Records of Glasgow University Chess Club, university society, University of Glasgow, Scotland

• Letter to the President of the Glasgow University Chess Club 1924

Glasgow University Chess Club was formed at a meeting held in the Union on the 13th June, 1907  . The object of the club was the "cultivation of chess as a scientific game". Several tournaments were to be played, including matches arranged with other universities and chess clubs, as well as a students versus staff match. Membership of the club was open to Glasgow University students, graduates, and members of staff. The club was affiliated to the Union and met there one evening per week. When it was established several recognised experts of the game, such as the amateur champion of Scotland in 1907, Mr W Gibson, agreed to play consultation games with members of the club to teach them the science of the game. The club became dormant during the First World War but was revived in March 1919 and membership for the year cost 2 shillings and 6 pence. The club now offered lectures throughout the year where well-known Glasgow chess players would teach the principles of the game. Although the chess club is not mentioned in every edition of the student handbooks, it seemed to have continued throughout the years as a club for members to partake in a game of chess. From the handbooks it states that there were always chess sets available on the top floor of the Union in the billiards room. In 1966/67 the club is described as the most rapidly expanding section of the Union, represented by 2 teams in the Glasgow league and participating in the Richardson Cup as well as in the Scottish and British Universities' Championships. It had both first and second division teams. It is also made clear that the chess club subscription was purely nominal with all financial backing coming from the Union. By 1971 it was able to boast of having won the Glasgow league and the National Scottish Club Competition. After these successes the club did not feature in the handbooks again until 1993, when it could report having two teams in the Dumbartonshire league in addition to the club championships. The University Chess Club was still active in 2005.

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Gift : Neil K Dickson, Department of Mathematics, University of Glasgow : 29 March 1996 : ACCN 1480

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GB0248 DC094 Records of Glasgow University Union

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Description compiled in line with the following international standards: International Council on Archives,ISAD(G) Second Edition, September 1999 and National Council on Archives,Rules for the construction of personal, place and corporate names

Scotland is the location of all place names in the administrative/biographical history element, unless otherwise stated.

Fonds level description compiled by Martin Salmon, Archive Assistant, 04 April 2006 .