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Yorkshire Chess History |
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Contents: |
Samuel Holden |
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Identity of the Chess-Player
No other people called S. Holden living in or near Leeds seem evident in the censuses or directories. However, there seems no direct chess reference explicitly connecting this Samuel Holden with chess, and so there remains some nagging doubt as to whether this Samuel Holden is the chess-playing S. Holden of Leeds.
Non-Chess Life
The parents of Samuel Holden were Squire Holden (born 1821/22, Halifax) and Mary Holden (1821/22, Ripponden), who had at least the following five children:
The birth of Samuel Holden was registered in the fourth quarter of 1855, at Hunslet.
The 1861 census found parents and five children living at 36 Turkey Street, Hunslet, one to two miles south of the centre of Leeds. There was a 23-year-old lodger called John Holden, who was presumably a relative. Father Squire was a whitesmith. Jonas was a “winding[?] shaping machine” operator. John, Samuel and William were scholars. Lodger John was a joiner.
The 1871 census found parents and five children living at 39 Bagnall Street, Leeds. Bagnall Street was a turning off Hunslet Road, opposite Endon Street, both of which have disappeared. Father John was still a whitesmith. Jonas and John were iron turners. Samuel was a whitesmith, like his father. William was a labourer. Mary was a scholar.
Entry 98 in the marriage register of St. Peter’s, Hunslet Moor, Leeds, recorded the marriage there, by Herbert M. Simms, on 13/04/1878, of 22-year-old bachelor Samuel Holden, smith of Garrs Terrace, Hunslet, son of smith Squire Holden, to 19-year-old spinster Emma Dockray, also of Garrs Terrace, daughter of mechanic Joseph Holden.
Samuel and Emma had seven children of whom only the following four survived, all born at Hunslet:
The 1881 census found Samuel, Emma, 2-year-old Walter and 10-month-old Nelly living at 8 Bagnall Street, Hunslet. Samuel was now an engine tester(?).
The 1891 census found Samuel, Emma, Nelly and Fred living at 58 Anchor Terrace, Hunslet. Samuel’s occupation is difficult to decipher, due to faintness of the text.
The 1901 census found Samuel, Emma, Walter, Fred and Laura living at 171 Church Street, Hunslet, Leeds. Samuel was a foreman blacksmith. Walter was an iron-moulder. Fred was an iron pattern maker.
The 1911 census found Samuel, Emma, Fred and Laura living still at 171 Church Street, Hunslet, Leeds. It revealed Samuel and Emma had had seven children of whom only three remained alive. Samuel was an engineer’s blacksmith. Fred was an engineer’s pattern-maker. Laura was a sewing machinist in tailoring.
Death
The death of Samuel Holden, at age 76, was registered in the third quarter of 1932, at South Leeds.
Chess
“S. Holden” was one of those managing to draw in Blackburne’s 1892 simultaneous display in Leeds.
“S. Holden” of Leeds played in the 1900 Lancashire v Yorkshire match, the 1899-00 Yorkshire v Kent friendly correspondence match, and the 1902 Cumberland v Yorkshire match.
“S. Holden” played for Leeds in the Woodhouse Cup competitions of 1901-02 and 1902-03.
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Created 24/11/2013 |
Copyright © 2013 Stephen John Mann Census information is copyright of The National Archive, see UK Census Information |
Last Updated 24/11/2013 |