Alan Francis Stammwitz b1906-

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Paul Dupré
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Alan Francis Stammwitz b1906-

Post by Paul Dupré » Tue Aug 14, 2012 12:40 am

Anybody know about Alan, and which club he played for in Middlesex.
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Roger de Coverly
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Re: Alan Francis Stammwitz b1906-

Post by Roger de Coverly » Tue Aug 14, 2012 1:06 am

Paul Dupré wrote:Anybody know about Alan, and which club he played for in Middlesex.
I suppose you know he was a "big bod" in the BCF for a while, perhaps their paid employee (singular).

He appears in "Chess Treasury of the Air" as a victim in a simul against someone famous (Szabo/Gligoric?). This is early sixties.

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John Saunders
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Re: Alan Francis Stammwitz b1906-

Post by John Saunders » Tue Aug 14, 2012 1:14 am

West London CC, according to the 1970 Grading List, but others may know better.

Alan Francis Bertie Stammwitz, born 29 May 1906, bapt 1 July 1906 (Putney), died Jan/Feb 1975 (London). No full obit in BCM, though one was promised on the inside back cover of the March 1975 issue, where it says "Hon. Sec of the BCF for many years [1953-65] and an indefatigable worker for the cause of chess." IA 1964, wrote books (googlable). Also president and bulletin editor of the Middx CCA in the 1960s.
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Gordon Cadden
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Re: Alan Francis Stammwitz b1906-

Post by Gordon Cadden » Tue Aug 14, 2012 10:31 am

Wrote "Chess in Schools", 1966. Was Secretary of the Middlesex County Chess Association, and General Secretary of the British Chess Federation. Lived in Ealing, London.

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Re: Alan Francis Stammwitz b1906-

Post by raycollett » Tue Aug 14, 2012 4:52 pm

Roger de Coverly wrote:He appears in "Chess Treasury of the Air" as a victim in a simul against someone famous (Szabo/Gligoric?). This is early sixties.
It was Szabo who gave the simul. In my Penguin softback published 1966, a fragment (moves 26-33) of the game edited by Barden appears on page 111-2. It was a notable game because white (Szabo) castled on move 33 to bring a second rook into the attack.

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Re: Alan Francis Stammwitz b1906-

Post by Paul Dupré » Wed Aug 15, 2012 12:47 am

Just found this http://www.chessville.com/keene/livelong.htm, where Keene quotes "There are further valuable lessons to be learnt from Mind Sports! The story is told that one committee meeting of the British Chess Federation had to be cancelled because the group was inquorate. Mr Soanes turned up, but Mr Ritson-Morry was in jail for embezzlement, while Mr Stammwitz was in jail for bigamy. His feeble protestations at the trial of: 'I forgot about the other one,' not unnaturally having been brushed aside."

In my research, I found two marriages for Alan Stammwitz, one looked suspicious, I now know why!

However, is it true...
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Gerard Killoran
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Re: Alan Francis Stammwitz b1906-

Post by Gerard Killoran » Wed Aug 15, 2012 1:21 am

[quote][/quote]Mr Ritson-Morry was in jail for embezzlement, while Mr Stammwitz was in jail for bigamy.

Can you go to jail for plagiarism?

Roger de Coverly
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Re: Alan Francis Stammwitz b1906-

Post by Roger de Coverly » Wed Aug 15, 2012 1:35 am

Gerard Killoran wrote:Mr Ritson-Morry was in jail for embezzlement, while Mr Stammwitz was in jail for bigamy.

Can you go to jail for plagiarism?
It's well known from BH Wood's "notorious jailbird" quip and the subsequent libel case that Ritson-Morry was prosecuted for embezzlement , but this was during the war years. If Stammwitz was prosecuted for bigamy, would this not have been some years later? So I doubt the offences were simultaneous, thus the story is "enhanced" for dramatic or journalistic effect.

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Re: Alan Francis Stammwitz b1906-

Post by Paul Dupré » Wed Aug 15, 2012 8:49 am

Roger de Coverly wrote:If Stammwitz was prosecuted for bigamy, would this not have been some years later? So I doubt the offences were simultaneous, thus the story is "enhanced" for dramatic or journalistic effect.
Maybe not, his second marriage was in 1941 - to a much younger and probably wealthier lady, so this does sound plausible.
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Re: Alan Francis Stammwitz b1906-

Post by Roger de Coverly » Wed Aug 15, 2012 9:01 am

Paul Dupré wrote: Maybe not, his second marriage was in 1941 - to a much younger and probably wealthier lady, so this does sound plausible.
During the war years, I would imagine there was little organised chess. So if all the BCF did was to continue to exist, it could function with officials out of action, although Stammwitz didn't become Gen Sec until 1953.

