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Rose Shedden
(formerly Ferguson)
20 August 1929, Glasgow ─ 21 December 2022, Kirkintilloch
The last secretary of Glasgow Ladies' Chess Club
Rose taught herself chess with the help of a beginner's book and the chess columns of the Glasgow Herald, edited by D.M. MacIsaac.
Rose's father, who worked at the Herald, mentioned her interest in the game to MacIsaac, who then introduced her to the Glasgow Ladies' Chess Club, around 1950.
The members, most of whom were retired teachers, were very welcoming to the youngster in her early 20's. She particularly remembered Miss Hogarth, Miss Hepburn, Mrs Waterworth, Mrs Jones, Miss Bain, Mrs Smillie, Miss Janet Ferguson, and Mrs Leask.
Until her 1963 marriage to Ernest Shedden, Rose worked at Scottish Amicable, where her boss was Maxwell Thornton, a significant figure in Scottish chess.
Rose's daughter, Valerie Corbett, in researching Thornton, discovered he was the co-author of Scotland's Chess Centenary Book. She promptly purchased a copy for her mother, who was pleased to be reminded that she had been one of the important contributors to the work.
A delighted Rose Shedden, happy to see her name in print.
Rose retained some particularly fond memories of her time at the Glasgow Ladies' CC, including her hosting the team at her home for a 1974 telephone match against a team at Dounreay Power Station.
In 1940 the club moved to a room within Green's Playhouse on Renfield Street, later renamed the Apollo Centre. It was there on 12 November 1975, on a club night, when fire broke out and three members trapped by dense smoke had to be rescued. (Rose avoided that event by playing an away match at Cathcart, where she defeated Mr Paton.)
The doorman at the Apollo used to help the ladies
get past the crowds of fans queuing for rock and pop concerts.
One summer evening when
they were quietly playing chess in their room upstairs Rose opened the
window wide to let some air in and was met with cheering from the crowds
of fans in the street below who thought it was the band who were playing
that night!
The club celebrated its 75th anniversary in May 1981, the same year that Rose Shedden became club secretary. Unfortunately, Rose had to watch as the club declined; by September 1989 they were without a venue and were obliged to disband. A sad end to a club with a long and successful history.
Rose had shared her memories with her daughter Valerie, who kindly passed on the information about her mother, as well as numerous documents from the club's history.
Alan McGowan
Archivist/Historian, Chess Scotland
added 3/12/2023