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BRITBASE - British Chess Game Archive

Tournament: 34th British Chess Championship • Ch'ship 62+1/66, 6 play-off + 70+11 subsidiary games/part-games
Venue: Lounge Hall, Harrogate • Dates: 11-22 August 1947 • Download PGN • updated: Monday 17 April, 2023 10:43 PM

1947 British Chess Championship, Harrogate 1946« »1948

1947 British Chess Championship Draw No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12  Total 
1 Harry Golombek 1
&;
0 1 0 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 1 8
2 Reginald Joseph Broadbent 5 1
&;
0 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 8
3 Gordon Thomas Crown 9 0 1
&;
½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 0 ½ 1 7
4 (Philip) Stuart Milner-Barry 6 1 0 ½
&;
0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1
5 Richard Hilary Newman 8 0 ½ 0 1
&;
½ 1 1 1 0 0 1 6
6 Sir George Alan Thomas 2 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½
&;
1 0 1 1 ½ 0
7 Gabriel Jacquin Wood 11 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 0
&;
0 1 1 1 ½ 5
8 Gerald Abrahams 10 0 0 ½ ½ 0 1 1
&;
0 1 0 1 5
9 William Albert Fairhurst 3 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 1
&;
1 1 1
10 Ronald Blow 7 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 0 0 0 0
&;
0 1 4
11 Baruch Harold Wood 12 0 0 ½ 0 1 ½ 0 1 0 1
&;
0 4
12 William Ritson Morry 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 ½ 0 0 0 1
&;

1947 British Championship Play-Off, London, 18-27 October
Venue: Anglo-Soviet Chess Circle, 14 Kensington Square, London W8

1947 British Chess Championship Play-Off  1   2   3   4   5   6   Total 
 1 Harry Golombek 1 1 ½ 0 1 ½ 4
 2 Reginald Joseph Broadbent 0 0 ½ 1 0 ½ 2

n.b. Golombek clinched the match by winning the 5th game but the 6th game was played anyway.


1947 British Ladies' Chess Championship 1946« »1948

1947 British Ladies' Championship 1 2 3 4 5 6  Total 
 1  Eileen Betsy Tranmer
&;
11 11 ½1 11 9
2 Elaine Saunders (later Pritchard) 00
&;
½1 11 11 7
3 Edith Charlotte Price 00 ½0
&;
½1 10 11 5
4 Rowena Mary Bruce ½0
&;
10 4
5 Cicely Mary Murphy ½0 00 01
&;
11 4
6 Esme Hewetson 00 00 00 01 00
&;
1

Cicely Mary Murphy (1904-1990) lived in Whitchurch, Shropshire. There is more about her on the Shropshire chess website.

Elaine Saunders's full birth name was actually Dorée Elaine Zelia Saunders (born 1926, Brentford, Middx, died 2012) but she never used the first name and rarely the third name.

1947 BCF Premier Tournament

1947 BCF Premier Tournament Draw No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12  Total 
1 James Macrae Aitken 12
&;
½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 ½
2 Andrew Rowland Benedick Thomas 11 ½
&;
1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 0 ½ 1 ½
3 Herbert Gibson Rhodes 3 0 0
&;
0 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 1
4 Alan Fraser Truscott 1 0 0 1
&;
½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 0 1 6
5 Eugene Znosko-Borovsky 9 ½ ½ 0 ½
&;
½ ½ ½ 1 0 1 1 6
6 Victor Buerger 7 0 0 0 ½ ½
&;
½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 6
7 Edward Guthlac Sergeant 8 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½
&;
½ ½ 1 1 0
8 Alfred Lenton 2 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½
&;
1 1 1 1 5
9 Joseph Stone 10 0 1 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 0
&;
1 0 1 4
10 Kenneth Preston Charlesworth 4 0 ½ 0 0 1 ½ 0 0 0
&;
1 ½
11 Ronald Mackay Bruce 6 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0
&;
1 3
12 Hans Georg Schenk 5 ½ ½ 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 ½ 0
&;

