Lord Ebbisham and F St J Steadman

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Christopher Kreuzer
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Lord Ebbisham and F St J Steadman

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Mon Oct 13, 2014 4:46 pm

Does anyone know if the Lord Ebbisham listed here:

http://www.scca.co.uk/hist/hist_officers_1_index.html

Is the same as this person?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rowland_Bl ... n_Ebbisham

Probably the same, but wondered if there was more information out there.

And was wondering if the F St J Steadman is the same as this one:

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/ ... 1030012645

Appears to have been a dentist.

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Re: Lord Ebbisham and F St J Steadman

Post by David Gilbert » Mon Oct 13, 2014 6:05 pm

Steadman was a doctor, possibly a dentist or a dental anaesthetist. Somewhere in my possession there's a game from around 1914 that he played and lost to a young W.H.M. Kirk. Kirk was a very strong county player (first or second board for Surrey) who played in the 12-man British Championship at Ramsgate in 1929 won by Mir Khan, and was one of the great chess organisers doing one year as Manager of the Hastings Congress before his death. As I recall Steadman was terribly complementary about his opponent, and sounded a proper Gentleman, I think he missed a win, but without computers I suspect he went to his grave without finding it himself! If I find the game........

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Re: Lord Ebbisham and F St J Steadman

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Mon Oct 13, 2014 6:21 pm

Thanks, David! I think many people were 'proper Gentlemen' back then...

I found a portrait of Lord Ebbisham:

http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/searc ... =sit&rNo=0

He is mentioned in the chess literature as 'Rowland Blades' (and later Sir Rowland Blades after his knighthood). He was made a baronet in 1922, and elevated to the peerage in 1928. If you want to see him in his full ceremonial robes as Lord Mayor of London, there is a video clip at British Pathe, and him making a speech:

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/londo ... /recorders

Wonder how many of the chess officials of yesteryear we have video footage of? Admittedly not carrying out a chess function, but still.

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Re: Lord Ebbisham and F St J Steadman

Post by David Gilbert » Mon Oct 13, 2014 10:40 pm




How strange you should raise Dr Steadman today. The game above is from 100 years ago to the day. All the comments are from Dr Steadman made of course without the aid of a computer.

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Re: Lord Ebbisham and F St J Steadman

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Mon Oct 13, 2014 11:42 pm

David Gilbert wrote:How strange you should raise Dr Steadman today. The game above is from 100 years ago to the day. All the comments are from Dr Steadman made of course without the aid of a computer.
It was purely coincidental. It started from the discussion on chess clubs of yesteryear, when a link was provided to the historical pages maintained by the Surrey County Chess Association, and I noticed a couple of names that looked interesting in the list of past officers, namely two of the early SCCA presidents, Steadman and Rowland Blades (Lord Ebbisham), and wondered if (given the relative uniqueness of the names) if records survived relating to them.

The really amazing thing is that you had this information about Steadman and even this game that you have provided (many thanks for that). May I ask where the game was published? If it is the same Steadman whose army record in the RAMC I linked to earlier, it would have been some 1.5 years later that he would be serving in the RAMC (June 1916 - December 1918). I wonder if his birth and death years are easily looked up? Was he training in medicine when the war broke out, or already a medical practitioner? I think the latter, as that IWM record states "his responsibility to his wife and children rather than volunteering for active service". So not young at the time war broke out but young enough to serve (he was 34 years old). Another thing I noticed was:

http://www.biblio.com/book/local-anaest ... /237716174

That gives the name as Sidney Frank St. Jermain Steadman (I hope the Sidney is right, not sure where that has come from - some other sources say Francis instead of Frank, so some care is obviously needed). There also seems to be a 'Sidney F. St. John Steadman' that was legal counsel for the British Marconi Company. Note 'St John' instead of 'St Jermain'.

I think I found the death notice for Steadman:

"Frank St.J. Steadman, L.D.S. , M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., D.P.H. It is with great regret that we have to report the sudden death on April [??], of our member, Mr. Frank St.J. Steadman."

From 'The Dental Gazette' volume for 1942 (covers more than one year).

Obituary in the BMJ as well:

http://europepmc.org/backend/ptpmcrende ... obtype=pdf

Born in 1880, died in April 1943 (aged 63 if you believe the BMJ, or 62 if you go by the June birth date given elsewhere). The bit about this game being 100 years ago is quite appropriate, as I've been watching some more of the BBC documentaries on WW1.
Last edited by Christopher Kreuzer on Tue Oct 14, 2014 12:37 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Lord Ebbisham and F St J Steadman

Post by John Saunders » Tue Oct 14, 2014 12:01 am

Sidney Francis St Jermain Steadman, born 8 June 1880, New Malden, son of Sidney Francis St Jermain Steadman (yes, his father had exactly the same name!), Sidney jnr died 11 April 1943, Weir Hospital, Streatham.

Birth comes from Surrey baptismal records. Death from probate records.

I imagine he was known as Frank to avoid confusion with his father (who might have been the Marconi reference man? Sidney snr was a solicitor, born in 1855 in Leicester and died in 1927 in Buenos Aires, of all places.)
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Re: Lord Ebbisham and F St J Steadman

Post by Richard James » Tue Oct 14, 2014 12:23 am

In 1881 the family were living at 2 Florence Villa, Acacia Grove, New Malden: a current member of Chris's Richmond B squad, I believe, lives in the next road.

By 1891 Sidney senior's legal career was obviously flourishing as they'd moved to a bigger house, 19 Wandle Road, Wandsworth, where they'd acquired four more children and three servants.

