Chess Problems ─ Glasgow Herald

Note: We are concerned here with what appeared in the regular Glasgow Herald chess columns which began in 1921, not with material in the Glasgow Weekly Herald, published on Saturdays in earlier years.

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In the aftermath of World War I, it took a while for the full recovery of chess events. While important tournaments were occasionally reported in the newspaper, things changed with the introduction of a new chess column on Saturday, 24 September 1921.

The editor was Carrick Wardhaugh, though he wasn't named at time. He provided a detailed look at The Forthcoming Season, with information about the Richardson Cup, several Glasgow clubs, and plans by the British Chess Federation for a major tournament in 1922. A game from the 1921 Scottish championship was also given in full.

Problem Nr. 1
It was the next week's edition ─ October 1 ─ when the first problem was featured at the head of the column, a format that was followed thereafter. Chess problems were extremely popular at the time, more so than they are today, and all chess column editors devoted space to this specialised area of chess interest.

Problem Nr. 1 - White mates in 2.
by H.N.J. Walsworth
Glasgow Herald, 1 October 1921, p4.

It appears that this example, with a low level of difficulty, was deliberately chosen as a simple introduction to what was going to be a regular feature. It was provided by a Central CC colleague of the editor. The key ─ 1.Bf4 ─ was given in the following week's column, which said that correct solutions had been received from J. Nisbet and J.W. Galloway, names that would continue to appear in the column over the years.

Subsequent problems included samples by G.E. Barbier, Max Feigl, J.H. Blackburne, and P.H. Williams, to name just a few, and it wasn't long before there was an increasing number of solvers.

The December 24 1921 column had five problems, including an original submission by John Stewart of Edinburgh, and one by Charles R. Baxter of Dundee, which apparently puzzled Steinitz when shown it at Dundee 1867. And another Scottish chess problem composer, William Finlayson of Edinburgh, was featured in Problem Nr. 19 in the 7 January 1922 column and was used occasionally thereafter.

The editor featured problems by well-established names, including Scotland's own R.G. Thomson (1861-1951), a prolific composer.

Solving tourneys were introduced, the first few years being yearly competitions:-

1922 (maximum points 150)
1. J.A.C. Wilson (129); 2. P. Lyon (126); 3. J.W. Galloway (123); 4. James Nisbet (120).
1923 (maximum points 157)
1. G. Henderson (147); 2. J.A.C. Wilson (140); 3. J.M.F. Gibson and Rev. W. Scott (134).

The growing popularity of the chess problems was illustrated in the column of 19 July 1924, which reported that 64 readers had put pen to paper in the recent competition period.

Thereafter half-yearly competitions were favoured, and in 1927 the editor began offering solvers the choice of tourneys; Two-Movers or All Problems.

An October 1929 review of the competitions to date showed that some solvers were consistently successful; G. Christie, J.W. Galloway, G. Henderson, A.B. Duthie, A. Cormack and W.B. Hird, to name a few.

One particularly interesting name that emerged in that period was A.K. Cairncross jnr, joint winner of the 2-mover tourney in February 1927. Alexander Kirkland Cairncross (1911─1998), later Sir Alec, was a brother of the spy John Cairncross and an economist.

Several women also took part in the competitions, including Eleanor Edington and Mrs A.M. Sunter, both members of Glasgow Ladies' CC, Mary P. Lillie, Margaret H. McNair, and Mrs Jennie H. Fleming. 

THE 1930s

The decade began on a negative point with the death of Carrick Wardhaugh, editor of the Glasgow Herald chess column. However, D.M. MacIsaac proved to be a very capable replacement. He was equally enthusiastic about chess problems as he was about reporting other chess events.

This decade saw many new names in the list of solvers. Some provided only their initials, and some chose to use a pseudonym: Algol; Carluke; Carob; Cygne; Dalmellington; Oedipus; Orwell; Sa-va; Senex and Shirley.

Others included William Crombie, H.D. Gemmell, Lewis Graham, A.G. Groener, T.H.P. Heriot, W. Higgins, David Kinghorn, R. McClure, William Morton, Andrew P. Rennie, James Rennie, Thomas Ross, Charles Salt, Phil Schreiber, James Steele, and M.D. Thornton.

Two of the above names stand out from the others for different reasons. Robert McClure published The Chess Problem as an attempted replacement for the Falkirk Herald chess column (with Problems) that disappeared with the death of its editor in 1942. A detailed article about his publication can be found here.

Maxwell Thornton, a member and office-bearer of the Central Chess Club in Glasgow and a problem composer, would later be a long-serving secretary of the Scottish Chess Association.

Robert Gray

Another significant figure that emerged in this period was Robert Gray (1907-1999). He had been studying the problems in the column, as well as entering the solving competitions under a pen-name (Algol).

He then began composing problems, the first of which was published in the January 9, 1932 column.

