Southampton Chess League - Hampshire Chess History

The Southampton Chess League was first held in 1922/23 (which makes at the time of writing this the centenary season). Southampton Chess Club were the first winners of Division One although numerous other clubs have also triumphed since that time.

Details of the various winners of the Southampton Chess Leagues, Cups, Individual Champions are below. I have summarised the relevant Trophies, but as always if anyone has additional details please do advise.

Current Season SCL Season tables are available:

SCL Tables

Links to the results on LMS have been added from the various tables.

Southampton Chess League Trophies
Southampton Chess League
Southampton Chess Cup
Southampton Individual Chess Championship
Southampton Rapidplay Chess Championship
Southampton League vs Portsmouth League
Southampton League vs Bournemouth League
Gallery

Southampton Chess League Trophies

There are currently five divisions in the Southampton Chess League, three cups an Individual championship as well as the defunct team rapidplay competition. Some of these are named after various Southampton Chess players, from past and the present.

Trophy	Details
Division One	The Fry Trophy – The current trophy has the winners from 1956/57, but the league was first held in 1922/23 with Southampton Chess Club winning just ahead of Taunton’s School. I am currently researching missing years and will update accordingly. Named after WJ Fry who was a Southampton Chess Club player who won the Southampton Chess Club championship 22 times between 1926 and 1954 and the Hampshire Individual Championship 4 times (1933, 1939, 1949 and 1951).
Division Two	No name for this trophy, but details on the winners from 1945/46 are held on the current trophy.
Division Three	No name for this trophy, but details on the winners from 1958/59 are held on the current trophy.
Division Four	The HL Parsons a prominent officer and player in Hampshire Chess. Details on the winners from 1976/77 from the cup. I have located some previous winners from the Hampshire Bulletin when there was either no cup, or an earlier one.
Division Five	No name for this trophy, but details on the winners from 1987/88 when it was won by Hythe. This Division was not held for a number of years, but has been contested since 2008/09 (excluding the pandemic years).
Robertson Cup	I think this is named after another Southampton Chess Player who was active in the 1920’s, but not 100% sure. Winners since 1927/28 season are detailed on the trophy (I presume this was the first year it was held).
Robertson Plate	Held since 1979/80 when it was won by University Staff.
Div Four/Five Cup	The Clarke Cup, named after current Southampton Fixtures Secretary Malcolm Clarke. First held in 2006/07 although currently not running.
Southampton Individual	Elwell Trophy, named after prominent Hampshire and Southampton Chess Club player Frank Elwell. Winners since 1956/57 held.
Rapidplay	John Patience Trophy, this has only been held three times and is a team rapidplay competition which was open to teams in Hampshire. John Patience was a Southampton Chess Club player from the early 1960’s to the mid 2000’s.

Southampton Division Two Trophy. I will add the others at a later date,

Southampton Chess League Winners

Details of the winners of the Southampton Chess League various divisions. Current tables and fixtures from 2014 are on the Southampton Chess League website. I have located a few of the winners not originally known and have updated the table accordingly. However there are a number of missing records. If anyone has information please do let me know.

Links to the results on LMS have been added. As the 2014 and before ones are mostly taken from the ECF Rating site if matches / games were defaulted these are no details and therefore the result may not be known. I have made sure the winners match the table below.

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Season	Division One	Division Two	Division Three	Division Four	Division Five
2023/2024	Fareham A	Chandlers Ford A	Chandlers Ford B	Basingstoke C	Salisbury C
2022/2023	Fareham A	Basingstoke A	Southampton B	Chandlers Ford B	Winchester C
2022	Fareham A	Salisbury A	Basingstoke A	Fareham B	Basingstoke C
2020/2021	Not held	Not held	Not held	Not held	Not held
2019/2020	Not awarded	Not awarded	Not awarded	Not awarded	Not awarded
2018/2019	Ringwood A	Hamble B	Ringwood B	Salisbury C	Ringwood C
2017/2018	University A	Southampton B	Southampton C	University C	Southampton D
2016/2017	Southampton A	Salisbury A	Winchester A	Basingstoke B	Andover B
2015/2016	Southampton A	Fareham A	Southampton D	Southampton E	Salisbury C
2014/2015	Southampton A	Salisbury A	Ringwood B	Fareham A	Basingstoke B
2013/2014	University A	Hamble A	Ordnance Survey A	Ordnance Survey B	Eastleigh Railway C
2012/2013	University A	Ringwood A	Southampton C	Salisbury C	Southampton F
2011/2012	Southampton A	University B	Ringwood A	Southampton D	Ringwood B
2010/2011	Passed Pawn A	University A	Salisbury B	Salisbury C	Southampton E
2009/2010	Southampton A	Southampton B	Winchester College A	Ringwood	Southampton D
2008/2009	Southampton A	Andover	Winchester A	University C	Winchester College B
2007/2008	Passed Pawn A	Salisbury A	Andover	Winchester College	not held
2006/2007	Passed Pawn A	Ringwood A	University B	Salisbury B	not held
2005/2006	Passed Pawn A	Southampton B	Salisbury	Eastleigh WMC	not held
2004/2005	Passed Pawn A	Eastleigh Railway B	Ordnance Survey A	Southampton D	not held
2003/2004	Passed Pawn A	University A	Southampton C	University C	not held
2002/2003	Southampton A	Passed Pawn B	Ringwood	Winchester C	not held
2001/2002	Eastleigh Unity A	Southern Water A	Southampton C	Eastleigh Unity C	not held
2000/2001	Southampton A	Winchester A	Ringwood	Winchester	not held
1999/2000	Southampton A	Botley A	Ordnance Survey A	Ringwood	not held
1998/1999	University A	Eastleigh BR A	Botley A	Eastleigh BR A	not held
1997/1998	Andover A	University A	University B	Andover B	Botley B
1996/1997	Southern Water A	Eastleigh Unity B	University A	Fair Oak B	not held
1995/1996	Southern A	Andover	Eastleigh (BR) A	Southampton D	Stoke Social
1994/1995	Southern A	Southern B	Andover	Winchester C	Southern D

