H W Calvert (Ilford; 5a) (Harold? William? Seemingly from N.Ireland originally, 1920s/1930s in Long Eaton, Derbyshire, 1940s/1950s in Ilford, Essex)
I agree with the forenames, but not entirely with the English timeline.
As John has probably already found this information, I will merely state that the 1901 Census and 1911 Census records provide a very strong candidate for a Harold William Calvert, born in either 1892 or 1893, being the Northern Ireland chess player. The evidence points to this person being brought up in the Strandtown area of Belfast and then in the mid-1920s becoming the honorary secretary of the Strandtown Chess Club.
His address in 1925 was 1 Ormiston Gardens, Knock - in the east of Belfast, like Strandtown [source: (Dublin) Evening Herald]. He continued to live in Belfast until at least 1932.
Now to connect him to living in England. I would summarise his time in English chess something like Lancashire 1930s, Derbyshire 1940s and Essex 1950s.
After 1932, the Northern Ireland H.W. Calvert goes missing from the radar but from November 1933 [source: Blackpool Times] a H.W. Calvert surfaces at the Blackpool Chess Club. According to the BCM he represented Lancashire in a number of county matches from 1934 to 1937.
The trail goes cold (for me anyway) until finding him in Derbyshire in 1945 [source Long Eaton Advertiser].
First, there is a report of him conducting a lightning tournament at the Long Eaton CC. At that point, he is a member of the Celanese CC (presumably in some way connected to the British Celanese - later Courtaulds - factory). Shortly afterwards is this report:
Long Eaton Chess Club has been fortunate enough to have Mr H. W. Calvert, of Borrowash, as a new member. He is an experienced player having played for several county teams. He will add considerable strength to the team as a top board player, and should prove to be a valuable coach to the local players.
He remains in Derbyshire until at least 1949. At some point the became captain of the county team, I found a reference to him playing on board 2 in a Derbyshire -v- Lincolnshire county match (played 7th December 1946 in Nottingham) in the 1947 BCM (page 13).
Heading on to Ilford, Essex in the 1950s, we have the references to him in the Gradings Lists. I have been unable to find any mention of him playing chess, but in 1957, 1959 and 1960 the BCM indicates that he is the Ilford Chess Congress Secretary to whom entries should be sent. So, now we have another address - 8 Harewood Drive, Ilford.
If there is a golden thread here, it is that Harold William Calvert involved himself in the organisational side of chess both in Northern Ireland and England.
