Joseph Woods chess notebooks

[John Townsend]

The will of Joseph Woods has arrived. It contains a surprising amount of detail about his books and manuscripts, including many botanical. I think the following section is the most relevant:

" ... I give to Elizabeth Mannington one hundred pounds the Imperial Gazetteer the Transactions of the Antiquarian Society of Sussex Stauntons hand book on Chess and the little black book 16mo. with M.S. positions in Chess & Draughts. I give to my brother George Woods the Ordnance map of Devonshire / in Cases / Mills Principles of Political Economy & his Essay on representative government & all my other Books & M.S. on Chess & Drafts & to my friend Burwood Godlee the board & the set of Ivory Chess men with which we have so often played together ..."

Later:

" ... All my own M.S.S not botanical I give to my nephew Edwards [sic] Woods ..."

However, I don't think there is a conflict here, since the earlier bequest to George Woods clearly disposed of all his chess books and manuscripts, so I take it that the chess note-books, if they were still in Joseph's possession when he died, went to George Woods.

He also says later:

"I do not mean to include among the M.S.S whether Botanical or not the Notes I may have made in any printed book not herein mentioned."

However, it is hard to see that applying to the chess note-books.

I assume that "my friend Burwood Godlee" was a fellow Quaker. He was a merchant, of Lewes.

Is George Woods known as a chessplayer?