Major Open
Section 1
: (1) Harold Saunders 10½/11; (2) Derek Geoffrey Horseman 7½; (3-5) Graham William Lines, D Smith, Harold Horace Watts 7.
Section 2: (1-2) Henry Holwell Cole, Harry I Woolverton 9½/11; (3-4) D H Butler, (Richard) Nevil Coles 7.
Section 3: (1) Philip Ashby Ursell 8½/11; (2) Leonard W Barden 8; (3) Philip E Collier 7.
Section 4: (1) Dr Kurt August Hirsch 8½/11; (2) Douglas Eric Arnold Riley 8; (3) Boleslaw Pawliszyn 6; (4) Eric Norman Bramley 5½.

First Class
Section 1:
(1-2) E Larsson, G Sutton 8/11; (3-4) Rev. Herbert Peach, G F Hawkins 7.
Section 2: (1) Roy A Wagstaff 9½/11; (2) Eric Henry K Beecher 8½; (3) T Watts 8.
Section 3: (1) George A Peck 8½/11; (2) D Gould 8; (3) R L Nunn 7½.

Second Class
(1) I P (Irving) Russell (Hull) 9/11; (2) W A Oddy 8½; (3) R D Hirsch 7½.

Third Class
Section 1:
(1) P Olney 10/11; (2) B Harmer 10; (3) J F Love 8.
Section 2: (1) P B Dodson 8/11; (2) H W Rayson; (3) R A Hubbard 6.


CHESS, Vol.12, no.144, September 1947, p350

BRITISH CHESS NEWS [unattributed but obviously by editor B H Wood]

The British Men’s Championship ended on August 22nd in a tie between Broadbent and Golombek, and the Ladies’ in an overwhelming win by Miss Tranmer. Broadbent came into the lead with no fewer than five others with 2½ points after the fourth round and at the end of the first week held a half-point lead in one of the most even fields the championship can ever have presented:

1. Broadbent 4 ; 2-5. Golombek, Milner-Barry, Crown and G. Wood 3½; 6-8. Newman, Abrahams and B. Wood 3 ; 9-10. Morry and Thomas 2½; 11-12. Blow and Fairhurst 2.

At the same time, it suddenly became apparent that Broadbent’s lead was a most precious one, because his programme of subsequent opponents (Morry, Milner-Barry, Blow, Newman and B. Wood) was easier than Golombek’s—Newman, Crown, Abrahams, G. Wood and B. Wood. In rounds 7, 8 and 9, both the rivals won, and now, with Blow and Newman to play and his half-point lead still intact, Broadbent looked safe enough. However, the unexpected happened, and he was held by high-class opposition to draws in each of the last two rounds. Every credit is due to Golombek for his admirable second-week score, against the opponents we have enumerated, of 4½ points out of 5. There is talk of the tie-match taking place at Hastings at Christmas.

CROWN’S SUCCESS

Third came Crown, the young Liverpudlian whom the Selection Committee had considered not good enough to compete! We understand that he was omitted from the team against Czechoslovakia because his postcard notifying his availability was lost in the post. His score of 1½ out of 2 in the match against Holland had surely justified his selection. He owed his chance in this year’s Championship solely to the withdrawal (once again!) of Combe. Such decisions as these play into the hands of those who argue that the whole system of selection should be abolished. On the other hand, the surprise selection of R. H. Newman was well justified by his imperturbable fighting spirit, and has introduced a new name to top British chess.

Miss Saunders, obviously not in good health, never looked like retaining her Ladies’ Championship and Miss Tranmer galloped home two points ahead. It is sad that last year ill-health should have similarly spoilt the contest, handicapping that time, Miss Tranmer.

