TEAM LIGHTNING CHAMPIONSHIP 1954-1992

[Mike Truran]

The Team Lightning Championship, inaugurated in 1954, was last played in 1992 (when Widnes were apparently the winners). Does anyone know if there was a trophy for the event, and if so whether it is still in existence?

[Leonard Barden]

The inaugural event was held at the Ilford congress of 1953, not 1954. A photo of the winning team (no trophy shown) can be viewed on the BCM chess blog in Raaphy Persitz's obituary.

I was also present in 1986 when England U16 (Adams, Hennigan, Mortazavi, Sadler) won and don't recall a trophy then either. If there had been a trophy, Bill Adams as team manager and I would have needed an interesting discussion on who should take it home, with the implied chore of delivering it to the 1987 event.

[Mike Truran]

Many thanks Leonard. As the BCM blog says, the ECF yearbook (from which I took my information) has the start date wrong.

[Paul Buswell]

The Team Lightning Championship, inaugurated in 1954, was last played in 1992 (when Widnes were apparently the winners). Does anyone know if there was a trophy for the event, and if so whether it is still in existence?

I am pretty sure that there was a trophy... I organised the event once in the late 70s during my time as General Secretary of the BCF, and vague memory remembers having to get the trophy on site; and I think I would have had a less vague memory of there not being one, if you see what I mean.

PB

[Mike Truran]

I understand from the ECF office that there was indeed a team trophy, which was apparently in Keith Brown's possession when he died a few years ago. There was also apparently a trophy for the individual winner.

Any ideas from anybody??!!