Queensland chess history (sf Brisbane Chess Club)

[PaulNoosa]

The zipfile has been prepared with a licensed version of WinZip (and is 124MB - less than half the image-based original) and all files were compressed with a licensed version of Adobe Acrobat, so I suspect the problem might be with your OS. But your post caused me to have a look again and I have discovered what has caused the problem. I simply hit the download button on the original DropBox package, downloading the 293MB file and that is where the problem is. The separately listed monthly issues are individual links to each file and appear to be complete. The zip file activated by the download button links contains the duplicate files, incorrectly dated files, etc. and misses some files. So over the next few days I will prepare the balance files and replace the overall package.

[PaulNoosa]

Further to the response above:
- The following additional issues are under preparation: Sep 1987, Sep 1990, Dec 1994, Dec 1996 (to be added to my zip file)
- The following issues were not included in the original post (either by individual file or in the zip file): Mar 1997 through to Mar 1998, Sep 1998, Jun-Sep 1999, Mar-Dec 2000 and Jun 2001
You might also note that if you have trouble with the original DropBox listing of "41 'QLD Chess' March 1999.pdff" simply drop the second "f" from the very end of the pathname i.e. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0s28vqe1c...arch++1999.pdf

[PaulNoosa]

The Queensland Chess zipfile that I uploaded to DropBox has been updated with the additional 4 issues referenced in #92 above - giving a total of 46 issues. The missing issues referenced above are still not there, but as I have mentioned I have copies in storage and when I settle I will tackle them (though that could be years away). Anyway, the full set of files that Ian uploaded has been rejigged as described above, but I also failed to mention another major improvement. Ian's scanning produced files of various resolutions, most of which resulted in page sizes larger than A4 (and hence larger files sizes). Queensland Chess had an A5 format (a folded A4), so I have resized all the files to an A5 page. The original link at #88 should give access to the updated zip file, but here is another one: https://www.dropbox.com/s/43v814n6cd...Chess.zip?dl=0

[blackbishop]

I can now readily access Ian's files on your Dropbox using my Ubuntu Desktop. Thank you for further reducing the file sizes and cleaning up the presentation.

I am forever being hounded by eager chess players wanting to scan their state's surviving chess magazines and bulletins to capture their state's chess history. Perhaps Paul could provide some information to assist them.
For example, what would be a good resolution to use. I used 150 dpi. It seems to me that an ordinary computer and printer/scanner produced satisfactory results.

[blackbishop]

Queensland Chess was edited by Ian Murray as a quarterly magazine between March 1987 and December 1996.

In 1997, David McKinnon and Alison Spears, “provided a quality magazine” and this level of effort was continued in 1998 by Kevin Casey with assistance from Ian Murray.

In 1999, Ian Murray and Jacob Edwards produced the magazine. Jacob retired as co-editor with the March 2001 issue.


FROM "QUEENSLAND CHESS MAGAZINE" December 2001


“Queensland Chess Magazine 1987 – 2001

Queensland Chess Magazine was reborn in 1987, when I agreed to a CAQ request to produce a 16 page quarterly magazine (the size was always exceeded, never less than 32 pages). By today's standards the product was primitive but effective, first produced on Commodore 64 computer and dot matrix printer, with lots of cut and paste additions the old fashioned way with scissors and glue. Modern desktop publishing technology allowed publication of a world class magazine in recent years.

New editors (David McKinnon and Alison Spiers, Kevin Casey, Wally Djachenko, Jacob Edwards) came and went, and I finished up back in the chair for the swan song.

As forecast at the beginning of 2001, the magazine has outlived its usefulness - this is the final issue. Spiralling costs and the time and effort required to compose and print each issue sounded the death knell - information can be circulated by the internet and e-mail more efficiently, more timely and at a fraction of the cost.

So, with feelings of regret and relief, I wrap up this last issue ready to print.

Ian Murray
Editor”

[blackbishop]

According to Ian Murray, there was a quality chess magazine produced in Queensland during the 1960s. John Gray's Northern Chess Newsletter would also be a great resource.

[Kerry Corker]

CAQ Records21.0 is now available on the dropbox below.
Some interesting statistics which will hopefully be compared to those of other states.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ihsxo...3az4foxvxbdwhs

[blackbishop]

The first chess club in Brisbane calling itself the Brisbane Chess Club, was formed at the South Brisbane Mechanics Institute in March 1866.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...20Chess%20Club

A month later, a press report refers to them as The South Brisbane Chess Club.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...20Chess%20Club

Attempts were made to form a chess club at the old North Brisbane School of Arts, where chess sets and tables had been provided, but by 1870, its seems that no chess club survived in Brisbane.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...20Chess%20Club

On October the 5th, 1870 a Brisbane Chess Club was formed at Moxley’s Hotel, Brisbane with Dr Prentice as president.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...20Chess%20Club

