Hampshire County Matches 1934 / 35 - Hampshire Chess History

Hampshire played 5 OTB and 3 Correspondence matches this season. This included a new OTB opponent in Cambridgeshire as well as a return to playing local rivals Wiltshire after a break of 21 years.

Hampshire v Berkshire 3 Nov 1934
Hampshire v Wiltshire 1 Dec 1934
Hampshire v Somerset 2 Feb 1935
Hampshire v Dorset 13 Feb 1935
Hampshire v Cambridgeshire 16 Mar 1935
President’s Prize Tournament
Summary
Acknowledgements and Sources

For the record of Hampshire County matches, and links to any articles I have written, the table on the Hampshire County Chess Matches page will detail these. The Hampshire County Chess History page summaries the leagues Hampshire have played in, and the successes Hampshire have achieved. Both of these are available from the menu at the top of the site as well.

Hampshire 8 – Berkshire 8 – 3rd Nov 1934 – Basingstoke

Hampshire’s first match was against Berkshire in the Montague Jones Cup and this was played in Basingstoke. The match finished level with three games adjudicated. The expected results reported in the Hampshire Advertiser was that Hampshire would narrowly go through. In fact the HD Lloyd’s game was lost, AH Yerbury’s was drawn and only the W Turner game went Hampshire’s way. This meant the match finished level eight all, but Berkshire were declared the winner on the process of board elimination (from the bottom).

Hampshire’s were therefore out of the Montague Jones Cup, and had to play in the Stevenson cup, which was for first round losers.

This was the first Hampshire County match for Wilf Pratten, who played and won on board 8. Despite his long chess career, Wilf was not a regular county player, which was probably due to his work position working as a store manager, and he only played 25 times for the county from 1934 to 1970.

Additional details on Wilf is available on Britbase, and his chess games are available there, and under the Chess Games section.

Hants - Berks Hampshire Advertiser - 10 Nov 1934 — **Hants – Berks Hampshire Advertiser – 10 Nov 1934**

Hampshire’s winners were FJH Elwell, WH Pratten, FL Taylor, AS Dance FJ Tinkler and WJ Turner.

Board	Hampshire	Result	Berkshire	Result
1	FJH Elwell	1	PW Neale	0
2	WJ Fry	0	PJ Lawrence	1
3	HD Lloyd	0	LA Rumble	1
4	AB Coe	0	WOC Stuchbery	1
5	HA Way	½	JH Van Meurs	½
6	CF Chapman	0	M Holford	1
7	JS West	0	H Lyford	1
8	WH Pratten	1	B Hamilton	0
9	JW Webster	0	H Runham	1
10	FL Taylor	1	ER Farmer	0
11	SL Russell	½	CA Nightingale	½
12	AS Dance	1	JE Holt	0
13	AH Yerbury	½	S Oades	½
14	FJ Tinkler	1	R Drown	0
15	WJ Turner	1	W Bell	0
16	M Clifford	½	AK Brooks	½
	Total	8	Total	8

Hampshire 18 – Wiltshire 3 – 1st December 1934 – Andover

Hampshire found themselves in the Stevenson Trophy, which had only been in play since the 1932/23 season. At this time this was for first round losers in the Montague Jones Cup. Hampshire were paired against Wiltshire, who they had not played since their series of annual friendlies had ceased in 1913. Wiltshire had narrowly lost to Dorset 12 – 10 in the 1st round of the Montague Jones Cup

The match was played over 21 boards and it was a bit of a whitewash, with Hampshire only losing and drawing two games.

Hampshire winners were too many to mention, but Hampshire future president and large donator John Spedan Lewis lost in his first Hampshire county match at the age of 49. He only played 12 times for Hampshire with 5 wins and 7 draws but he did prop Hampshire up financially when he was President 1937/38 to 1940/41 and 1955/56 until his death in 1963.

Board	Hampshire	Result	Wiltshire	Result
1	FJH Elwell	1	WL Paige	0
2	WJ Fry	1	H Russell	0
3	HD Lloyd	1	CA Plaister	0
4	HA Way	1	AE Stainer	0
5	CF Chapman	1	RG Gray	0
6	JW Webster	0	Revd AG Gordon Ross	1
7	FL Taylor	1	FE Lovesey	0
8	SL Russell	1	CE Stoker	0
9	AS Dance	1	WS Walters	0
10	FJ Tinkler	1	Revd A Alexander	0
11	WJ Turner	½	WA Cutting	½
12	Revd AR Witt	1	H St Sims	0
13	HS Overmass	½	G Turner	½
14	Revd WL Freer	1	PC Crewe	0
15	EG Parsons	1	HH Bates	0
16	ST Smith	1	AG Stainer	0
17	HL Parsons	1	A Huggins	0
18	LC Whetham	1	AE Butler	0
19	J Spedan Lewis	0	H Gray	1
20	M Clifford	1	H Love	0
21	WJJ Eaton	1	H Moore	0
Total		18		3