Showing 1 to 30 of 97 entries

Southampton Chess Cup Winners

Details of the Southampton Chess Cup winners, the main one is the Robertson Cup. Current tables and fixtures from 2014 are on the Southampton Chess League website.

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Season	Robertson Cup	Robertson Plate	Division Four / Five Cup
2023/2024	Basingstoke A	Chandlers Ford B	Not held
2022/2023	Fareham A	Salisbury B	Not held
2021/2022	Not held	Not held	Not held
2020/2021	Not held	Not held	Not held
2019/2020	Not awarded	Not awarded	Not awarded
2018/2019	Southampton	Winchester	Ringwood C
2017/2018	University	Southampton B	Andover B
2016/2017	University	Ringwood B	Ringwood (Div 5 cup)
2015/2016	University	Southampton B	not held
2014/2015	University	Andover	not held
2013/2014	Eastleigh Rail A	Andover A	Fareham A
2012/2013	Andover	Southampton B	Salisbury C
2011/2012	University	Andover	Winchester C
2010/2011	Southampton	Ordnance Survey	Salisbury C
2009/2010	Southampton	Passed Pawn A	Winchester College B
2008/2009	Passed Pawn	University	Eastleigh Rail D
2007/2008	Passed Pawn	Salisbury A	Winchester College
2006/2007	Southampton	Salisbury	Salisbury B
2005/2006	Passed Pawn	Salisbury
2004/2005	Passed Pawn	Eastleigh Rail
2003/2004	Southampton	Ringwood
2002/2003	Stoneham	University/Andover
2001/2002	Passed Pawn	Southern Water
2000/2001	Southampton	Andover
1999/2000	Southampton	Winchester
1998/1999	Andover	Botley
1997/1998	Southampton	University
1996/1997	Southern Water	Eastleigh Rail
1995/1996	Southern	Eastleigh Rail
1994/1995	Southern	Andover

Showing 1 to 30 of 92 entries

Southampton Individual Trophy

The Southampton Individual Chess Championship. Current results from 2019 are on the Southampton Chess League website and I have some of the older ones. The older ones have started to be added to LMS, which can be seen by clicking on the link from the table. There is also a report on the 1967/68 tournament from the cross-table supplied by the winner Paul Habershon.

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Season	Southampton Individual	Club
2023/2024	Fraser McLeod	Southampton CC
2022/2023	Tom Anderson	Southampton CC
2021/2022	Not held
2020/2021	Not held
2019/2020	Not awarded
2018/2019	Fraser McLeod	Southampton CC
2017/2018	John Wilkinson	Hamble CC
2016/2017	Shared	Hamble CC
2015/2016	Martin Buckley	Hamble CC
2014/2015	Fraser McLeod	Southampton CC
2013/2014	Martin Buckley	Hamble Chess CC
2012/2013	Fraser McLeod	Southampton CC
2011/2012	Alec Samuels & Tom Anderson	Southampton CC
2010/2011	Fraser McLeod & Tom Anderson	Southampton CC
2009/2010	Moses Kawuma	Southampton CC
2008/2009	Moses & Steven Kawuma	Southampton CC
2007/2008	Fraser McLeod & Martin Buckley	Southampton / Hamble CC
2006/2007	Fraser McLeod	Southampton CC
2005/2006	Fraser McLeod	Southampton CC
2004/2005	Fraser McLeod	Southampton CC
2003/2004	Fraser McLeod	Southampton CC
2002/2003	Fraser McLeod	Southampton CC
2001/2002	Fraser McLeod	Southampton CC
2000/2001	Fraser McLeod	Southampton CC
1999/2000	Fraser McLeod	Southampton CC
1998/1999	Tom Anderson	Southampton CC
1997/1998	Fraser McLeod	Southampton CC
1996/1997	Tom Anderson	Southampton CC
1995/1996	Richard Perrin	Southampton CC
1994/1995	Robert Noyce	Southern CC

Showing 1 to 30 of 68 entries

Southampton Rapidplay Trophy

The Southampton Rapidplay Trophy has only been held three times and was open to teams from the Southampton and Portsmouth Chess League.

