Yorkshire Chess History

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1857: Huddersfield v Leeds

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In 1857, Huddersfield and Leeds Chess Clubs engaged in a test of strength involving 12 players from each club. Each club’s players were divided into 4 sections of 3 players, according to strength. Each of a club’s players in a given section was to play one game against each of the other club’s players in the same section. Sections 1 and 2 were played at Leeds in May, and sections 3 and 4 were played at Huddersfield in June. At stake was a set of Staunton chessmen.

The results of the games were published in the Leeds Mercury of 09/06/1857, p.3, as in the following table:

Played at Leeds, on Saturday, 23/05/1857.			Played at the George Hotel, Huddersfield, on Wednesday, 03/06/1857.
Section 1			Section 3
Huddersfield	1½‑7½	Leeds	Huddersfield	6‑3	Leeds
J Watkinson	½-½	Rhodes	T Parratt	1-0	Simpson
J Watkinson	½-½	Cadman	T Parratt	1-0	Mann
J Watkinson	0-1	Millard	T Parratt	½-½	Reunert
D Marsden	0-1	Rhodes	J Hanson	0-1	Simpson
D Marsden	0-1	Cadman	J Hanson	1-0	Mann
D Marsden	0-1	Millard	J Hanson	1-0	Reunert
Dr Scott	½-½	Rhodes	E W Tarn	1-0	Simpson
Dr Scott	0-1	Cadman	E W Tarn	0-1	Mann
Dr Scott	0-1	Millard	E W Tarn	½-½	Reunert
Section 2			Section 4
Huddersfield	6‑3	Leeds	Huddersfield	6½‑2½	Leeds
Robinson	0-1	Mr. B	D Robinson	1-0	Myers
Robinson	0-1	Mann	D Robinson	1-0	Andres
Robinson	1-0	Clarke	D Robinson	0-1	Gardiner
Taylor	1-0	Mr. B	Mr E	1-0	Myers
Taylor	1-0	Mann	Mr E	1-0	Andres
Taylor	1-0	Clarke	Mr E	½-½	Gardiner
G Brook jun.	1-0	Mr. B	M Webb	0-1	Myers
G Brook jun.	1-0	Mann	M Webb	1-0	Andres
G Brook jun.	0-1	Clarke	M Webb	1-0	Gardiner

Thus Huddersfield won 17 games, Leeds won 13, and 6 games were drawn, giving an overall score of

Huddersfield

20‑16

Leeds

Players’ names in the results above are as given in the Leeds Mercury, but for removal of “Mr.” Why two players lacked even a full surname is unclear. The identities of the players would appear to be as follows:

As Reported	Club	Inferred Identity
Andrew	Leeds	J Andrew
Mr. B	Leeds	probably Bishop
G Brook jun.	Huddersfield	George Brook, junor
Cadman	Leeds	Robert Cadman
Clarke	Leeds	perhaps J C Clark
Mr E	Huddersfield	probably John Eastwood
Gardiner	Leeds
J Hanson	Huddersfield
Mann (S2)	Leeds	William Mann
Mann (S3)	Leeds	J. Mann *
D Marsden	Huddersfield	David Marsden
Millard	Leeds	Henry Millard
Myers	Leeds	William Collett Myers
T Parratt	Huddersfield	Thomas Parratt
Reunert	Leeds	Jerome Reunert
Rhodes	Leeds	John Rhodes
D Robinson	Huddersfield
Robinson	Huddersfield	John Russell Robinson
Dr Scott	Huddersfield	Dr. William Scott
Simpson	Leeds	B. Simpson *
E W Tarn	Huddersfield	Edward Wyndham Tarn
Taylor	Huddersfield	George Henry Taylor
J Watkinson	Huddersfield	John Watkinson
M Webb	Huddersfield	M R Webb

(* initials as given in the Illustrated London News of 20/06/1857, p.616, per Rod Edwards)

Created

23/04/2014

Stephen John Mann

Last Updated

23/04/2014