Oh, What a Lovely War!

Historical knowledge and information regarding our great game.
Gordon Cadden
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Re: Oh, What a Lovely War!

Post by Gordon Cadden » Sat Nov 22, 2014 3:39 pm

John Townsend wrote:
I now believe that the chess player whose name appears variously as A. , A. E. , E. A. or Capt. Beamish was Edmund Arthur Beamish and not his tennis-playing brother, Alfred Ernest.
That seems more probable. However, it is Alfred Ernest Beamish who can be more readily associated with Hampstead. He appears in Hampstead electoral registers, including in 1915, 1922, and 1923. The address used in correspondence about his medals, 4 November 1923, was 10 Dene Mansions, Dennington Park Road, West Hampstead, NW6.

In 1914 and 1915 Edmund Arthur Beamish was in West Kensington electoral registers (8 Gwendwr Road).

This may not be important. Edmund Arthur Beamish may have lived near Hampstead at other times, and in other ways he seems much more likely. It is also possible that they both played some chess.
My Hampstead Records show him as A. Beamish. He represented Hampstead in a 5 board friendly match against Dublin. July, 1908

Barry Sandercock
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Re:MSI finals

Post by Barry Sandercock » Sat Nov 22, 2014 4:23 pm

Very interesting live games on chessengland.com website.

Gordon Cadden
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Re: Re:MSI finals

Post by Gordon Cadden » Sat Nov 22, 2014 5:57 pm

Barry Sandercock wrote:Very interesting live games on chessengland.com website.
World Chess Championship on "Columbo" right now. US5

John Townsend
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Re: Oh, What a Lovely War!

Post by John Townsend » Sun Nov 23, 2014 12:55 pm

According to the New Zealand Herald (26 December 1908, Page 4), "A. Beamish"
had played at the Hampstead Chess Club in 1906:

"Played 1906, in the Hampstead Chess Club:-
The King's Bishop's Gambit.
White, A. Beamish; Black, N.N.
1 P-K4 - P-K4
2 P-KB4 - PxP
3 B-B4 - Q-R5ch
4 K-B - P-KKt4
5 Kt-QB3 - B-Kt2
6 P-Q4 - P-Q3
7 Kt-KB3 - Q-R3
8 P-KR4 - P-Kt5
9 Kt-KKt5 - B-K3
10 BxB - PxB
11 BxP - P-K4
12 QxP - PxB
13 Q-B8 ch - K-K2
14 Kt-Q5, mate."

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Gerard Killoran
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Re: Oh, What a Lovely War!

Post by Gerard Killoran » Sun Nov 23, 2014 4:17 pm

As I pointed out, Capt. E. A. Beamish was identified twice as playing for Hampstead in BCM 1935. It is possible, but not likely that both brothers played for Hampstead but I would have expected chess magazines to distinguish between them by use of their first names - as they did with Fred and Frank Brown of Dudley. Capt. E. A. Beamish ended his days playing for West London and continued doing so after the death of Alfred Ernest.

Much as I would like to have Alfred Ernest Beamish being a chess player there is no evidence that he ever played seriously. Initials are a minefield in researching the era. Alfred Ernest Beamish is sometimes referred to as E. A. Beamish and his wife Geraldine as Mrs E. A. Beamish. As for S. F. Smith and F. S. Smith, don't get me started!

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Gerard Killoran
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Re: Oh, What a Lovely War!

Post by Gerard Killoran » Wed Nov 26, 2014 10:50 pm

There is a reference to Beamish the chess-player being good at sport, but I'm afraid this time it's golf.

From The Morpeth Herald - Friday 30 August 1912

CHESS AND GOLF, Mr. R. C. Griffith, who distinguished himself so greatly in the Championship Tournament at the Richmond Chess Congress, is an excellent golfer, and filled in a good deal of his time with practice on the Mid-Surrey course, where he is a member. Other well-known Chess-players to whom a golf bag is an essential are Mr. Beamish (another excellent golfer), and Mr. A. J. Mackenzie, Mr. E. Macdonald, and Mr. Wardhaugh (who are among the long handicap brethren).

Here Beamish ends up in the bunker against a fellow golfer:


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John Clarke
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Re: Oh, What a Lovely War!

Post by John Clarke » Thu Dec 04, 2014 7:37 am

Gerard Killoran wrote:Initials are a minefield in researching the era. Alfred Ernest Beamish is sometimes referred to as E. A. Beamish and his wife Geraldine as Mrs E. A. Beamish. As for S. F. Smith and F. S. Smith, don't get me started!
"Initials and nicknames are the curse of this country." - J B Priestley The Image Men
"The chess-board is the world ..... the player on the other side is hidden from us ..... he never overlooks a mistake, or makes the smallest allowance for ignorance."
(He doesn't let you resign and start again, either.)

Reg Clucas
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Re: Oh, What a Lovely War!

Post by Reg Clucas » Fri Dec 19, 2014 9:13 pm

JustinHorton wrote:War Game
General Joffre's chessboard has interesting dimensions - 13 x 10 if I count correctly.

Gordon Cadden
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Re: Oh, What a Lovely War!

Post by Gordon Cadden » Sat Dec 20, 2014 9:39 am

The 1906 BCM volume, has a group photograph of A. Beamish. Unusual, in that he did not have a moustache.
At least the 20th. century players did have initials. Take a look at George Walkers games played by Philidor. Not one of Philidor's opponents was given the courtesy of an initial.

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Gerard Killoran
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Re: Oh, What a Lovely War!

Post by Gerard Killoran » Mon Dec 22, 2014 5:29 pm

Gordon Cadden wrote:The 1906 BCM volume, has a group photograph of A. Beamish. Unusual, in that he did not have a moustache.
Nor did his brother, but it is clear from photographs of A. E. Beamish the tennis player that he is not the A. Beamish in the above despite a similarity. They were brothers after all.

John Townsend
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Re: Oh, What a Lovely War!

Post by John Townsend » Fri Dec 26, 2014 10:57 am

According to the Western Times (13 February 1905, p.3.), a player named as "A. Beamish" was in a Devon side against Kent. He lost to W.B. Dixon. The match was in London.