Battle of Britain Tournaments?

Historical knowledge and information regarding our great game.
Kevin Thurlow
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Re: Battle of Britain Tournaments?

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Sun Dec 13, 2020 4:31 pm

"A tournament not usually attracting more than two hundred people would fail to capture attention once the norm for major London weekend tournaments approached or exceeded the thousand mark."

I think that's why it fell away - massive tournaments at Islington (e.g.) happened in the early 70s, and the nuisance of having to play either in your own or the opponent's house in early rounds of the BoB was probably a pain for many people.

The trophy did look good (although I only saw a photograph of it.)

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: Remembering David Pritchard (19-x-1919 12-xii-2005)

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Sun Dec 13, 2020 4:32 pm

Presumably 1978 was the last one?
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

Kevin Thurlow
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Re: Battle of Britain Tournaments?

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Sun Dec 13, 2020 4:40 pm

I have answered my own question - it was RF Boxall, the "H" was probably a typo in one document I saw. RF did play for Supply and was graded 3a at one stage, the same as EG Sergeant, and just below Aitken etc.

Leonard Barden
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Re: Battle of Britain Tournaments?

Post by Leonard Barden » Sun Dec 13, 2020 4:57 pm

Kevin Thurlow wrote:
Sun Dec 13, 2020 4:40 pm
I have answered my own question - it was RF Boxall, the "H" was probably a typo in one document I saw. RF did play for Supply and was graded 3a at one stage, the same as EG Sergeant, and just below Aitken etc.
Ronald Frank Boxall tied for second prize in the British Championship at Chester 1952, and also played in the 1953 British at Hastings.

Colin Patterson
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Re: Battle of Britain Tournaments?

Post by Colin Patterson » Sun Dec 13, 2020 5:13 pm

1955 Sep. Battle of Britain. London ENG – LW Barden, JB Hawson, M Rogan 2/3, A Lukowicz 0 (4). It was fitting that Rogan (USA) and Lukowicz (a Polish airman) could represent two of Britain’s strongest wartime allies. Barden won out in the three-way play-off for first place.

(from CHESS magazine)

Colin Patterson
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Re: Battle of Britain Tournaments?

Post by Colin Patterson » Sun Dec 13, 2020 5:16 pm

1964 Sep. Battle of Britain. London ENG – MJ Basman 3/3, NA Perkins 2, WF Coles 1, A Bernfield 0 (4). A fundraiser for the RAF Benevolent Fund. Qualifying events were held at monthly intervals to arrive at the four finalists. The winner’s trophy is held for a year.

(from CHESS magazine)

Colin Patterson
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Re: Battle of Britain Tournaments?

Post by Colin Patterson » Sun Dec 13, 2020 5:26 pm

1948 ---- Battle of Britain. London ENG – RF Boxall 4/5, DB Pritchard 3.5, G Wood 3, NT Honan 2, HI Woolverton 1.5, Ms E Saunders 1 (6)

1954 Sep. Battle of Britain. Final. London ENG – GJ Martin, MJ Franklin 2.5/3, EC Hughes, GC Nurse 0.5 (4). Martin won the playoff to make it two wins in succession. In the contest for the remaining places, Miss Eileen Tranmer took the best lady competitor prize. Martin won the play-off for the trophy. Held at the National Chess Centre, the overall turn-out was a record 160. £30 was collected for the RAF Benevolent Fund, but £19 went back out in prizes!

1965 Sep. Battle of Britain. London ENG – JD Taylor, GHF Tredinnick, T Van Dyke, E Tranmer (4)

1966 Sep. Battle of Britain. London ENG – Final - E Tranmer, G Speed 2.5/3, S Reuben, EC Cameron 0.5 (4). Speed later won a playoff with Miss Tranmer for the right to hold the trophy for one year. The others received a Battle of London medallion. Main prize money was £7 each to the co-winners. In the semi-finals, Tranmer bt KG Hyde, Speed bt WND Gregory, Reuben bt GJ Folwell, Cameron bt D Futter (all single games).

1969 Sep. Battle of Britain. London ENG – JE Scholes 3/3, PG Killick 2, LA Edwards 1, D Levens 0 (4)

- a few other bits and pieces I got from either CHESS or BCM over the years.

Michael Yeo
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Re: Battle of Britain Tournaments?

Post by Michael Yeo » Sun Dec 13, 2020 10:23 pm

I won in 1974, beating Roland Payne.
I have unearthed a poor copy of an article from the East Anglian Daily Times:
Capture.PNG
Capture.PNG (623.97 KiB) Viewed 1677 times

In 1975 we played again. I am not sure whether or not it was the final. We drew the first game with me as Black and I lost the second game as White.
The trophy was magnificent.

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MJMcCready
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Re: Remembering David Pritchard (19-x-1919 12-xii-2005)

Post by MJMcCready » Mon Dec 14, 2020 10:13 am

Matt Mackenzie wrote:
Sun Dec 13, 2020 4:32 pm
Presumably 1978 was the last one?
If its as far back as that its a great shame that, when OTB is not the norm, it isn't resurrected.

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Gerard Killoran
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Re: Battle of Britain Tournaments?

Post by Gerard Killoran » Mon Dec 14, 2020 10:46 am


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John Upham
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Re: Battle of Britain Tournaments?

Post by John Upham » Mon Dec 14, 2020 11:05 am

The trophy as described sounds wonderful. If wonder if someone would be as kind as taking a picture and posting it in this place ?
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Ken Norman
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Re: Battle of Britain Tournaments?

Post by Ken Norman » Mon Dec 14, 2020 2:58 pm

I saw the Trophy once when I played the then holder Jim Scholes. However I think it must have had an encounter with an ME 109 as one of the wings was detached.

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: Remembering David Pritchard (19-x-1919 12-xii-2005)

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Mon Dec 14, 2020 3:18 pm

MJMcCready wrote:
Mon Dec 14, 2020 10:13 am
Matt Mackenzie wrote:
Sun Dec 13, 2020 4:32 pm
Presumably 1978 was the last one?
If its as far back as that its a great shame that, when OTB is not the norm, it isn't resurrected.
It has been claimed it was still around until 1979 at least. Would be very interested in when the actual end was.
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

Kevin Thurlow
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Re: Battle of Britain Tournaments?

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Mon Dec 14, 2020 3:41 pm

"Fuller, J.A. - Hawson, J.B." (1956)

Should that be Howson? There was a Jim (?) B Howson from Essex (I think) and a John(?) Hawson who played for Sutton (Surrey).

John Moore
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Re: Battle of Britain Tournaments?

Post by John Moore » Mon Dec 14, 2020 5:14 pm

The Howson (as opposed to Hawson) is certainly Jim - who celebrated his 87th birthday earlier this year. He was playing for Writtle in Essex until recently and, according to Ivor Smith (another great veteran), is very much missing OTB chess and looking forward to it restarting next year.
Last edited by John Moore on Mon Dec 14, 2020 5:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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