Herefordshire Chess History

Leominster 6 February 1842

Birth of Mary Rudge, the first winner of an international chess tournament for women. Mary was taught to play by her father and won the Class II Tournament of the Counties' Chess Association in 1874. Her farther died shortly after and she moved to Clifton, Bristol, which not only had a chess club, but admitted women at a time when many clubs were for men only. She won the Bristol & Clifton Chess Club's Challenge Cup in 1889, the Ladies' Challenge Cup at Cambridge 1890, and the first ever international chess tournament for women held in London 1897 with the score of 19½ from 20 games. For a biography and a few of Mary's games visit John Richard's website.

London 28 March 1873

Edwyn Anthony, a barrister born in Hereford and proprietor of The Hereford Times, represented Oxford University in the first Varsity chess match against Cambridge at the City of London Chess Club. Edwyn won both his games in the double round match helping Oxford to a 9-2 win.

Ross 31 July 1873

Thomas Blake, the M.P. for the Borough of Leominster. gave to the people of Ross "The Ross Free Library, Reading-Room, and Recreation-Grounds" situated in Broad street. This was a two storey building which was well furnished, lighted and ventilated with news and refreshment rooms on the ground-floor, and reading-room, book-room, chess-room [my emphasis] on first floor.

Hereford 1885

The 20th British Counties Chess Association Congress was held in Hereford. The Hereford venue was promoted by Lord Lyttleton, President of the CCA. First was Joseph Blackburn with 8 followed by HE Bird and E Schallop on 7½ and Captain George Henry Mackenzie, the US Chess Champion, on 7 points.

The British Chess Magazine dated August 1885 reported: "Counties Chess Association- The meeting of this Association at Hereford which commenced on 3rd inst. is of peculiar interest. As the 20th anniversary of the Society's existence, it was desired by its promoters to celebrate this with special honour and accordingly the resolve was taken to extend for this once its usual boundaries by including in the programme a tourney open to all the world, with largely augmented prizes. The Congress was opened by the President at 6 p.m. with an eloquent and appropriate address, in which he alluded to the past history of the Counties Chess Association, and spoke kindly words of welcome to the assembled players. At 7 p.m. the games in both sections of the first class, and also in Class 2, commenced but the open or Master Tourney did not begin til next morning. The scene of action was the large Assembly Room of the Green Dragon Hotel and a more commodious place for carrying out the important contests could hardly be wished."

Hereford Chess Club founded 1888

Hereford Chess Club was meeting in the Temperance Hotel daily at 7pm with subscriptions set at 5 shillings (25p) founded according to The Chess Players' Annual and Club Directory (Mr & Mrs TB Rowland eds, 4th edn, 1890, Dublin) in 1888. President was Charles Anthony of Ross-on-Wye and Secretary was W Collins of High Town.

Kington Chess Club founded 1888

According to the Rowlands, Kington Chess Club was also founded in 1888 and met at The Burton House Hotel on Fridays subscription also being 5 shillings. Robert W Satchell was Secretary.

Ledbury 1892

From A Guide to Ledbury, Herefordshire by E. Freeman (1892)

"THE READING ROOM AND LIBRARY is situated near the Market House at the corner of the Church Lane. Strangers to the town and neighbourhood may use the Reading Room by paying one penny per visit. A box is placed in the room for receiving these contributions. The Library contains upwards of 1,000 volumes, and additions are made to it from time to time. There are about 30 newspapers and periodicals supplied to the Reading Room. Attached is a smoking room, which is also used for chess and draughts.

Herefordshire Chess Association founded 1893

Herefordshire Chess Association founded under the auspices of Mr. Edwyn Anthony and Dr. Billiald  (source: Hereford Times & Kington Times)

Individual County Champion 1897 

Earliest Recorded County Champion:  E. Macdonald  

The Midland Counties Chess Association, (MCCU) was formed in 1897,

Herefordshire was one of the founder members of the MCCU (or Association as it was originally called). The other founders were Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire.

The MCCU was formed following the Southern Counties (SCCU) 1892, but before the Northern Counties (NCCU) in 1899. Thus by the end of the 19th century there was structured county chess competition throughout England. 

Louis van Vliet 1899

Louis Van Vliet gave a simultaneous display at Hereford

Emanuel Lasker 1900 and 1903

Emanuel Lasker gave simultaneous displays at Hereford in each of these years

Links with Shropshire 1920's and 1930s

During thge 1920s amd 1930s there were close links between Herefordshire Chess Association and the Shropshire Chess Association.  The text below is taken from the website of Shropshire Chess:  About – Shropshire Chess 

1930-1939

By this time Shropshire and Herefordshire had pooled their chess resources as the Shropshire and Herefordshire Chess Association. Both league and county individual competitions were organised on a zonal basis largely determined by the bus and rail networks, which were a key element in travel arrangements. The Northern Division included clubs at Shrewsbury, Wellington and Whitchurch, with new clubs founded at Ironbridge (16th March 1934), and a Church Stretton Club founded on 3rd December 1934. Meanwhile in the Southern Division Ludlow and Bridgnorth met Herefordshire clubs based at Hereford, Lyonshall, Leominster, Kington, and Ross on Wye. East and West zones also featured to make individual competition more practical. Winners of the zones met to determine overall county champions. The league championship trophy has not survived so details of winners are not available.

