Chess history - from 1884

[Hugh Brodie]

I found an online book called "Synopsis of Chess Openings - a Tabular Analysis" by William Cook and Joseph W. Miller, written in 1884. AT the end of the book, there are several pages about the New Orleans Chess Club, followed by a list of "American" chess club and "American" chess columns - with "American" including Canada.

Here are the Canadian clubs listed (from 1884):

Cobourg - "has a strong chess circle".
Guelph - "has a strong chess circle".
Hamilton - "chess club meets socially. Ald. W.H. Judd, president. Dr. I. Ryall, 71 Main St. East, corresponding secretary".
London - "has a strong chess circle".
Montreal - "Montreal Chess Club (the oldest chess club in Canada), 141 Mansfield St., in connection with the Montreal Gymnasium. Meets Tuesday and Saturday evenings, and Sunday sfternoons. H.A. Howe, president. J.G. Ascher, secretary. Rooms open every day for play except Sunday."
"Montreal Chess Divan, formerly the City Chess Club. 112 St. Francois Xavier St. Proprieter: C.H. Crossen. Free to all. Open every day during the summer until 7 pm, and in the winter until 12 pm. J.G. Ascher, president. J. Bemrose, secretary."
Ottawa - "The president of the Ottawa Chess Club is Prof. J.B. Cherriman, W.H. Morgan, secretary."
Quebec - "The Quebec Chess Club has been in existence for about 50 years. Rooms are at 50 St. John St. All visiting chess players are invited to call. The Club nights are Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, but the rooms are open every afternoon and night. T. Le Droit, hon. president. F.H. Andrews, president, D.R. McLeod, secretary."
St. John, NB - "The St. John Chess Club meets Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at the rooms of the YMCA."
Toronto - "the Toronto Chess Club meets at the Athaeneum Club rooms in the Free Library building. 60 members. Hours of play from 12 to 11 pm. John L. Blaikie, president. Chas. W. Phillips, secretary."

More to follow.

http://books.google.ca/books?id=UjVA...page&q&f=false

[Hugh Brodie]

Re: Chess history - from 1884

Chess columns in 1884:

Quebec - Quebec Morning Chronicle. Editor: M.J. Murphy.
St. John NB - Globe. Editor: C.F. Stubbs.
Ottawa - Citizen. Editor: J.B. Halkett.
Ottawa - Independent Forester. Editor: J.B. Halkett.
Toronto - Week. Editor: Chas. W. Phillips.

"Canadian Chess Association - the list of officers for 1884 is as follows:

Patron: His Excellency, the Governor-General [the Marquess of Lansdowne. Lord Stanley (of cup fame) didn't start until 1888; Earl Gray (of cup and tea fame) not until 1904].
President: G.E. Casey, MP. [Liberal for Elgin West (SW Ontario) from the 1870's to the early 1900's].
Vice-presidents: J.B. Hurlburt LLD , F.H. Lambert, and Professor Cherriman (Ottawa), H.A. Howe LLD (Montreal).
Managing Committee: C.P. Champion (Quebec), I. Ryall MD (Hamilton), T.C. Larose (Ottawa), W.H. Hicks, J. Barry, and J.G. Ascher (Montreal).
Secretary-Treasurer: W.H. Morgan (Ottawa)."

[Frank Dixon]

Re: Chess history - from 1884

Thanks go to Hugh for digging this up! :)

Especially interested in the chess-playing MP who served as President of the Canadian Chess Association; had been totally unaware of him before. :)

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Chess history - from 1884

I wonder what the Free Library address of the Athenaeum Club in Toronto was in 1884? Seven years later the Club was on Church Street.

This from Heritage Toronto from a plaque at the site:

ATHENAEUM CLUB
167 Church Street

The Athenaeum Club 1891

Built for the Athenaeum Club, this façade was designed by the architectural firm Denison and King in a Moorish Revival style, rare in Toronto. It features intricate brickwork, several Moorish window arches, and in the balcony, a cast-iron column with an exotic capital. From 1904 to 1967, the building was the Labor Temple – a home to the local labour movement, and host to key debates in Canadian labour history.

Designated under the Ontario Heritage Act, 2003

[Erik Malmsten]

Re: Chess history - from 1884

I wonder what the Free Library address of the Athenaeum Club in Toronto was in 1884? Seven years later the Club was on Church Street.

This from Heritage Toronto from a plaque at the site:

ATHENAEUM CLUB
167 Church Street

The Athenaeum Club 1891

Built for the Athenaeum Club, this façade was designed by the architectural firm Denison and King in a Moorish Revival style, rare in Toronto. It features intricate brickwork, several Moorish window arches, and in the balcony, a cast-iron column with an exotic capital. From 1904 to 1967, the building was the Labor Temple – a home to the local labour movement, and host to key debates in Canadian labour history.

Designated under the Ontario Heritage Act, 2003

The club met in the public library 2 blocks south, NE corner of Church and Adelaide.