Dr Charles Prentice.
“Dr. Prentice was acknowledged as a leading botanist in Australia and was a founding member of the Brisbane Chess Club. He was the Surgeon Superintendent of the Woogaroo Lunatic Asylum and a member of the Royal Commission on Education in 1874. He arrived in Queensland from England in 1864 and settled in Woolloongabba, Brisbane where he lived until his death in 1894.” https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/175977...ngabba%20chess


By 1973, they were situated at the Royal Hotel in Queen St, then the Queen’s Hotel and by 1875, Sullivan’s Hotel. In 1877, the Brisbane Club had to be revived. Meetings were now held at Simmonds’ Cafe’ Royal with Mr Darvall as President. Many more changes of venue followed.

By 1897, when the Chess Association of Queensland was formed, many chess clubs staged inter-club matches under a fixture worked out by the CAQ or as inter-club friendly matches. The clubs included, Brisbane, School of Arts, City, Ipswich, Church Institute, Sandgate, Woolloongabba, Toowong, Ithica, General Post Office, Gympie and Government Printing Office.

[antichrist]

Amazing a club's roots going back to 1866. Sets from the Old Country presumably.

[blackbishop]

Queensland separated from NSW to become a self governing colony in June 1859. In March 1860, with a population of around 3000, Ipswich was declared a municipality.

In October 1862, The Courier reported under Country Intelligence, Ipswich, that “Several gentlemen, disciples of Phillidor”, want to start a chess club.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...20Chess%20Club

Apparently, the gentlemen had to wait until August 1867, when a meeting was organised at the local School of Arts for the purpose of forming a chess club.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...ts.%20%20Chess

The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933) Wed 7 Aug 1867
Around a dozen people fronted up and, “We have much pleasure in reporting that business was meant and that business was done.” All members of the new chess club to be members of the School of Arts.

Unlike the unfortunately defunct cricket club, by December 1868, the chess club had become one of the regular institution of the town.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...Herald%20Chess

The Ipswich School of Arts

In 1858 the Ipswich Subscription & Literary Institute, founded by Benjamin Cribb, became the Ipswich Mechanics’ School of Arts and was subsequently housed in the disused wooden court house, situated on the former Police Court Reserve. Using a government grant and loan a fine new building was constructed and opened in 1865. This was what is known as the old town hall, at
116 Brisbane Street, Ipswich.
https://www.ipswichlibraries.com.au/...ool-of-arts-2/

[blackbishop]

The same people who formed the new chess club at Moxley’s Hotel in Brisbane in October 1870
participated in the telegraphic match against Sydney as members of the Brisbane Chess Club in 1872.

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...archTerm=chess

They were true pioneers, self reliant and fraternal, creating history as they lived. They entertained each other
with song and recitation, writing expansive poetry to commemorate their victories and defeats, but, could they play chess?

Description and games from the inter-colonial chess match between Sydney and Brisbane in January 1872.
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches...on?cid=1026821

A return match took place in March of 1873. The games are on Paul Dunn’s Ozbase.
http://www.ozbase.com.au/games.html

[Patrick Byrom]

Amazing a club's roots going back to 1866. Sets from the Old Country presumably.

While a club called the "Brisbane Chess Club" existed in 1866, I'm not sure that the current club can be described as its successor. The club was 're-booted' in 1992, and has definitely existed continuously since then, but I'm unclear on the continuity before 1992.

Fun Fact: Charles Prentice has an orchid named after him.

[blackbishop]

[SIZE=3]Trove should be able to provide a history of the Brisbane club up until around 1950. The more recent history is more difficult to come by.


From “Basil” in “History of the Brisbane Chess Club.” 14-04-2007, 07:49 PM Entry 4


33 Years History & Counting
“Thanks to Jim Petrie for filling in a few more dots

1895 - School of Arts, City
--
1973-1980 State Services House, City (P) >'73 Bruce Holliday. (P) '74-85 Jim Petrie
The rent was raised and the club decamped
1980 The Contract Bridge Club, off Milton Road, Milton (temp home)
1980-1985 Metro Arts Centre, 109 Edward St, City (P) Kerry Corker
The rent was raised and the club decamped, again.
1986 Embroiderers' Guild 149 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley (P) Pat Byrom
1987-1991 Majestic Hotel, George & Turbot Sts, City (P) Paul Chalupa. 1991 (P) Lindsay Knight (dec'd)
1992 BAFS Building George & Turbot Sts, City (opposite) (P) Pat Byrom
1992-2007 Qld Contract Bridge Club, 67 Ipswich Rd, Woolloongabba (P) Pat Byrom”