Reviewing the arrangements, we must regretfully state that they provided no encouraging augury of the B.C.F.’s "new order" and reflected little credit on the Northern Counties’ Chess Union, hosts for the Congress this year. The hall was in close proximity to the Harrogate Spa Baths, was hot and stuffy and frequently pervaded by a sulphurous stench. The only communication with the outside air consisted of three doors about the size of an ordinary house door, letting out on to a small courtyard; above each of these doors was a large window, perpetually closed, which let in the sun but did not let out the air. Afternoon play was obligatory as the hall was needed each morning so that competitors were subjected for the main session to the maximum heat of the day, during a heat wave. The resemblance of the room to an oven was accentuated by the fact that the floor was quite hot in places, from underground steam pipes. In the circumstances, the test became one not solely of chess ability, but of physical stamina—we ourselves are not ashamed to confess that we practically "conked out" the second week, and throughout the score tables are to be seen other examples of rows of noughts in the final stages testifying to resignation to the conditions. We must be just—there was a lovely carpet on the floor, which made everything beautifully quiet.

POOR ORGANISING

The Harrogate club offered no collaboration whatever. Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Meek and Mr. Boyd, with the assistance of Miss Redhead, did everything personally—and this included arranging the opening and closing ceremony, and setting up and clearing away about ninety sets and boards daily. Naturally, last minute improvisations were the rule; players wandered round trying to find where they had to play adjournment sessions; play was actually starting as the last boards were being set out. The prize distribution has never, to our recollection, been so slipshod.

The programme drew the attention of all players to Rules 5 and 5a—but did not trouble to quote them, though there was a blank page available at the end. The Ladies’ Championship was a double-round affair, but only a single-round table was provided. One searched in vain for an indication of the prizes. One found printed the names of more than one player who (one found subsequently) had no idea he was in. The score boards commonly lagged about 24 hours in arrears of the results. Not enough programmes were done and a reprint had to be rushed through.

Briefly—organisers must look ahead; must use a little more imagination and efficiency. One cannot appreciate to the full most strenuous personal last minute efforts when they should properly have been replaced by intelligent delegation of work weeks before.


BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIP SELECTION [Letter to the editor published in CHESS, Vol.13, no.145, October 1947, p10]

Dear Sir,

The grossly unfair (or ill-informed) criticisms made in your report on the British Championship of the Selection Committee’s action in omitting Crown has goaded me into replying: I feel in a position to do so on this occasion as, while I am a member of the Selection committee I was not able to be present at the final choice of candidates this year.

Everyone who knows anything about the rival claims of entrants knows that at present it is extremely difficult to choose the "best twelve" and any decision made is open to criticism—particularly after the event. It is quite unjustifiable, however, to pretend that "surely" one particular player should have been chosen (just as unjustifiable as to say that some players at the bottom of the table should "surely" have been omitted) and then to use this as an argument to condemn the system of selection.

Selection, like everything else which involves the use of individual judgment, is a difficult job but it is a far fairer and more satisfactory method than any other. I won’t enter into a discussion of the alternative scheme of zonal tournaments, having already written to the B.C.M. on this, except to point out that with the scheme propounded in the B.C.M. by W. Ritson-Morry only one of the following players (all Londoners and none in the first four last year)—myself, Broadbent, Golombek, Milner-Barry, Newman and Thomas—could have been accepted for the 1947 tournament.

Yours, etc.

C. H. O’D. ALEXANDER.

This is the offending passage: "Third came Crown, the young Liverpudlian whom the Selection Committee had considered not good enough to compete! . . . . Such decisions as these play into the hands of those who argue that the whole system of selection should be abolished."

Even in cold retrospect, this remark seems very mild. As we write, Crown has just beaten Kotov in 35 moves.— Ed.


[Letter to the Editor, - CHESS, Vol.13, no.147, December 1947, p82]

Dear Sir,

I was dismayed by the tone and temper of some of the criticisms in your issue of September on the Harrogate Congress. May I make one or two comments?