Following Rev W Benson‘s win in 1930, the County Individual Championship was dominated by Frank Clayton of Wellington who won six times between 1931 and 1937, the latter shared with Rev AP Lacy-Hulbert who also won in 1934. In 1938 a new force emerged in the form of Lt Col DE MacNab who was the only champion from 1938 until 1947, although the war years had prevented competition between 1940 and 1945.

Time controls had to be adjusted to fit in with travel timetables whilst it was not unusual for a game to be defaulted because someone had missed the train!

E Lupton-May – Hereford Chess Club 1934

The top board game between Wellington and Hereford was no doubt one of the more important Shropshire league encounters and Clayton (Wellington) wins this one with an opening (Scotch Gambit) which was held in low esteem at the time.

Clayton, F – Lupton-May, E [C44] – Wellington v Hereford . 1934.- Board 1
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.c3 dxc3 5.Bc4 h6? 6.Nxc3 Bb4 7.0–0 Bxc3 8.bxc3 d6 9.Qb3 Qf6 10.Bb2 Bd7 11.Bb5 a6 12.c4 Qg6 13.Bxc6 Bxc6 14.Nh4 Qg4 15.Nf5 f6 16.f3 Qg6 17.c5 d5 18.Nd4 Ne7 19.Nxc6 bxc6 20.exd5 cxd5 21.Rfe1 Qf7 22.Qb7 0–0 23.Qxc7 Rfe8 24.Ba3 Rac8 25.Qd7 Rcd8 26.Qb7 Rc8 27.Re2 d4 28.Rae1 Nf5 1–0 by adjudication. After 29.Qxa6 Ne3 30.Qd3 white has no problems.

Annual match held at The Midland Institute, Birmingham 27/10/1934

Warwickshire versus Shropshire and Herefordshire (Hereford players in bold)

Warwickshire 11-5 - 8.5 Shropshire and Herefordshire

AE Chamberlain 0-1 Rev AP Lacy-Hulbert (L)

WP Morry 0.5- 0.5 F Clayton (W)

RAV Taylor 0-1 Rev WR Greenhalgh (S)

EBM Conway 1-0 PG Perry

AC Keey 0-1 JC Wordsworth (H)

CA James 0-1 E Lupton-May (H)

RL Aldis 0.5-0.5 E Groom

WM Buckley 1-0 WH Smith (Wh)

FJ Burgoyne 0-1 CH Greenhalgh (I)

A Cannana 1-0 FW Forrest

WT Bayliss 1-0 EG Small (L)

HS Gopsill 1-0 J Ferrie (S)

BJ Lewsley 1-0 JO Jackson

RH Bridgwater 0.5-0.5 TI Lusty (Wh)

AT Motchett 0-1 LE Barker (L)

HW Clark 0.5=0.5 TH Chetwynd (H)

JC Devonshire 1-0 L Newton (H)

JC Bassett 1-0 Rev H Burgess (L)

SS Jacobs 1-0 HD Bell (H)

LY Green 0.5-0.5 Dr JHE.Crees (H)

(L)=Ludlow, (W)=Wellington, (S)=Shrewsbury, (H)=Hereford, (Wh)=Whitchurch, (I)=Ironbridge.
As had been so often been the case over the years, Shropshire and Herefordshire more than held their own on the top boards but lacked the strength in depth to defeat their much larger neighbours.

Leaving Shropshire 1939

Herefordshire Chess Association ceased to be associated with the Shropshire Chess Association

Leominster Club founded 1934

Leominster Chess Club founded in 1934, appears to have continued up to 1939.  Other Herefordshire clubs mentioned at Lyonshall and Kington (the latter amalgamated with Presteigne Club for a time in the 1930s).

The Shropshire Chess Association (including Herefordshire) 1940s

In 1945-46 there were eight clubs affiliated to the “Shropshire Chess Association (including Herefordshire)”, which were Shrewsbury, Hereford, Ludlow, Wellington, Whitchurch, Church Stretton, Sentinel Works (based in Shrewsbury), and Bridgnorth. However the Bridgnorth Club folded at the end of that season

Hereford won the league title in 1947

Herefordshire & Shropshire 1950s

Hereford City Club played in the Shropshire League for many years. During the three years 1954, 1955, and 1956, they dominated the league and won championship titles. Members of the victorious team included: S.G Richards, Dr. P Gawick, G Williams, W.H Williams, W Harrison, H.W Burley, C.W.J Pearson, and G.R Maw.

Herefordshire Chess becomes indpendent body 1965

Herefordshire and Shropshire had formed one combined chess association since records began in the 1920s. By now the association had declined to just four major clubs. Each club, Ludlow, Hereford, Wellington, and Shrewsbury, had entered just one team of five players in a league: thus a winter season involved just three away and three home games.

In 1964 Wellington, Ludlow, and Hereford all tied for the Shropshire League title. In 1965 the Herefordshire clubs decided to break away from the Shropshire and Herefordshire Chess Association and found their own new independent county body

Ledbury 9 September 1976

The Ledbury Reporter article stated Ledbury Chess Club members were offering to vist housebound players for games and members of the public were encouraged make donations for this service.

Website created 2026

Herefordshire Chess Assciation established this website, after many years when the Herefordshire website had been hosted by Worcestershitre Chess Association.  Herefordshire Chess Association would like to express its gratitutude to Worcestershire for hosting the website so diligently and for so long, and for assisting so much in transferring information to this new site.