English Chess Forum

'History Magazine' 08/21 p.36 carries a short feature about 'London becoming a chess haven' with Philidor seeking sanctuary on these shores and subsequently William Lewis being the first player to be called Grand Master. The latter is certainly news to me.

Elsewhere in the same issue, p.65, 'Womb Fury' of the 1860s finds chess being recommended to troubled females along with no reading, but winding a wheel (with wool?) for hours and - surely the clincher? - astronomy.

Shocking stuff.

James

James Pratt wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 08, 2021 8:10 pm

'History Magazine' 08/21 p.36 carries a short feature about 'London becoming a chess haven' with Philidor seeking sanctuary on these shores and subsequently William Lewis being the first player to be called Grand Master. The latter is certainly news to me.
James

"With no significant playing achievements to his credit Lewis acquired such a high reputation that a correspondent writing to the weekly magazine Bell's Life in 1838 was moved to call him grandmaster." according to Hooper and Whyld.