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Yorkshire Chess History |
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Contents: |
Robert Snow |
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* not the “Ardwick” given in BCM 1932 p.331
Robert Snow the chess-player was a son of of Robert Snow (born 1818/19, York), and Ann Snow (also born 1818/19, York) of York, who had at least the following children:
* some time from 08/01/1861 to 07/02/1861.
The 1851 census records the Snow family at 7 Dove Street, York, with father Robert described as a travelling coal agent. White’s 1851 directory of Hull and York (preface dated April 1851) did not list anyone at 7 Dove Street, suggesting that in 1850 or early 1851 the Snow family was on the move.
The family evidently moved from York to Garforth, near Leeds, at some time from 1851 to 1858 (birth of Charles), and the 1861 census records the family residing at Garforth, with father Robert now described as a colliery agent. 12-year-old Robert, like Mary and Annie, was a scholar. Baby John was 2 months old.
1871 found 22-tear-old Robert (junior) to be an unmarried commercial clerk boarding at Mort (?) House, in the Poplar district of London, that being the home of iron and steel works manager George Gaulder (?), wife Anne and daughter Charlotte. Robert’s sister Annie happened to be visiting at the time.
It is evident that Robert Snow (junior) moved to Sheffield at some time from 1871 to 1877, as he married Maud Laycock (born 1856, Sheffield) in Sheffield in 1877. The couple had at least four children:
White’s 1879 directory of Sheffield & District: Robert Snow, sec. to Davy Bros, Buckingham Terrace, Whitham Road, Sheffield. Elsewhere his address is given as 129 Whitham Road, Sheffield.
There were a number of firms in Sheffield bearing the name “Davy”, but this one was Davy Brothers, Ltd, engineers, steel rollers, and manufacturers of boilers, steam hammers, &c., of Park Iron Works, Foley street, Attercliffe, of which White’s 1879 directory gives David and WaIter Scott Davy as managing directors, and Robert Snow as secretary.
Kelly’s 1881 West Riding directory (probably 1880 data) listed Robert Snow at 67 Clarkehouse Road, Sheffield, which concurs with the 1881 census which listed Robert Snow as the secretary of a limited engineering company living at 67 Clarkehouse Road, Sheffield. He was at the time a visitor in the form of 25-year-old Leeds-born solicitor Lewis Emmett. His wife and son Harold, along with wife’s unmarried aunt, 54-year-old Sheffield-born Maria Louisa Jackson, were listed in the census as boarders (presumably temporarily) at Bentinck Street, in the Marylebone district of London. Meanwhile, Una was listed with her great uncle and great aunt Henry and Henrietta Machen at Osgathorpe Lane, Sheffield. Maybe the cause of all this upheaval was an impending move of home.
The 1891 census found the Snow family had moved to 19 Marlborough Road, Sheffield. Robert was secretary of a mechanical engineering company, presumably still Davy Bros. The household now included wife Maud’s unmarried aunt, 54-year-old Sheffield-born Maria Louisa Jackson, who was living on her own means.
At some stage during the next 10 years, the family moved to the hamlet of Adwick-upon Dearne, which about one-and-a-half miles north of the centre of Mexborough, between Rotherham and Doncaster, and which is not to be confused with Adwick-le-Street about 6 miles away. The move appears to correspond to a change of job. There was little in the hamlet apart from the Manor, and Manor Farm.
Youngest child Maud (junior) was born in 1898 and then died in 1899, aged one year.
The 1901 census found Robert Snow, now described as secretary of a colliery company, living at The Manor, Adwick-upon-Dearne, near Doncaster, with his wife, four children, and wife’s aunt Maria L. Jackson. The household now boasted, for the first time, a servant.
Wife Maud Snow died on 24/09/1908, aged 52, and was buried at St. John’s Adwick-upon-Dearne.
The 1911 census found widowed Robert Snow living at the Manor, Adwick-on-Dearne, with Harold, Una and Noel, Harold’s wife Edith May Snow (née Stewart, 1884, Hereford) and their daughter Madeline Amy Snow (born 1909, Horbury), and late wide’s 73-year-old aunt Maria Louisa Jackson. 62-year-old Robert was still secretary of a colliery company, though presumably was soon to retire.
Noel Snow died 21/01/1922. Robert Colin Snow died 11/12/1930. Surviving children Harold and Una administered the estate.
Death
Robert Snow of the Manor, Adwick-upon-Dearne, died on 30/06/1932, and was buried at St. John’s, Adwick-upon-Dearne, where at least four Snow graves are evident.
The inscriptions on the grave of Maud and Robert are as follows:
In Loving Memory of MAUD, Wife of Robert Snow DIED 24 SEPTEMBER 1908, AGED 52 YEARS, ALSO OF THE ABOVE NAMED ROBERT SNOW, DIED 30 JUNE 1932, AGED 84 YEARS. In manus Tuas Domine.
To the left of that grave is another with the following inscriptions:
In Loving Memory of ALICE ELLA, THE BELOVED WIFE OF NOEL SNOW, WHO DIED JANUARY 21ST 1922, AGED 29 YEARS. ALSO OF MARIA LOUISA, DAUGHTER OF WILLIAM JACKSON F.R.C.S. OF SHEFFIELD DIED NOVEMBER 3RD 1923, AGED 87 YEARS
Chess
He was a member of the Sheffield Athenaeum Chess Club. Since the Athenaeum did not play in the local league, he was for those purposes a member of Arundel Chess Club. In matches between the Athenaeum and the (rest of) the Sheffield & District Chess Association he elected to play for the Athenaeum.
He was secretary of the Sheffield & District Chess Association in 1886-87, 1890-91 and 1891-92, and possibly others seasons as well.
He was a member of Sheffield’s Woodhouse Cup team from 1886-87 onwards, even playing after moving to Adwick-on-Dearne, at least as late as 1902-03. The following is a list of such of his games of which details are to hand at the time of writing:
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Created 14/10/2019 |
Copyright © 2019 Stephen John Mann Census information is copyright of The National Archive, see UK Census Information |
Last Updated 14/10/2019 |