Robert Gray
Glasgow Herald, 9 January 1932
Mate in 2

MacIsaac commented that he was introducing one of the newspaper's own solvers as a composer, stating that "his problem is as pretty a two-mover as we have seen." And when he discussed the solution two weeks later, MacIsaac commented that after the key move 1. Rd3, "The feature of the problem is the double pin mate by 1...Kd5 2. e4, but all the variations are pretty, and the effects are secured with admirable economy."

Mr Gray continued to compose problems, submitting to the Glasgow Herald and other publications. Many years later, in his capacity as a teacher at Paisley Grammar School, he encouraged many of the pupils in the school chess club, including those who formed teams that competed successfully in schools' competitions.

In 1995 the British Chess Problem Society held its annual meeting at Paisley, Scotland. Iain Sinclair, who had developed an interest in problems at Paisley Grammar School in the late 1960s, delivered a lecture on "The Problems of Robert Gray".

Half-way through the decade, the 18 May 1935 column gave the results of the most recent competition.

In the 'ordinary' section (solved from diagrams) the leading scores were:- Oedipus 58; Carob 57; T. Sunter 57; J. Poole 56; T.H.P. Heriot 55; James Nisbet 55.

For 'extra' problems only (solved from Forsyth Notation) the leading scores were:- James Nisbet 67; Oedipus 67; T. Sunter 66; Carob 64; J. Poole 64; T.H.P. Heriot 63. 

MacIsaac commented:-

For all problems the leading place was again taken by Mr James Steele, Port Glasgow, who solves as Oedipus and must now be reckoned our crack solver, having displaced Carob from that position. We congratulate Oedipus on a total score of 125, and also T. Sunter 123; James Nisbet 122; Carob 121; T.H.P. Heriot 118; J. Poole 117 [etc], all of which are very fine scores indeed for a series of problems that included many difficult positions and subtle traps.

Sadly, 1935 also saw the death, age 77, of regular contributor "Dalmellington" on 29 September. The Glasgow Herald chess column of 5 October identified him as William Ritchie Stewart, F.S.A. of Dalmellington, Ayrshire.

James Steele's good form continued into the following year, with the 9 May 1936 column announcing the results for the 'ordinary' (29) and 'extra' problems (21):-

The best total, and a perfect score, was made once again by Oedipus (Mr James Steele, Port Glasgow), who is to be congratulated on a performance the merit of which can only properly be appreciated by his fellow-solvers.

Mr Steele's final appearance in the columns appears to have been 11 May 1940. (It is possible that he was Bailie James Steele, J.P., who died 13 July 1947, aged 82, at his home, Glen Cottage, Russell Street, Port Glasgow.)

Women Continue to Solve Problems

As shown above, several women had earlier taken part in the solving tourneys and this continued through the 1930s. Mrs Jeanie Rodger (1874-1939) contributed as "JMR", and Mrs R. Fleming was a regular solver.

Another interesting name was Bessie Fish. She first appeared in the 9 March 1935 column, but with no information provided about her. She continued contributing to her final mention in the 1 February 1936 column. Research suggests that she was Miss Elizabeth Fish (1860-1944), the first elected woman president (1913) of the Educational Institute of Scotland.

Elza Reid

Coincidentally, as Miss Fish made her exit, a new name appeared in the same 1 February 1936 column, that of Elza Reid (later columns showed her as Mrs Elza Reid).

She must have been new to chess problem solving, for a brief note addressed to correspondents at the foot of the column said:-

E.R. (Blantyre):- Hope you will become a regular solver.
Only the first move need be sent in two-movers.

Not only did she continue to solve, it wasn't long before she caught up with, and sometimes dominated, the established solvers:-

 1936 October: 3rd in the summer tourney
1937 May: 2nd (with others) in the winter competition, one point behind Charles Salt.
1937 October: =1st with James Rennie, Charles Salt, Thomas Sunter and "Orwell". Elza scored maximum points (66) in the Diagram section, and maximum points (33) in the Forsyth section.
1938 June: =1st with Thomas Sunter in the winter tourney, again making maximum points 44 and 51 in both sections.

MacIsaac commented:- "We congratulate Mrs Elza Reid, Blantyre, who becomes our number one solver with perfect scores made in successive contests."

Charles Salt took the top spot in the competitions ending October 1938 and April 1939, but by the end of the summer 1939 contest Elza Reid was back at the top with three others, all scoring maximum points.

Elza continued her good run with maximum points in both 1940 contests, as well as being one of three with maximum points in the following winter contest. Similar successes were recorded in subsequent tourneys, which resulted in a long statement by the editor in the 5 November 1943 column:-

Once again it is our pleasant duty to congratulate Mrs Elza Reid, Blantyre, on having won outright one of our solving contests. Mrs Reid is not now one of our best solvers─she is our very best. During the past five years─so far as we ventured into our records─Mrs Reid has scored 649 points out of a possible 653, and in 10 contests has only once failed to earn full points. These are impressive figures, which will be best appreciated by her fellow-solvers..."

