Glasgow Chess Club

Introduction

From the unpublished History of the Glasgow Chess Club:

FOREWORD (1902)

On the death of Hon President Mr D.E. Outram in 1893 the minds of the committee were turned towards the possibility of getting together a History of the Club from recollections of old members, and in the following year Mr Wm Tait (President), Mr Robert Pirrie and Sheriff Spens were appointed a committee to enquire into the possibility of getting up such a history. So far as is known, nothing further was done and it was left to Mr Thomas McGrouther, Librarian and Secretary, to collect from old Glasgow directories all references to the Club to be found there. These, with lists of office bearers 1862 to 1869, lists of members and other interesting matter are to be found in a bound volume in the Club Library.

Chapter 1

As a game in Scotland, Chess did not find any general favour until the nineteenth century was well on the way. The Edinburgh club, generally acknowledged to be the oldest in Scotland, was founded on 4th November 1822 and the Glasgow Chess Club was founded soon after; but just how soon after is at the present time (1940) not known.

By a disastrous fire which broke out in the premises of Mr A.K. Murray in 1856 all records of the Club and a priceless Minute Book were destroyed; but patient investigation and enquiry may yet reveal the exact date of the Club's foundation.

Up to 1908 it had been generally accepted that 1840 was the date of constitution, but the following notice gifted to the club by Mr Robert Pirrie, Hon President 1895-1913, indicates that the club was actually in existence before 1827, there being funds from which tea and coffee were to be provided.

The Notice reads:

and was addressed to -

Mr Glasgow, for several years proprietor of Auchenreith, Lanarkshire and afterwards of Old Court, County Cork, was Mr Pirrie's uncle.

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NOTES

• The 'A. Glasgow' referred to is likely Alexander Glasgow (1792─1873). Probate of his will refers to Robert Pirrie as one of his Executors.

• In regard to the then club secretary, Glasgow Directories from this period  show ─ unfortunately ─ two possible candidates with the same name:
  John Ross, Merchant (1798-1845), working from 131 Ingram Street, and
  John Ross jun., (c1801-1879) at 22 Ingram Street.
  Research is ongoing in regards to confirming a connection to the club.

• The reference to the 1856 fire is perhaps an error. Research shows that A.K. Murray only became connected to the club in the early 1860s, and that there was a disastrous fire in 1867 that consumed many businesses in a large block onArgyle Street, between Mitchell Street and Buchanan Street, including the premises of Mr Murray's father, Thomas Murray & Son, Booksellers.

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Early days
Particularly interesting comments about the history of the club were made in the chess column of the Falkirk Herald of 7 June 1922, p.4. The editor, A.J. Neilson, a member of Glasgow CC, commented about its age after reading through some old journals and said:

'So far back as the year 1810, we find reports of the Glasgow Chess Club carrying on an active, but somewhat precarious existence: and it is referred to at odd times, particularly during  the '20s' of the last century. In 1810, and later, the club was struggling with financial difficulties, and was never out of trouble in regard to a habitation, continually changing its abode.'

Mr Neilson did not indicate which journals he was referring to.

Even if further information about the 1810 reference was found, it appears that the Edinburgh Chess Club would still be the second oldest continuously existing club in the world after Zurich (1809).

It appears that there were several breaks in the continuity of the club. Note the following references from Bell's Life in London and Sporting Chronicle:-

1835, 2 August: We should be glad to be informed as to whether there is a Chess Club in the Queen of the West─Glasgow, and, if so, where and when they meet.

1837, 3 September: There is now no Chess Club in Glasgow. An English player, Mr Nixon, Music Professor, has lately settled there, whose skill in chess is very great, and if the Glasgow players have spirit to form a chess institution, let them seek him out and rally round him.

1840, 19 April: The Glasgow chess club meet at the Star Hotel.

1840, 10 May: The Glasgow Chess Club now meet in the Assembly Rooms, instead of the Star Hotel.

However, confusion may have been caused by later announcements the same year:-

1840, 6 September: We do not [know] of any Chess Club in Glasgow.

1840, 20 September: There is a chess club at Glasgow which meets at the Assembly Rooms, Ingram Street. There is also a chess club at the Star Hotel. (Was this an error, or were there indeed two clubs in the city?)

The 1827 note referred to 'The Chess Club,' but it is not known whether it was ever formally called Glasgow Chess Club. Further, when the 20th century club members mentioned began to research the club's history, they accepted that 1840 was the starting date. However, an earlier reference was found in a newspaper notice from 1838:

Glasgow Herald, 2 November 1838, p2

Although the club's location is mentioned as the Star Hotel (which was at 80 George Square), it failed to mention anyone connected with the club.

However, a few of the members from this period are mentioned in the unpublished history of the club. Two sets each of Laws and Members from 1840 and 1841 are referred to, though nobody knows where these are now.

 The 1840 material shows Archibald Reid, Esq., President and A. Gairdner, Secretary, with a few members mentioned: Mr Mitchell, Mr Outram, Mr Richardson, and Capt. Forster. The club met at the Assembly Room, Ingram Street (later the Athenaeum), as shown in the Glasgow Post Office Directory of 1840-41:-

By May 1841 the Earl Of Eglinton (1812─1861) was President, and an interesting announcement appeared soon after in The Atlas of 7 August 1841 (p7):-

The Glasgow Chess Club, under the presidency of the Earl of Eglintoun [sic], have erected new club rooms for their express use.

The notice of the 1842 AGM provided a little more information about some of the members:-

Glasgow Herald, 27 May 1842, p4

President
The Right Hon. the Earl of Eglinton and Winton

Vice-President
Captain H.P. Forster

Council
A. Reid          Muir
  Mitchell         Penny
      Smith          Playfair

Treasurer and Secretary
Mr A. Gairdner

Andrew Gairdner
The loss of documents and a Minute Book in the fire means that virtually nothing is known about the early members of Glasgow CC. (However, see the 1865 match report below.)