1901 saw them in 12 Cavendish Road Balham, now with seven children.

By 1911 the older Sidney had moved to North London: 114 Broadhurst Gardens, Hampstead.

Meanwhile, your man appears as Frank St J Steadman (incorrectly transcribed as Frank St John Steadman, hence the confusion), a dental surgeon with a wife, two young sons, a cook and a housemaid, at 7 Effra Road, Brixton.

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Re: Lord Ebbisham and F St J Steadman

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Tue Oct 14, 2014 12:36 am

Goodness. I think Lord Ebbisham is feeling a bit left out. :D

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Re: Lord Ebbisham and F St J Steadman

Post by Richard James » Tue Oct 14, 2014 12:51 am

http://www.epsomandewellhistoryexplorer ... desGR.html

He officially inaugurated the Peace Memorial Hall, Ashtead, which is where Ashtead Chess Club currently meet.

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Re: Lord Ebbisham and F St J Steadman

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Tue Oct 14, 2014 8:29 am

"7 Effra Road, Brixton."

and I seem a recall a Streatham chess club official living in that road...

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Re: Lord Ebbisham and F St J Steadman

Post by Gerard Killoran » Wed Oct 15, 2014 5:33 pm

The BCM of 1916 carried the following story:

The game printed below is well named. It is not only an example of a popular opening, but it was played by men who are taking an important part in a French defence which we all hope soon to see develop into a formidable and decisive French attack. I have just received it from "Somewhere in France" from Pte. H. E. Warren, who writes me cheerily of his work and relaxations "over there." He says : " We have not done much chess here, though we brought along the chess-kit. We are all keen on the game, but naturally the work in hand comes first. We have played three matches, winning by 5 to 3, 5 1/2 to 2 1/2, and 5 1/2 to 2 1/2 respectively." Pte. Warren played top board in two first team matches, scoring a win and a draw. The drawn game is given below. Capt. Steadman, who played White, will be remembered as an old Surrey player and a member of the City of London Chess Club, who has done well in the competitions of that club. club. — Stratford Express.

A correction came later...

We quoted in our last issue, page 278, a game from the Stratford Express : White, Capt. Steadman ; Black, H. E. Warren. We have since noticed that our contemporary interchanged the names, and that Private Warren conducted the White forces.


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Re: Lord Ebbisham and F St J Steadman

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Wed Oct 15, 2014 5:46 pm

Wow, thanks. Wonder if any games by Lord Ebbisham (Rowland Blades) survive (assuming his games were worthy of publication)?

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Re: Lord Ebbisham and F St J Steadman

Post by Gerard Killoran » Wed Oct 15, 2014 6:58 pm

A few more Steadman games (the Kirk game above was in the BCM of that year). The last is well-known but the Deutsche Schachzeitung gives the date and event.










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Re: Lord Ebbisham and F St J Steadman

Post by Chris Steadman » Sun May 29, 2016 9:43 am

Just came across this site in connection with F.St.J. Steadman(Frank). He was my grandfather. He was both a medical doctor and a dentist. He was a consultant oral surgeon at the Royal Dental Hospital in London. He wrote a couple of dental books. One being Local Anesthesia in Dental Surgery which became a dental manual in the 1920,s. He was I believe a doyen of the dental profession. He became President of the Metropolitan Branch of the British Dental Association. He was educated at Dulwich College in South London. He stammered and he taught himself to control this by I was told looking in the mirror and putting a stone in his mouth. He succeeded pretty well as he was a lecturer at the Royal Dental. He had a big Victorian house in Brixton and a private practice in Streatham. In the First World War he saw service in France, Greece and Palestine. In Palestine he became Deputy Assistant Director Medical Services Egyptian Expeditionary Forces XX1st Corps. He kept a diary which he made into a book giving his experiences of war from a medical officer’s perspective. It makes interesting reading. I was told that he represented England against the USA in an international chess match using the new telegraph system. You made a move then sent it by telegraph to them, then they sent there’s back to you etc! But I have never found any record of this. From what I heard chess was one of his diving passions. He died at 63 after a heart attack.
I of course was brought up on chess. We had grandfathers old sets, one being a Capablanca board 10x10 2 extra pieces on each side. My father B.St.J. Steadman, also a doctor and dentist, told me that he and grandfather used to go to various town halls where grand masters were playing. For a fee they would play the grand master who would be blindfold. The grand master would play about 20 to 30 people remembering all the moves. I would play chess with my brother and father for hours sometimes not ending the games till well after midnight.
You mentioned S.F.St.J. Steadman (the elder) my great grandfather. He was a solicitor in the London Firm Steadman. Van Praag and Gaylor. He was also a Director of the Marconi Company and a friend of Marconi. I believe helping Marconi Patent his inventions. He was buried in Buenos Aires. But he in fact died on board the ship going there. He was I believe on Marconi Company business tracking down some person who had been fraudulent.
Looking at the games it is amazing realizing these were his chess moves and comments all those years ago..
Regards
C.St.J.Steadman(Chris)

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Christopher Kreuzer
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Re: Lord Ebbisham and F St J Steadman

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Sun May 29, 2016 10:17 am

Many thanks for posting this history of your grandfather and for the extra details of your great-grandfather! It is amazing how threads like this can revive when family members come across them. I presume you have been doing some research into your family history? Hopefully those with access to some old chess magazines and sources may be able to find more games, including some details of the England-USA international chess match. May I ask if you knew your grandfather or were you too young when he died, or did he die before you were born? Are there any photos available of him?

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