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Season	Southampton Rapidplay Trophy
2015 – Present	Not held
2014/2015	Emsworth
2013/2014	Portsmouth
2012/2013	Not held
2011/2012	Southampton

Showing 1 to 5 of 5 entries

Southampton League vs Bournemouth League

Southampton and Bournemouth have always had a close relationship in chess, and for a long time there was an annual chess match. This continued into at least the 1980’s but has more recently been replaced with a Bournemouth v Poole match.

These matches are detailed in the Hampshire Bulletins. For some of the matches I only have the date the match was played, or the result. If I can find any of the other matches played, or anyone supplies additional information I will update the post accordingly.

These matches are detailed in the following post, but you can also link from the table below. An original post from the 1966/67 match is also available.

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Year	Date	Location	Team	SCL Score	BCL Score	Opponent
1951/52			Southampton Lg	14	16	Bournemouth Lg
1952/53			Southampton Lg	13.5	12.5	Bournemouth Lg
1953/54			Southampton Lg	18	21	Bournemouth Lg
1954/55			Southampton Lg	23.5	18.5	Bournemouth Lg
1955/56			Southampton Lg	W	L	Bournemouth Lg
1956/57	06/04/1957	Southampton	Southampton Lg	21	9	Bournemouth Lg
1959/60	May 1960		Southampton Lg	27	23	Bournemouth Lg
1960/61	May 1961		Southampton Lg	30	20	Bournemouth Lg
1962/63	11/05/1963	Southampton	Southampton Lg			Bournemouth Lg
1964/65	08/05/1965	Southampton	Southampton Lg	21.5	27.5	Bournemouth Lg
1965/66	07/05/1966	Southampton	Southampton Lg	20	30	Bournemouth Lg
1966/67	1967		Southampton Lg	23	27	Bournemouth Lg
1967/68	04/07/1968		Southampton Lg	22	28	Bournemouth Lg
1968/69	1969	Southampton	Southampton Lg	26	24	Bournemouth Lg

Showing 1 to 14 of 14 entries

Southampton League vs Portsmouth League

The Southampton and Portsmouth Leagues held matches between each other from the 1950’s (as did Southampton against Bournemouth). A number of these are detailed in the Hampshire Bulletins, Roger Paige’s Hampshire Chess 1950 – 1970 book and the Portsmouth Evening News. The ones I have will not be the only ones played and I will update any additional ones I locate. It could be the SCL or PDCL records have information on these, but more than likely it will the the Portsmouth Evening News newspaper which will be of most use.

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Year	Date	Location	Team	SCL Score	PDCL Score	Opponent
1951/52			Southampton Lg	10.5	9.5	Portsmouth Lg
1952/53			Southampton Lg	15	9	Portsmouth Lg
1953/54			Southampton Lg	13	16	Portsmouth Lg
1954/55	27/11/1954	Fareham	Southampton Lg	17.5	12.5	Portsmouth Lg
1955/56			Southampton Lg	20.5	9.5	Portsmouth Lg
1956/57			Southampton Lg	15	10	Portsmouth Lg
1957/58			Southampton Lg	21	8	Portsmouth Lg
1958/59			Southampton Lg	w	l	Portsmouth Lg
1959/60			Southampton Lg	11.5	8.5	Portsmouth Lg
1960/61	Nov-1960		Southampton Lg	7.5	12.5	Portsmouth Lg
1960/61	Mar-1961	Southampton	Southampton Jun	19.5	10.5	Portsmouth Jun
1961/62		Southampton	Southampton Lg	10	20	Portsmouth Lg
1961/62		Southampton	Southampton Jun	11	19	Portsmouth Jun
1962/63		Southsea	Southampton Lg	22	28	Portsmouth Lg
1963/64	29/11/1963	Southampton	Southampton Lg	20.5	15.5	Portsmouth Lg
1963/64		Southampton	Southampton Jun	26	14	Portsmouth Jun
1964/65	1964	Southampton	Southampton Lg Jun	21.5	12.5	Portsmouth Lg Jun
1965/66	06/11/1965	Southampton	Southampton Lg Jun	17	23	Portsmouth Lg Jun
1966/67			Southampton Lg Sen	14.5	15.5	Portsmouth Lg Sen
1966/67			Southampton Lg Jun	15.5	24.5	Portsmouth Lg Jun
1968-69		Southampton	Southampton Lg	26	24	Portsmouth Lg

Showing 1 to 21 of 21 entries

Gallery

Various cuttings from the British Newspaper Archives below, this includes the inaugural season (1922/23) which Southampton won as reported in the Hampshire Advertiser. Click on picture to open in more detail.