R K Leather and Myer Kaizer of Liverpool Chess Club

Historical knowledge and information regarding our great game.
Post Reply
User avatar
Gerard Killoran
Posts: 1003
Joined: Sun Oct 04, 2009 11:51 am
Contact:

R K Leather and Myer Kaizer of Liverpool Chess Club

Post by Gerard Killoran » Tue Mar 15, 2016 2:12 am

A visit to Ilkley by R K Leather inspired this blogpost...

http://ilkleychess.blogspot.com/2016/03 ... t-and.html

...criticisms and suggestions welcome.
Last edited by Gerard Killoran on Fri Aug 25, 2017 3:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.

David Robertson

Re: R K Leather of Liverpool Chess Club

Post by David Robertson » Tue Mar 15, 2016 11:51 am

Lovely! A fascinating blog. From what I've read about Amos Burn, I'd endorse the scepticism about the nature of his relationship with Leather: Burn was (improbably for such a saturnine countenance?) something of a ladies' man.

User avatar
MJMcCready
Posts: 3140
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2013 2:30 pm

Re: R K Leather of Liverpool Chess Club

Post by MJMcCready » Tue Mar 15, 2016 12:15 pm

Interesting post. Well done.

Kevin Thurlow
Posts: 5802
Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2008 12:28 pm

Re: R K Leather of Liverpool Chess Club

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Tue Mar 15, 2016 2:22 pm

Yes - very interesting. Do we know anything of J Mawson of Ilkley?

User avatar
Gerard Killoran
Posts: 1003
Joined: Sun Oct 04, 2009 11:51 am
Contact:

Re: R K Leather of Liverpool Chess Club

Post by Gerard Killoran » Tue Mar 15, 2016 4:12 pm

Other than his first name being John, I've not yet found out much about Mr Mawson but he wasn't one of our strongest players.

As for Burn's sexuality, can I remind you that both Oscar Wilde and Richard Le Gallienne were married with children. In fact, Le Gallienne married three times despite being most probably a lover of both Wilde and Leather. Sexuality wasn't as clearly defined in the past as it is now - the term homosexuality wasn't even coined until the late 19th century. Also love and marriage didn't always go together like a horse and carriage. How we see them now isn't necessarily how they saw themselves.

Richard James
Posts: 1170
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 7:34 pm
Location: Twickenham
Contact:

Re: R K Leather of Liverpool Chess Club

Post by Richard James » Tue Mar 15, 2016 5:07 pm

Leather was also married - to Amelia Hensley Foster. The marriage was registered in Newton Abbot in Q3 1892. I can't find any records of children from this marriage, though.

It appears that Amelia was born in 1848, making her 16 years older than her husband. She died in Ringmore, Teignmouth, Devon (which was where RKL had also died) on 8 September 1925.

JamesGallagher
Posts: 35
Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2015 11:43 am
Contact:

Re: R K Leather of Liverpool Chess Club

Post by JamesGallagher » Thu Jun 23, 2016 8:24 pm

liverpoolchess1890 players.jpg
liverpoolchess1890 players.jpg (219.12 KiB) Viewed 2940 times
There is a picture of RK Leather in the Cover Photograph of the Liverpool Chess Club page
https://www.facebook.com/LiverpoolChessClub/

Mr Leather is the first on the left of the front row of the picture, Amos Burn is also in the picture with many other leading players of Liverpool chess club taking part in a blindfold simultaneous match against JH Blackburne
The event took place on 30th November 1889 at the Liverpool Chess club home in the City Buildings on Eberle street, Liverpool

The homosexual reference is not helped by Eberle street today being the home of Garlands and the G-bar nightclubs in Liverpool city centre!
James Gallagher
President of Liverpool Chess Club
07789 924983
www.facebook.com/Liverpoolchessclub/

Mike Truran
Posts: 2393
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2007 3:44 pm
Contact:

Re: R K Leather of Liverpool Chess Club

Post by Mike Truran » Thu Jun 23, 2016 9:01 pm

James

Brilliant research - congratulations.

Mr W Clissold (Hon Sec, third along from the left) - maybe a relation of Julian, one of our present NEDs on the ECF Board and also a stalwart northerner?