First, on the merits. Without going into detail, I think it is only fair to the officials to say that I, as a fairly experienced congress-goer, have no complaint to make against the management of the Harrogate Congress. In my experience all chess congresses are well run and I have never met with anything but courtesy and efficiency, and good temper on the part of those who have the thankless job of conducting them. Harrogate was no exception to this rule, and until I read the comments in CHESS it simply never occurred to me that anything was amiss. I do not claim any special value for my testimony, but it is perhaps not irrelevant to say that I do not care for heat and any spell of hot weather makes me abnormally irritable and censorious; secondly from a personal point of view Harrogate was much the hardest tournament in which I have ever played, since I had a series of enormously long and exhausting games. I had therefore exceptionally good opportunities for observing the conditions of play, and a predisposition to find fault. I find it difficult to believe that, if there had been anything seriously wrong, I should not have noticed it.

Then about the prize-giving. Official ceremonies of any kind are not everybody’s cup of tea, and they are certainly not mine. But I do remember very clearly thinking that this particular example compared favourably with most of those which I have attended and slipshod is the last epithet which would have occurred to my mind as a suitable description for it.

There I must leave Harrogate, but I should like to make a most general point. The limits within which it is appropriate for an officer of any organisation, in his capacity as editor of a responsible journal, to go in criticising its activities are, no doubt, a matter of opinion and taste, on which Mr. Wood and I would probably take different views. But I beg him to believe that the strong pull which he gives to his oar within the B.C.F. is in danger of being rendered valueless by the rocking of the boat in which he indulges outside it. Constructive criticism provided that it is restrained, good-humoured and combined with an appreciation of the difficulties of the men on the job and of the energy with which they are tackling them, is indispensible to progress. But a reader coming fresh to CHESS and ignorant of the background, would, I fear, inevitably form the impression that the B.C.F. was not a body which deserved his support. At the most critical time in its history the B.C.F. needs every ounce of sympathy, understanding and practical help that it can get from all men of good will, and it would be little short of tragic if the weight of CHESS, however unintentionally, were to be thrown into the opposite scale. I do not know where we shall stand if the present financial proposals fail to win general approval, but I am convinced that we can say good-bye, probably for a generation, to the development of British chess which is now within sight, and which Mr. Wood’s own efforts have done so much to render possible.

I am, sir, etc.,

P. S. MILNER-BARRY.


1947 BRITISH BOYS CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP, Hastings, 14-19 April

Preliminary Sections: Monday 14 - Wednesday 16 April
Final Sections: Thursday 17 - Saturday 19 April

1947 British Boys Championship Final Residence 1 2 3 4 5 6  Total 
1 Jonathan Penrose UCS, London
&;
1 ½ 1 0 1
2 Leonard W Barden Whitgift, Croydon 0
&;
½ 1 1 1
3 Oliver Penrose London ½ ½
&;
½ 1 0
4 J P Russell Hull 0 0 ½
&;
½ 1 2
5 J Walker Maidenhead 1 0 0 ½
&;
½ 2
6 A John Roycroft Malvern College 0 0 1 0 ½
&;

1947 British Boys Championship Play-Off, Gambit Café, London, (started) 21 April

1947 British Boys Championship Play-Off  1   2   3   4   Total 
Jonathan Penrose 0 1 ½ 1
Leonard W Barden 1 0 ½ 0

BCM, April 1947, ppn 179-183 – by R. C. Griffith

The twenty-second annual contest for the Boys Championship of Great Britain held at the headquarters of the Hastings Chess Club at 7 Carlisle Parade, Hastings, will go down to history as one of the most successful for several reasons. First, because there was a record entry of thirty-five, from seventeen different counties; second, because of the extremely close contests, depending on the issue of a game which was only finished five minutes before the prize-giving; and thirdly, because one of the two who tied for the title, and ultimately won it, is under fourteen years of age.

The results of the six preliminary sections were in many cases quite contrary to expectations, for the Midland, Northern and Southern representatives failed to reach the championship final section. Even the London League nominee, O. Penrose, nearly failed to do so.

He was the London Boy Champion in January, and while the cognoscenti among the members and visitors of the Hastings Club, who were here last year, and especially those who were also members of the Croydon C.C. predicted a win for L. W. Barden, those who had followed O. Penrose’s successes in League and County (Essex) matches knew Barden would have no easy task.