Hampshire 9½- Somerset 6½ – 2nd February 1935 – Salisbury

Hampshire meet Somerset in the semi-final of the Stevenson Cup in February 1935 and a much closer match than the Wiltshire one still saw them win by 3 points. The team was missing CHOD Alexander (as they were all season) but apart from that it was a very strong team on the top boards. In addition, it would have helped that the match was played in Salisbury.

The article in the Hampshire Advertiser had the record of their previous matches and this win meant the score was levelled at two all. The adjourned game went Somerset’s way for a final result of 9½ – 6½.

Hants - Somerset - Hampshire Advertiser - 9 Feb 1935 — **Hants – Somerset – Hampshire Advertiser – 9 Feb 1935**

Hampshire winners were HD Lloyd, WH Pratten, HA Way, CF Chapman, AS Dance, SL Russell, FL Taylor and Yerbury.

Board	Hampshire	Result	Somerset	Result
1	FJH Elwell	0	Capt PP Bullard	1
2	WJ Fry	½	RM Norman	½
3	HD Lloyd	1	E Dale	0
4	WH Pratten	1	G Breakwell	0
5	HA Way	1	JL Palmer	0
6	CF Chapman	1	F Melhuish	0
7	H Grover	½	L Vine	½
8	HC Lewis	½	TG Pollard	½
9	AS Dance	1	Dr CA Marsh	0
10	JW Webster	0	JA Aspden	1
11	SL Russell	1	CH Taylor	0
12	FL Taylor	1	KS Carne Ross	0
13	AH Yerbury	1	JT Howell	0
14	FJ Tinkler	0	HR Tallis	1
15	W Turner	0	G Gordan	1
16	HL Parsons	0	F Chapman	1
Total		9½		6½

Hampshire 14½ – Dorset 5½ – 13th Feb 1935 – Bournemouth

Before the final of the Stevenson Trophy Hampshire played a friendly against Dorset, in Bournemouth. This was held over 21 boards and after losing last year Hampshire fielded a much stronger team and comfortably won by 9 points.

Hampshire winners were HD Lloyd, WH Pratten, CF Chapman, SL Russell, JW Webster, JM Harris, H Varker, S Lockwood, HL Gardiner, ACE Hughes, AR Budge and JP Kirby.

Board	Hampshire	Result	Dorset	Result
1	FJH Elwell	0	H Streeter	1
2	WJ Fry	½	BW Wood	½
3	HD Lloyd	1	DH Napper	0
4	WH Pratten	1	AF Thomas	0
5	HA Way	½	EL Raymond	½
6	CT Bennett	½	GH Smith	½
7	CF Chapman	1	Revd WE Lant	0
8	H Grover	½	WH Curtis	½
9	FL Taylor	0	HG Barnes	1
10	SL Russell	1	A Gray-Wallis	0
11	JW Webster	1	L Fortnum	0
12	EW Haughton	0	Capt PH di Marco	1
13	JM Harris	1	P Ward	0
14	H Varker	1	WT Wilkinson	0
15	S Lockwood	1	HF Hawkins	0
16	HL Gardiner	1	HJ Collins	0
17	WT Guff	½	Dr AF Alexander	½
18	ACE Hughes	1	HW Gregory	0
19	AR Budge	1	FW Fraser	0
20	JP Kirby	1	DC Buchanan	0
Total		14½		5½

Hampshire 6 – Cambridgeshire 10 – 16th March 1935 – London

Hampshire and Cambridgeshire met in the final of the Stevenson Trophy on the 16th March 1935 in London. This was the first time Hampshire had faced Cambridgeshire, but they would become a regular opponent, normally in the final of the Montague Jones Cup in the next few years. Cambridgeshire would have the upper hand in these matches, as they did in this one with a comfortable 10 – 6 win.

Cambridgeshire had reached the final by defeating Northamptonshire 16 – 3 in the semi-final. They had lost to Suffolk by 1 point in the first round of the Montague Jones Cup in November 1934.

The match report in the Hampshire Advertiser stated that Hampshire were missing HD Lloyd, HA Way, WA Way and WH Pratten. These were all top 5 board players and it certainly put Hampshire at a disadvantage.

