Post
by Kevin Thurlow » Fri Mar 24, 2023 7:49 pm
Other MPs with an interest in chess were Sir John Simon, and Sir Richard Barnett (reckoned to be second only to Bonar Law in ability). Reginald McKenna won the House of Commons Chess Championship in 1901-02.
A free extract from my book on Civil Service chess:-
"The Manchester Evening News reported on 8th September 1887,
‘The Speaker has so far accommodated the sporting instincts of members as to give his consent to chess being played in the Smoke-room of the House of Commons; and last night the first chess party was made up consisting of Lord Carmarthen, Mr Evelyn, Mr Boord and Mr CS Parker. The noble marquis is a young gentleman of decidedly sporting tendency, though he keeps it well under control. Since he has been in the House he has shown that he is quite capable of developing into a useful matter of fact, business-like member, and having the advantage of being son & heir to a duke, will no doubt have a fairly brilliant ministerial career.’
The newspaper did not seem to like him much. In fact when the marquis (originally George Osborne) inherited his father’s title, becoming 10th Duke of Leeds in 1895, he left Parliament. He was briefly treasurer of the household, which gave him membership of the Privy Council."