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Re: Alan Francis Stammwitz b1906-

Post by Alex Holowczak » Wed Aug 15, 2012 10:17 am

Roger de Coverly wrote:It's well known from BH Wood's "notorious jailbird" quip and the subsequent libel case that Ritson-Morry was prosecuted for embezzlement , but this was during the war years.
I have the minutes book of the Warwickshire Chess Association from during the war years.

There was a SGM at the Midland Institute on Wednesday, May 15th, 1940. Both B.H.Wood and W.R.Morry are listed as being in attendance.

There was another SGM at the Midland Institute on Friday, May 26th, 1944. On this occasion, neither were in attendance, but had sent letters of apology.

Fast forward to the first post-war AGM on Friday, September 14th, 1945. Wood was in attendance, but there's no mention of Ritson at all, even as an apology. The meeting elected several committees, and Morry was on none of them.

Wednesday, September 11th, 1946 had an AGM with no sign of Morry. Wood was present.

Wednesday, September 10th, 1947 was the next AGM there was a new Secretary - Ritson! One thing that can be said is that his handwriting was better than his predecessor's handwriting. :lol: Ritson also won the Senior Individual Championship in 1946-47.

Anyway, this would mean that Ritson was either engaoled between 1940-1944, or 1944-1947. Of course, Ritson's apology in 1944 might have said something like "Sorry I can't attend, I'm in prison. See you in about two and a half years." It seems odd that he'd just disappear between May 1944 and September 1946 though, so the evidence seems to point to then, rather than "during the war years".

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Re: Alan Francis Stammwitz b1906-

Post by Gordon Cadden » Wed Aug 15, 2012 11:07 am

Just located "Chess for Schools" in my library. Was taught chess at 10 years, but did not take up competitive chess until nearly 30 years of age. Became Secretary of the Metropolitan Chess Club in 1939. A commercial accountant by profession. Very active in junior chess administration. First officially appointed County Junior Organiser in the UK. For some years, secretary or match captain of the Ealing, and Harrow Chess Clubs. Former President of the Middlesex, and Thames Valley Chess Leagues. Served as Treasurer and Secretary of the British Correspondence Association, and founder Secretary of the International Correspondence Association. An International Arbiter of F.I.D.E., and International Judge for Correspondence Chess. He controlled the Sunday Times National Schools Competition, since it's inception. Also a chess instructor appointed by the Greater London Council. A terrible tragedy that he should have served a prison sentence for bigamy. His immense work for the chess community, should be placed on record.
Last edited by Gordon Cadden on Thu Aug 16, 2012 4:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Peter Ackley
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Re: Alan Francis Stammwitz b1906-

Post by Peter Ackley » Thu Aug 16, 2012 7:26 am

Middlesex have a Stammwitz trophy - presented to the winner of the Middlesex Individual.

John Moore
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Re: Alan Francis Stammwitz b1906-

Post by John Moore » Thu Aug 16, 2012 6:29 pm

My recollection was that Ritson-Morry did 9 months for embezzlement according to the Chess of the time - as usual I don't have the issue to hand and yes I know B H Wood published it but if Ritson did time in Alcatraz, BHW would have told everyone in the known world.

And I may be wrong - but why Alex (who surpasses himself here!!) assumes here that because he wasn't at the AGM at the relevant times, he must have been in prison at one or other time beggars belief.

And, sorry, but Gordon - the immense work Alan Stammwitz did for the chess community hardly outweighs bigamy

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Re: Alan Francis Stammwitz b1906-

Post by Alex Holowczak » Thu Aug 16, 2012 7:06 pm

John Moore wrote:And I may be wrong - but why Alex (who surpasses himself here!!) assumes here that because he wasn't at the AGM at the relevant times, he must have been in prison at one or other time beggars belief.
It wasn't that he wasn't at the AGM. It's that he wasn't even listed as an apology for the AGM. He'd been heavily involved until 1945, then became heavily involved again in 1947. So my suspicion was raised.

Seeking confirmation, I spoke to the President of the Warwickshire Chess Association, who knew Ritson when he was still alive. He said that Ritson was in prison between 1945-46, because his court appearance appeared in a legal textbook, and the case was from 1945.

So it turns out that actually, I was right.

</satisfied gloat>