticed examining the beauties of the Cathedral, and discussing the merits of the Queen's Gambit, or the probability of first-class players opening with P—K Kt 4.

It was not long before the privacy of Mr. Woodrow (the secretary) was invaded, and as that genial gentleman entered his room to find every chair occupied with aspiring chess enthusiasts come to interview him, it was quite amusing to see the suddenly-dawned-upon-him-cum-horror-stricken expression which came over his countenance, when he began to realise that the secretaryship of a chess tournament was not all "beer and skittles." With an artfully contrived device worthy of a chess-player, Mr. Woodrow turned his invaders on to Mr. A. Watson, of Bowerhill, Salisbury, the treasurer, and thither after luncheon the invading army repaired. These and other such manoeuvres in seeing everything and everyone in Salisbury, occupied the Sunday before the tournament. It was on Monday, however, that the majority of the players arrived, and made bee-lines for the Council House, where Messrs. Woodrow, Clark, and Watson were busy "fixing up the room" for the fray. The room occupied by the tournament was a beautifully large one but owing to the immense amount of gas required to light it, it was very hot at night. Clocks, boards, and men were supplied new from the factory apparently, by the British Chess Company, and almost without exception the clocks were a pleasure to play with, compared with the previous year's ones, which belonged to the S.C.C.U., and which had been allowed to get out of order.

During the afternoon the committee met and settled the pairing for the tournament, and verified the entries. At six o'clock, or soon after, the players assembled for the opening ceremony, when the Mayor of Salisbury—Mr. H. Harris—welcomed the players, reminded them of the many attractive spots to visit, and specially hoped for success to attend the ladies engaged in the open tournaments. Mr. Horace Chapman, who had been a handsome subscriber to the tournaments, and was instrumental in bringing Mr. J. H. Blackburne to the congress, next spoke, and proposed a vote of thanks to the Mayor. Mr. Woodrow and Mr. Watson also spoke with reference to the rules attending plav and the arrangements of a social nature got up for the players. The opening ceremony over, the first round was started, and a week's hard work begun. Class I. was not for the championship cup, as at Southampton, but only for the South of England championship, open to members of southern clubs or residents in the South of England.

Play in this proceeded steadily, two rounds, four hours in duration, being played per diem, with two off mornings. Class II. and III. had to play without any off days, and get through their adjourned game when they chose or when they could, as the case might be.

The championship class, of course, attracted the chief interest, and a very close and exciting contest took place, in which the interest was sustained right to the finish. Messrs. Gunston, Elwell, and Blake made a very good start, and at the end of the fifth round were leading. Messrs. Gunston and Bellingham were next the leaders, with Messrs. Ward and Blake close behind; this was the state of the score on Saturday night.

On Monday morning (a week's play having been got through) the question of first place was as open as could be. The morning's play gave Blake the lead, he beating Elwell, as Gunston lost to Loman, while Ward and Bellingham looked as if they would draw. This game in the afternoon resulted, however, in Ward winning, owing apparently to Bellingham taking a variation in a difficult ending, which, while it had winning chances, was too complicated, and Bellingham lost.

The score was now Ward 6½, with Rumboll to play; Blake 6½, with Bellingham to play; Gunston 6, with Wilmot to play; and Bellingham 6. Ward soon beat Rumboll in the last round, and made certain his position. The games Gunston v. Wilmot and Blake v. Bellingham were adjourned, Bellingham apparently having the best of it with Blake; but this proved a fallacy, for on the next day Blake played with determination, and, like Bellingham, played to win rather than draw. The former eventually won by fine play, and so tied for first place.

It was decided to divide the first and second prizes instead of playing off. Gunston beat Wilmot in good style, Bellingham thus coming fourth. The Midlander was, however, at no time in good health during the tournament, having a painful injury to his arm—the result of a cycling upset—which prevented sleep.

While the giants had been thus fighting their battles, Class II. had fallen to the Ladies' Chess Club. Mrs. Fagan, who throughout played fine chess, won with 9 wins out of 11. Miss Finn, another member of the Ladies' Chess Club, made a good score; and Lady Thomas also demonstrated her strength, although she was rather unfortunate in finishing several games which should have improved her score. Second prize went to Mr. J. N. Smith, of Marlow; while Mr. G. A. Thomas, Lady Thomas's son, took third prize.

Class III. resulted in a tie between the Rev. E. Gates (Kettering) and Mr. C. Chapman (Sevenoaks), who each made 10 points, while Messrs. Campbell Tracy (an old Oxonian) and Gribble scored 9½ each, and tied for third place.

The Ladies' Tournament resulted in Miss Prothero, of the Ladies' Chess Club, winning first prize, and Mrs. Sidney (Brighton) and Mrs. Mayow (Devizes) tieing for second. Mrs. Bowles, well known as the secretary of the Ladies' Chess Club and originator of the Jubilee International Ladies' Tournament also competed, as well as Miss Schomberg and Miss Watson. [according to the crosstables and newspaper reports, the 6th player was Mrs Rumboll so I assume the reference to Miss Watson is an error - JS]

A handicap was organized with 16 entries, the result of which was decidedly humorous. In the semi-final were Young (Salisbury) v. Colonel Law (Salisbury), Jones (Dover), v. the winner of Corke v. Melluish from the previous round. Mr. Young beat Col. Law. On Monday night, at eleven p.m., the committee decided to award the game to Mr. Corke (Sevenoaks), on the ground that Mr. Melluish (Bath) had a number of adjourned games to play! They also decided Corke v. Jones was to start next morning. This was done, but as these players had adjourned games with Mr. Melluish, his case cropped up again. So the committee in order to settle matters decided "that unless the whole handicap was entirely finished that day, the two prizes would be divided: Young half, Jones and Corke quarter each; also that the adjourned games must be finished at once, that the tournament room would close at five, but the players could agree to play elsewhere." This decision was given at one p.m. The adjourned games lasted till five, and as the competitors naturally could not agree to play elsewhere, the prizes were divided.

On Thursday afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Manning entertained all the chess players to a garden party, at Laverstock, near Salisbury, and next day a number went to a specially-arranged organ recital, by Mr. South, in the Cathedral. On Saturday afternoon Mr. Blackburne played six games blindfold, and won them all. For a good, solid week of chess, and a most enjoyable time to boot, the Salisbury Chess Tournament will be hard to beat. The presence of Mr. Blackburne made it very attractive, while Mr. L. Hoffer, who was also present, was frequently to be seen playing skittles in his naive and lightning style. A source of attraction were the frequent bouts of analysis which were gone in for—a feature always present, but more induced this time by the presence of the "masters," who went over many of the games in a way which must have mystified many onlookers, positions being altered to five moves ahead with a deftly executed sleight-of-hand, back a dozen moves or so, then forward on another track, which, while understood by the initiated, made others wonder what manner of game is this.

The Tournament was visited by a large number of the public, and chess players came to look on from most of the neighbouring towns, and from London; among these were Messrs. H. W. Trenchard and E. O. Jones, of the City of London Chess Club, as well as a large number of less known people.

---

File Updated

Date	Notes
30 July 2025	First upload. 32 games, of which 24 were from the First Class Section.
1 August 2025	Added two more games from the First Class section: (1) W Ward 1-0 A Rumbold; (2) G Bellingham 0-1 J Blake (34 moves of a 74-move game). Many thanks to Gerard Killoran for submitting these two scores.