A reference to Andrew Gairdner was discovered because of the kindness and consideration of someone who had no connection to the club, Dr A. Stanley Nance of the Royal Navy.

Around October 1914, while on shore leave in Aberdeen, Dr Nance picked up an item in a  market stall. It was an electro-plated medallion with the inscription:-

Presented by the Glasgow Chess Club to their Secretary, Andrew Gairdner, Esq., 1842.

The Falkirk Herald chess column of 21 October 1914 suggested that the date was likely that of Mr Gairdner's retirement from office.

Dr Nance wrote to the club, offering to send on the medal and this was gratefully accepted. It would be interesting to know what happened to that piece of memorabilia.

Andrew Gairdner (1792-1856), a merchant and commission agent, was born in the Inveresk/Musselburgh area. He died at 36 Dalhousie Street, Garnethill, Glasgow on 30 May 1856. 

Blank Years Followed by Growth

The unpublished history has no information at all for the years 1842-1847, and further research has failed to find anything.

Things changed considerably in the following years, with visits to the club by Harrwitz in 1848, 1849 and 1850. Even more significant was the appointment of Sheriff Henry Glassford Bell as President in 1851, his presence taking the club forward on a positive basis. After Staunton's visit in 1852, club membership soared to 158.

All of which makes it hard to explain why membership dwindled and things declined to the point that between 1855-61 the club's activities were restricted to the dental surgery of James Horne at 150 West Regent Street.

 The following references are therefore of particular importance:-

Post Office Glasgow Directory for 1863-64, (pub. 1863).

GLASGOW CHESS CLUB. Instituted 1862. This club, the second of the name, was formed in the above year by members of the previous club and others, for the purpose of keeping up and extending an interest in the game of chess in Glasgow. Meets in the Scottish Exhibition Rooms, Bath Street, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, from 7 to 11 p.m.
J. R. Richardson, president; W. W. Mitchell, vice-president; J. W. Paterson, George Heggie, jun., A. L. Lang, M. Provan, B. Eckhout, R. M'Whirter, directors; R. S. Moffat, 133 West George Street, secretary; R. Fowler, British Linen Bank, treasurer.

Glasgow Daily Herald, Tuesday, 28 February 1865, p.3

'Last night a friendly match at chess between members of the Old and New Clubs came off in the Bedford Hotel. These clubs have for some time been merged into one, under the name of the Glasgow Chess Club, and have since prospered with the increased strength which union confers. It was expected that Sheriff Bell would have been able last night to act as judge, but in consequence of the illness of a near relative, he was prevented from being present. The match was commenced at six o'clock, and continued till ten P.M. In the course of the evening there were about 50 players engaged, this number including those who took part in the game, and others who merely played amongst themselves. Messrs. J.R. Richardson, George Heggie, jun., M. Provan, I.W. Paterson, and B. Eekhout, played some very fine games during the evening. The playing, as a whole, was considered to be exceedingly satisfactory. As will be seen from the subjoined statement, the New Club gained the victory by no fewer than eight games.'

OLD CLUB			NEW CLUB
J.R. Duguid	1	0	J.P. Robertson
Patrick Playfair	1	1	J.D. Campbell
W.R.W. Smith	0	2	D. Dunlop
J. Horne	0	0	A.K. Murray
John Paul	1	1	D.C. Watson
Thomas Murray	1	1	W. Campbell
D. Chapman	1	2	A. M'Arthur
T. Kincaid	0	2	J.D. Phillips
Chas. Thomas	0	3	A. Ross
W.B. Craig	1	2	Alex Murray
Wm Neilson	0	1	G.F. Kerr
John Finlay	0	2	A. Robertson
R.D. Heywood	2	1	T.K. Ross
W.B. Ogilvie	3	0	Robt. Young
J. Sinclair	1	2	W.H. Dalziel
	12	20

The unpublished history of the Glasgow CC states that the match was supposed to be 22-a-side, with each pair to play three games if time permitted. A second report of the match, in the Glasgow Morning Journal of Tuesday, 28 February 1865, provided further information, saying:-

'Among these were Messrs. J.R. Richardson, president, Geo. Heggie, jun., champion, M. Provan, I.W. Paterson, and B. Eekhout, who, owing to the absence from indisposition of the gentlemen who were to oppose them, played some fine games promiscuously.'

Others who were mentioned as being present were:- Dr. Hilliard, R.F. Easton, W.F. Murray, J.P. Paton, Dr Morton, Dr Connal, Stewart and Dickson.

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In 1879 the club published RULES AND ALPHABETICAL LIST OF THE MEMBERS OF THE GLASGOW CHESS CLUB. The office-bearers and members were:-

Honorary President
George Macfarlane

President
John R. Duguid

Vice-Presidents
John Jenkin ■ Robert Pirrie

Secretary
G.A. Thomson

Treasurer
Alexander Berwick

George Macfarlane (left) and Alexander Berwick

Honorary Directors

Archd. Orr Ewing, M.P.	James Horne, London
Robert Dalglish	Archd. K. Murray, London
Duncan Smith	W.W. Mitchell, Millport
W.W. Watson	David E. Barclay, Greenock

Directors

Sheriff Spens	Gavin Chapman, A.M.
George Wauchope	John Crum
W.F. Murray	Julius SteegmanN

Champion for 1879
Sheriff Spens, Sheriff Chambers

Champions

Honorary Members
David Melville, Paisley
W.W. Mitchell, Millport
Archd. K. Murray, London

Ordinary Members
Some of them provided business addresses in Glasgow city centre.

Alan McGowan
Historian/Archivist, Chess Scotland

updated 3/12/2023