War Years

New solvers had continued to enter the picture in the latter half of the 1930s and into the 1940s, including H.J.M. Thoms, R.P. Smeeton, William Sharp ("W.S."), Alfred James, R.J. Pennycook, William E. Moodie, John A. Paterson, David Kinghorn and Ian Andrews.

In the last competition before the outbreak of World War II, reported in the 26 May 1939 column, Charles Salt of West Hartlepool scored maximum points of 69, ahead of eight others with 66 points.

Early in the war there was no change in the amount of space allocated to the chess column, but as the war progressed restrictions affecting newsprint meant that the column was dramatically shortened. MacIsaac, however, managed to keep the solving contests running throughout the war years.

The age of some of the longtime solvers was highlighted in the 8 June 1940 column, which mentioned that James Rennie (Aberdeen) was in his 79th year. It is possible that Mr Rennie was a former maths teacher at Robert Gordon's College, Aberdeen, who died 28 January 1953, age 91 (confirmation welcomed).

Post-War Period

Several new names appeared towards the end of the war, both as solvers and composers. When the English-born Comins Mansfield moved to Glasgow in 1935 for work reasons, he joined Glasgow Chess Club. He was already an established problem composer and his presence inspired other members to take an interest in problem composition, particularly Tom Russell jnr (1925-2000)and Norman MacLeod (1927-1991), both of whom contributed to the Glasgow Herald columns from the mid-1940s onwards. MacLeod was so successful in this field that in 1994 FIDE awarded him the (posthumous) title of International Grandmaster for Chess Composition.

The 25 October 1946 column, commenting on 25 years of Herald problems, mentioned that James Nisbet, Muirend, had been involved since the beginning (he was one of two solvers who responded to Problem Nr. 1 in 1921).  Mr Nisbet died 26 June 1951.

Elza Reid had continued her successful run of scores after 1943 through the end of the war and into the 1950s, more often than not with a perfect score. As before, she often had to share top spot; new solvers had entered the contest, and the quality of the Glasgow Herald solvers was high.

In the 1953 contests Mrs Reid, now of Innellan, shared 1st place with Charles Salt in one contest, and with W.L. Campbell, Charles Salt and R.J. Pennycook in another. (Incidentally, a C.D. Pennycook of Glasgow took part in the first Lloyds Bank Chess Problem Solving Competition on 1979/80; perhaps a relative.)

A low point was the loss of longtime solver John Poole of Glasgow, who died 19 November 1955, aged 73.

In several contests in 1956 and 1957 Mrs Reid had to share the honours with David M. Devine of St Andrews. (This was possibly David McDonald Devine (1920-1980), who died in his home town.)

The last mention of Elza Reid was in the 23 May 1958 column. The 14 November 1958 column stated that D.M. Devine, St Andrews, correctly solved all summer problems. No other contributors were mentioned.

The column's editor, D.M. MacIsaac, made an interesting statement in his 23 January 1959 column:-

 Mr D.M. Devine, St Andrews, is at present much the best of our few present expert solvers-we could do with a few more as a check on presumptuous composers and solvers.

Note the reference to 'few present solvers.' MacIsaac's final column for the Glasgow Herald was April 3, 1959. He commented:-

All our problems published in the past six months were correctly solved by D.M. Devine, St Andrews.

Again there was no mention of other solvers.

MacIsaac resigned his editorship of the column; it is not known if there were specific reasons for doing so, for he said nothing about it. W.A. Fairhurst took over the editorship with his 10 April 1959 column. He immediately discontinued the Problems section.

Who Was Elza Reid?

Considerable efforts have been made to identify Elza Reid, but there was a limited amount of information to work with. The Glasgow Herald columns tell us that Elza Reid was married, lived in Blantyre in 1936, and by 1953 had moved to Innellan. Appeals were made through the Blantyre Project at https://blantyreproject.com/ but without success.

The following a possible candidate for the problem solver, but definitive confirmation is required.

Eliza Jane Kirkpatrick (1883─1967)
In 1914 she married John Reid (1886─1963) a Grocer's Assistant, in Glasgow.
While her birth record shows her as Eliza, her marriage and death records lists her as Elizabeth. Perhaps this suggests that she might also have used Elza.

The Reids lived in Blantyre when Elza first appeared in the solving competition, but moved to Innellan around 1952-53.

Valuation Roll records show that J. Reid had business premises at 36/38 Glasgow Road and 42/44 Glasgow Road, Burnbank, between Blantyre and Hamilton. A gazetteer listed the address under Provision Merchant, suggesting a grocer.

At the time of John's death in 1963 and Elizabeth's death in 1967, the home address was 'Bracklinn', Erichtbank Drive, Kirn, Dunoon.

Information welcomed. 

Alan McGowan
Archivist/Historian, Chess Scotland

added 5/12/2023