Hants Cambs Hampshire Advertiser - 23 March 1935 — **Hants Cambs. Hampshire Advertiser – 23 March 1935**

Hampshire winners were FJH Elwell, SL Russell and AH Yerbury. Board two for Cambridgeshire was Frank Kitto and the Exeter Chess club have an interesting bio of him (and other players) on their website.

Board	Hampshire	Result	Cambridgeshire	Result
1	FJH Elwell	1	LC Young	0
2	WJ Fry	½	FEA Kitto	½
3	Revd W Proctor	0	FJ Sifton	1
4	CF Chapman	0	AR Robins	1
5	FL Taylor	0	FE Stearn	1
6	HC Lewis	½	EA Church	½
7	SL Russell	1	AF Devonshire	0
8	AS Dance	½	AA Maris	½
9	WJ Turner	0	FR Tyson	1
10	AH Yerbury	1	W Berkley	0
11	FJ Tinkler	½	D Mussey	½
12	JW Webster	0	F Hardiment	1
13	HL Parsons	0	Revd W Owen	1
14	HV Dacombe	½	Revd Sheppard	½
15	LC Whetham	½	HA Parsons	½
16	A Clegg	0	T Sharp	1
Total		6		10

President’s Prize Tournament

This tournament was first held in 1933 but I don’t think it was held in 1934, as no details in FL Taylor’s document. The 1935 tournament was reported in the Hampshire Advertiser weekly chess column, and also at the HCA AGM. This season it was won by previous HCA Secretary and Southampton chess club player AB Coe.

This tournament had a generous prize fund and I think this was £10¹. This is as the Hampshire finances have a £10 donation from the president and what looks to be a similar expenditure. The Hampshire President Mr C F Chapman like his successor John Spedan Lewis was very generous to Hampshire and a £10 prize would equate to over £600 in 2025 terms. On a side note this also shows how expensive printing and stationery was in the 1930’s.

As per 1933, the tournament was more popular in the eastern part of the county with only two Portsmouth players entering. SL Russell almost did the double with the Hampshire Individual, losing to AB Coe in the final.

The Hampshire Advertiser did not have a column from June to the end of September, which means results of the rounds are not available but FL Taylor did report on the competition with the complete draw and I will produce a separate article on the tournament.

1935 President's Trophy Hampshire Advertiser - 18 May 1935 — **1935 President’s Trophy Hampshire Advertiser – 18 May 1935**

1935 President's Prize Tournament — **1935 President’s Prize Tournament**

The position from the final between SL Russell and AB Coe was included in the Hampshire Advertiser when it returned and I give this below.

Summary

Hampshire were knocked out of the first round of the Montague Jones Cup, but managed to work there way to the final of the Stevenson Trophy. Cambridgeshire proved too strong in the final, but you can see the introduction of the Stevenson Cup by the SCCU was a good move. This allowed counties to play more matches if they lost in the KO stages of the Montague Jones Cup.

Hampshire did well in the County Correspondence Championship, finishing 5th scoring 18½ points from 30 games. Lancashire won the championship. Hampshire lost by 3 points from 65 games in a match against Durham and also lost in a 83 board match against the Sunday Referee. Board details for the County Championship and 61 of the Durham matches are in the FA Taylor document.

HCA Correspondence 1934 35 — **HCA Correspondence – 1934 35**

In the Hampshire league Portsmouth retained Division One and did the double with Portsmouth II taking down Division Two. Wilf Pratten won the Portsmouth CC Championship and H Grover the Bournemouth one. Meanwhile Frank Elwell won the major trophies at the Southampton Chess club.

Hampshire Trophies Hampshire Advertiser 1935

**Southampton Chess Trophies 04 May 1935**

Hampshire player’s did particularly well in the 1934 British Championships with Sir George Thomas winning and CHOD Alexander in 4th place. William Winter also played for Hampshire, but not since 1926.

**1934 British Chess Championship source www.saund.co.uk**

These two players would also play a “Living” pieces game in Winchester in May 1935 in celebration for the Silver Jubilee of George V.

Hampshire Advertiser - 18 May 1935 — **Hampshire Advertiser – 18 May 1935**

SL Russell was the winner of the HCA Individual Championship winning all his games in the final section. This was a major success for the Broughton Chess club player who normally played in the middle boards for the county. He finished ahead of WJ Fry and HD Lloyd who both played on the top three boards and H Grover who won the Bournemouth Chess club title.

The 46th HCA AGM was reported in the Hampshire Advertiser advising on the various Hampshire chess activities and the election of officers.