Mike

User avatar
Gerard Killoran
Posts: 1003
Joined: Sun Oct 04, 2009 11:51 am
Contact:

Re: R K Leather of Liverpool Chess Club

Post by Gerard Killoran » Fri Jun 24, 2016 6:03 pm

I have recently discovered that M. Kaizer had the first name Myer and changed his name to Myer Kaye in 1919 having left Liverpool to become the headmaster of the Jewish orphanage, Norwood.

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/iss ... /page/5583

JamesGallagher
Posts: 35
Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2015 11:43 am
Contact:

Re: R K Leather of Liverpool Chess Club

Post by JamesGallagher » Fri Jun 24, 2016 6:43 pm

Mike,

Ref - Mr W Clissold (Hon secretary)
I have already been in touch with Julian to see if a relative and alas not so, but there is also a Richard Clissold who plays for Widnes Chess club that I have not managed to discuss this matter with as yet, or if anyone knows him please ask?

Gerard,

Ref - Mr Kaizer
Very interesting about Mr Kaizer name change and new occupation but maybe not surprising as this was just after WW1, Mr Kaizer was clearly a top chess player, some research currently underway on Liverpool Chess club has revealed he won the much acclaimed "Liverpool table tournament" in 1894 but also won the annual club tournament under it previous name of the Lister tournament after Mr J Lister (also in 1889 picture - 3rd from right standing) as he donated the prize fund for the tournament until the "Table" was purchased in 1892 for £15 and can be seen here (more pictures of the table on the Liverpool Facebook page including some of the winner name plates engraved on it)

There was also a Mr HW Keizer who was the secretary of Liverpool Chess club in 1909 who I know nothing else about at present but must be a relative I would imagine?

The table tournament is still challenged for today amongst the members of Liverpool Chess club with a new winner due to be crowned this month after the final round is played

Jim

Liverpool Table pic.jpg
Liverpool Table
Liverpool Table pic.jpg (110.48 KiB) Viewed 2803 times
James Gallagher
President of Liverpool Chess Club
07789 924983
www.facebook.com/Liverpoolchessclub/

JamesGallagher
Posts: 35
Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2015 11:43 am
Contact:

Re: R K Leather of Liverpool Chess Club

Post by JamesGallagher » Thu Aug 24, 2017 9:25 pm

New picture of RK Leather found in the Liverpool Chess Club archives
IMG_0370.JPG
IMG_0370.JPG (63.92 KiB) Viewed 2097 times
James Gallagher
President of Liverpool Chess Club
07789 924983
www.facebook.com/Liverpoolchessclub/

JamesGallagher
Posts: 35
Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2015 11:43 am
Contact:

Re: R K Leather of Liverpool Chess Club

Post by JamesGallagher » Thu Aug 24, 2017 9:56 pm

IMG_0828.jpg
IMG_0828.jpg (983.86 KiB) Viewed 2084 times
The 1892 Liverpool Chess club famous Table Tournament is still running today between all first team players of the club. This year the Table winner was young James Friar who's name is now being added to the table. The table has been restored this summer and will be back on display in the club after an absence of over 30 years and all names of all winners back to 1892 will be proudly displayed.
The picture shows M Kaizer (mentioned in this thread) winning the table in 1894 alongside the original winner James Cairns in 1892 and 1893.
James Gallagher
President of Liverpool Chess Club
07789 924983
www.facebook.com/Liverpoolchessclub/

JamesGallagher
Posts: 35
Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2015 11:43 am
Contact:

Re: R K Leather of Liverpool Chess Club

Post by JamesGallagher » Fri Aug 25, 2017 3:09 pm

A new picture found in the Liverpool Chess Club Archives of a young M Kaizer who's name is on the Liverpool table as the winner of the tournament back in 1894 above
IMG_0383.jpg
IMG_0383.jpg (961.84 KiB) Viewed 1987 times
James Gallagher
President of Liverpool Chess Club
07789 924983
www.facebook.com/Liverpoolchessclub/

User avatar
Gerard Killoran
Posts: 1003
Joined: Sun Oct 04, 2009 11:51 am
Contact:

Re: R K Leather and Myer Kaizer of Liverpool Chess Club

Post by Gerard Killoran » Fri Aug 25, 2017 3:35 pm

Myer Kaizer also appears in this photo, standing next to Blackburne.
The_British_Chess_Magazine_1898.jpg
The_British_Chess_Magazine_1898.jpg (192.27 KiB) Viewed 1970 times

Post Reply