Yorkshire Chess History |
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Henry Augustus Rossell |
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Non-Chess Life
The parents of Henry Augustus Rossell were Henry (“Harry”) Rossell (born 1815/16, Maidstone, Kent), and Emma Rossell (née Cocker, 1819/20, Hathersage, Derbyshire). The couple had at least the following five children:
The birth of Henry Augustus Rossell was registered in the first quarter of 1844, in Ecclesall Bierlow, Sheffield. His ages quoted in various instances limit his date of birth to the period 24/09/1843 to 28/02/1844.
The 1851 census found the parents and five children living with two servants at 45 Farm Bank, Sheffield. Father “Harry” was described as a file manufacturer.
The 1861 census found the family had moved to “Westbourne”, Collegiate Crescent, Sheffield. Father Henry was not listed and so must had been away from home, perhaps on business. 41-year-old Hathersage-born Emma was described as a merchant’s wife, rather than a file manufacturer’s wife. With her were listed Emma, Henry and Sarah, and two servants.
On 23/09/1868, at the church ofSt. Mary, St. Denys and St. George, Manchester, 24-year-old bachelor Henry Augustus Rossell, merchant of Sheffield and son of merchant Henry Rossell, was married by James Whoosterdine (??) to 23-year-old spinster Charlotte Louisa Sagar of 4 Adelphi Terrace, Salford, daughter of William Lister Sagar, gentleman.
The couple seems to have had only one child, Henry Norman Rossell, born Oct/Nov 1870, in Sheffield.
The 1871 census found 27-year-old Sheffield-born steel and file manufacturer Henry A Rossell living at Victoria Road (off Collegiate Crescent), Sheffield, with 25-year-old wife Charlotte L. Rossell, 5-month-old son Henry N Rossell, and three servants.
The 1881 census found Charlotte L. Rossell and Henry N. Rossell now living at 17 Brocco Bank, Sheffield. Henry Augustus Rossell seems to have been away at the time. Charlotte was described as wife of a steel and iron merchant. There were two servants.
Our man’s father, Henry Rossell “of Wallace Works”, died 04/01/1890.
The 1891 census found the family had moved yet again. The parents and son were living with two servants at 11 Ranmoor Park Road, Sheffield. Our man was described as a merchant, and steel and file manufacturer. Son Henry Norman Rossell was described as a clerk.
Death
The death is recorded of a Henry Augustus Rossell, aged 58, on 28/02/1902, at Adelaide, Australia. He was recorded as resident at Renmark, just inside the eastern boundary of the state of Southern Australia, and now boasting an airport. Either this is an amazing coincidence of name and age, combined with an absence of information on the Sheffielder, or else our man had emigrated to Australia. (Needs checking out.)
Chess
Henry Augustus Rossell was a member of the Sheffield Athenaeum Chess Club from 1866 onwards, at least intermittently (he doesn’t seem to have paid his “subs” too often) until at least 1883.
He attended the annual meetings of the West Yorkshire Chess Association in 1868, 1878 and 1886.
He was one of those who played against Joseph Henry Blackburne on the occasion of the latter’s visit to Sheffield in 1873.
He played for Wesley College in matches against clubs such as Arundel Chess Club and Abbeydale Chess Club.
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Created 21/04/2013 |
Copyright © 2013 Stephen John Mann Census information is copyright of The National Archive, see UK Census Information |
Last Updated 21/04/2013 |