From “Doc Holliday” Entry 28

“The Brisbane Chess club was in State Service House in Elizabeth Street before it moved to the Arts Centre in Edward Street. When I joined the club about 1971 Frank Pugh (former CAQ President) was the President of the club. In the early 70's there were many strong players attending like Michael Kuszelansky (9 times Qld Champ), Michael Dyson Tony Truscott etc. There was a short period between these two locations at QIT (now QUIT) about late 1980. As columnist of the Sunday Mail Chess column from June 76 to end of 1982 I reported on the Brisbane Chess club and other local events regularly. I continued scrap books of the column started by Frank Pugh who began the column in 1964. I also continued using his pseudonym Upminster for the column (where he had played chess in London before settling in Australia). The scrap books containing a lot of local chess history and were given to Craig Laird who was working for the CAQ in the late 80's but have since disappeared. Anyone wanting to do research could look them up in the State Archives. My main role was President of the Club from 1978 to about 1981 when Dr. Jim Petrie took over. I managed to win the club championship in 1980 and 1981.”

[blackbishop]

14 July 1877. Mr Wisker describes progress in the Brisbane Chess Club handicap tournament.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...20Chess%20Club

Sat 1 Dec 1877 Mr Wisker gives the tournament results.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...&searchLimits=

Sat 26 Apr 1879 Progress in a new tournament at the Brisbane Chess Club.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...&searchLimits=

Sat 7 Feb 1880 Meanwhile the Brisbane School of Arts Chess Club was alive at the new Ann St venue. Mr Wisker gives a simul’.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...20Chess%20Club

In 1881, Brisbane’s population was around 37,500.

Fri 21 May 1886 Formation of The City Chess Club, Brisbane. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...m=city%20chess

Fri 25 June 1886 Brisbane Chess Club still at the Coffee Palace. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a.../4489364/88651

Sat 4 June 1887
“The Brisbane Chess and Draughts Club has been resurrected, after a trance of some months duration. Like Lazarus, it was not dead, but slept. The annual general meeting was held at the Coffee Palace, Grand Arcade.” The elected President was Justice Mein, Secretary A E Wigan, Treasurer J Jacobson.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...m=city%20chess

Sat 17 Nov 1888 Formation of the Toowong Chess Club
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...ess%20Brisbane

Sat 3 Oct 1891 Brisbane playing Rockhampton and Bundaberg by Correspondence
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...20Chess%20Club

Tues 22 Nov 1892 Telegraphic matches with Toowoomba https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...20chess%20club

Sat 8 Jul 1893 A “very interesting chess tournament” and a dispute that reformed the Brisbane Chess club. Mr A Wallace, Queensland Champion, resigns from the Brisbane club over a disagreement concerning arrangements for the current club tournament.

“Unfortunately what turned out to be a very serious altercation took place place between one of the members, Mr Syson on the one side, and Mr Taylour, the then secretary, and Mr Wallace on the other, in connection with the preliminaries of the tournament, which caused the resignation of the latter gentlemen as members of the club greatly to the regret of every member, and a serious loss it has been to the interests both of the tournament and the club”
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...archTerm=chess

Wed 16 Aug 1893 Advertisements were placed for a meeting to establish a new Brisbane Chess Club.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...20chess%20club

This was a change of leadership of an existing club, rather than the usual reanimating of an expired chess club. The change may have been provoked by the above disagreement or perhaps there was some general disenchantment with the way the club was being run. While Walter Syson became the new treasurer and secretary, he did not maintain the posts for long. The Brisbane School of Arts Chess Club had an interest in the formation of the “new” club, if only to ensure that they had a healthy rival. J A Boyce, who was president of the Brisbane School of Arts chess club in 1893 became the president of the Brisbane Chess Club in 1894.

Thu 24 Aug 1893 The new chess club was offered the use of the Institute of Architects, Courier Building at the corner of Queen and Edwards Streets. Gone was the Cafe Royal.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...archTerm=Chess

Fri 3 Aug 1894 The Annual General meeting of the Brisbane Chess Club was held at the club rooms, Edward St. Elected President J A Boyce, Secretary, C W Poole, Treasurer, H E Smith.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...20chess%20club

In several later articles about Walter Syson and on the current Brisbane Chess Club website, Walter Syson is credited with having been the founder of the Brisbane Chess Club.

Sat 18 Jan 1896
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...ntry%20Journal

[blackbishop]

“I am but the last in the line - the columnists before me were Keith Whittam, Allan Wilkes, Bruce Holliday and the original Upminster and former CAQ president, Frank Pugh (although before my arrival in Queensland).” Ian Murray in Chess Chat, January, 2009

http://www.chesschat.org/showthread....highlight=pugh

Frequent articles on Chess, if not a regular chess column, first appeared in The Brisbane Courier, in 1870. A regular column with a problem, game and news first appeared in March of 1897.

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...archTerm=chess