Hampshire Chess History

[GrahamStuart]

I am aware of the excellent work which has gone into both Britbase and the British Chess News websites, but for those who are interested I have started the Hampshire Chess History Website. https://www.hampshirechesshistory.com/

Although this is early days with information supplied and the Hampshire Chess Archives I am slowly adding articles and documents which may be of relevance / interest. One of the most recent additions is a scanned document by F.Taylor from 1944 which detailed the Hampshire Chess History up to that point.

This post is really just to point people in the direction of the site, but if you have any information you think is of interest I would welcome input / articles.

[John Upham]

Graham,

This is a most excellent resource that I will enjoy studying.

Many thanks.

[GrahamStuart]

For those who are interested there have been a few additions to my website, but the most recent one is an update on my attempt to compile the Hampshire individual results from the almost 1,000 County matches. As well as some rough analysis this includes the data I have compiled from the SCCU Bulletins, Chiltern Leagues, ECF Grading website and my own Hampshire Chess archives.

The updating of the data is still work in progress, with a lot of proof checking still to be completed, but currently I have the majority from 1963 to present (11,000 results). As well as a chronology of Hampshire Chess the data may be of use to other counties, as this documents our time in the SCCU, WECU as well as Chiltern League. Although some of this is available from other sources, the older data would only be in pdf and not all in one place.

Once I have completed the spreadsheet I am still not sure about best to publish this data on the web and any advice on this would be appreciated. Finally the checking of the Hampshire data has been done more extensively than the opponents, but I will eventually work on these more as well.

The post is available here;
https://www.hampshirechesshistory.com/p ... s_analysis

[John Upham]

For those who are interested there have been a few additions to my website, but the most recent one is an update on my attempt to compile the Hampshire individual results from the almost 1,000 County matches. As well as some rough analysis this includes the data I have compiled from the SCCU Bulletins, Chiltern Leagues, ECF Grading website and my own Hampshire Chess archives.

The updating of the data is still work in progress, with a lot of proof checking still to be completed, but currently I have the majority from 1963 to present (11,000 results). As well as a chronology of Hampshire Chess the data may be of use to other counties, as this documents our time in the SCCU, WECU as well as Chiltern League. Although some of this is available from other sources, the older data would only be in pdf and not all in one place.

Once I have completed the spreadsheet I am still not sure about best to publish this data on the web and any advice on this would be appreciated. Finally the checking of the Hampshire data has been done more extensively than the opponents, but I will eventually work on these more as well.

The post is available here;
https://www.hampshirechesshistory.com/p ... s_analysis

Graham, This is super resource and many, many thanks for putting the work in.

[GrahamStuart]

As an update on the site I have recently been adding reports on historic Hampshire Chess Individual Championships (which I don't have as much information as I would like) but if anyone has any information to help expand on these it would be appreciated?

One of the resources I have used is the hand written book of the Hampshire AGM and Council minutes from 1946 to 1985 which due to its age the I did not want to handle too much. I therefore scanned the book and have added this to the website.

If you enjoy reading through old chess minutes you may find this book interesting? Surprisingly there are also some typed minutes from 1962 onwards as well, but I presume the Hampshire Chess Secretary also felt it was important to continue populating the book as well (not sure the typed and hand written documents match 100% either).

https://hampshirechesshistory.co.uk/hca ... 1946-1985/

[GrahamStuart]

I have continued with my summary of each county season for Hampshire since 1887 and have reached the 1947/48 season, which saw Hampshire win the Southern Counties Shannon trophy for the first time (they also won in 1969/70).
So far I have found all individual results to this time with the exception of one friendly against Wiltshire in 1913.

https://hampshirechesshistory.co.uk/ham ... y-matches/

But, it is very frustrating that for the season which saw Hampshire's first Shannon trophy that I have only been able to locate the match result against Somerset. The normal newspapers which have these results are not available on the British Newspapers Archive (Hampshire Advertiser and Portsmouth Evening News).

I wondered if the individual board results were included in BCM (as there were in some of the 1920's) which I do not have, or other sources. If so, I would appreciate if these could be shared to enable me to document these for the website.

These are the matches against Dorset, Hertfordshire and Surrey.

[Brian Denman]

Graham,

I see in your notes that you are missing the individual results for a Hampshire v Wiltshire friendly in 1913. If that is still the case, please refer to the Wiltshire News of 1.8.1913 page 9.
Regards,

Brian

[GrahamStuart]

Graham,

I see in your notes that you are missing the individual results for a Hampshire v Wiltshire friendly in 1913. If that is still the case, please refer to the Wiltshire News of 1.8.1913 page 9.
Regards,

Brian

Many thanks - will add details. I missed this Newspaper, as added in Aug 2025 and the post was from May 2024.

[Brian Denman]

Graham,

One other scoresheet Hants v Somerset, see Somerset Guardian and Radstock Observer of 30.1.1948. For the other three missing matches, BCM, Chess or BCF yearbook would seem to be the best chances.

Brian

[GrahamStuart]

Graham,

One other scoresheet Hants v Somerset, see Somerset Guardian and Radstock Observer of 30.1.1948. For the other three missing matches, BCM, Chess or BCF yearbook would seem to be the best chances.

Brian

Brian,

That was the one I was able to locate, although the spelling of the players was not that accurate. WH Pratten, PA Ursell and WJ Fry to name three from Hampshire which were almost but not quite correct.

Appreciate you checking and replying to the post.
Graham

[John Townsend]

I must admit I'm slightly confused as to what Graham wants. I suspect it is because his remark, "I have only been able to locate the match result against Somerset" can be taken in two ways.

I went rapidly through B.C.M. for all of 1947 and up to August of 1948. I noticed match cards against Dorset, Oxon. and Lancashire. (This last was a semi-final of the County Championship, with four games still to be decided). Further information on request, but it sounds as if these are not want Graham wants.

[John Upham]

Graham,

Have you consulted

The Yearbook of Chess, BCF Yearbook, The Official Chess Yearbook for those years?

I have from 1907 until 2024 with some random gaps.

[GrahamStuart]

I must admit I'm slightly confused as to what Graham wants. I suspect it is because his remark, "I have only been able to locate the match result against Somerset" can be taken in two ways.

I went rapidly through B.C.M. for all of 1947 and up to August of 1948. I noticed match cards against Dorset, Oxon. and Lancashire. (This last was a semi-final of the County Championship, with four games still to be decided). Further information on request, but it sounds as if these are not want Graham wants.

Sorry for the confusion. For the 1947/48 season Hampshire played four matches (the fifth against Gloucestershire was a default / scratch win).
These were
Montague Jones Cup
Dorset - 1st round
Somerset - KO Semi-Final
Hertfordshire - KO Final

Shannon Cup
Surrey - Final

I have the Somerset individual match results, for the other three matches I don't have the individual match results.

Looks like the Lancashire match in the County Championship was another one I did not have, I would be very much interested in details for this. Again, I don't have any details on an Oxon match and this would be welcome.

[GrahamStuart]

Graham,

Have you consulted

The Yearbook of Chess, BCF Yearbook, The Official Chess Yearbook for those years?

I have from 1907 until 2024 with some random gaps.

John,

I don't have any of these for these years - if there are individual results from missing Hampshire matches for these years and these can be added this would be appreciated. I am sure no-one would mind a photo from these being added here (as almost 80 years ago).

Graham

[John Upham]

Graham,

Tell me what is missing and I will investigate.