As it happened, Barden’s games in the Preliminary rounds showed staleness, or perhaps over anxiety, or as Sir George Thomas suggested, his opponents knew he was a formidable player, and concentrated more when playing him, than their other opponents.

In section A with a round to go, O. Penrose was half a point behind D. J. [sic] Horseman, who, had he won his game v. G. Homer, would have qualified for the final, but in a more or less even position he lost his Queen by a diverging check, and O. Penrose scraped through.

In section B, the Sonnenborn-Berger system had to be brought in to decide between Calder-Smith, of Battersea and J. Russell, of Hull, this put the latter into the final. J. Penrose came through section C, five players only, with a clean score of four wins—this was unquestionably the weakest section.

In section D, L. W. Barden had a fairly easy passage, but had to concede a draw to C. H. Jackson, of Southampton.

In section E, A. J. Roycroft, of Malvern College proved a surprise and won all his games till the last round, when he lost to G. Benjamin, of Luton, who was still half a point below him.

J. Walker of Maidenhead played some good chess and showed promise of becoming a first-class player, he won 4 of his 5 games, and drew with N. Basco, of Cambridge High School.

The final section for the Championship was drawn as follows: 1. J. Russell: 2. L. W. Barden; 3. A. J. Roycroft; 4. O. Penrose; 5. J. Walker and 6. J. Penrose.

On Thursday morning [17 April 1947] the draw brought the brothers Penrose together, and a steady game ensued, which after some thirty odd moves was agreed as a draw, though some of the spectators thought Jonathan had a slight advantage. Walker and Roycroft, also drew, but Barden beat Russell. In the evening O. Penrose beat Walker, after a grim struggle, and his brother defeated Barden in a Four Knight’s Game which I give later. Russell beat Roycroft who sacrificed a pawn incorrectly in a well-known orthodox Queen’s Gambit Declined.

In the third round O. Penrose could make no impression on J. Russell, and agreed to a draw. Barden beat Roycroft, but J. Penrose, adopting the new line of the Slav. Defence failed badly against J. Walker. [J Penrose - J Walker game - viewer/download]

Scores now Barden and O. Penrose, 2. J. Penrose and Walker, 1½. In the fourth round on Friday evening [18 April], Walker and Russell had a level game and agreed to draw. J. Penrose beat Roycroft, but at 10.30 Barden and O. Penrose were still fighting a strenuous game, in which Penrose had won a pawn at some disadvantage in position— the position shortly before an adjournment of only 10 minutes! was as per diagram 1 [see viewer/download]

Resumed at 10.45, they played till 11.45, and both looked quite exhausted. After this the game could not be resumed till after the last round, the position at this adjournment was as follows.

The position on Saturday morning [19 April] was J. Penrose, 2½, O. Penrose and L. W. Barden, 2, with 1 adjourned. In the last round J. Penrose sacrificed a piece for 2 pawns, and had a draw by perpetual in the following position (Diagram 3). But he was determined to play for a win, and the game continued. [view/download]

Oliver Penrose, evidently tired out by his late sitting the night before played lifelessly against Roycroft, who obtained a good attacking position, which required very careful play on the part of the defender to avoid material loss. Penrose succeeded for a time, but presently overlooked the loss of a piece; while Barden defeated Walker fairly comfortably, winning a pawn in the opening. This left the position that Barden must draw his unfinished game with O. Penrose to tie with his brother, whose final score was 3½.

The game was continued at 2.30, in a room downstairs ... But he exchanged Bishops before taking the K R P and so was a move behind, allowing Black to draw.

The Committee decided that the two boys—both living in Greater London, should play off a tie match at the Gambit, 26 Bridle Row, starting at 2 p.m. on Monday, April 21st—until one of them won 2 games—draws not counting.

The remaining 29 players were sorted into Consolation sections in accordance with their positions in the Preliminary ones, i.e. the seconds in Section A, the thirds in Section B and so on.

The prize winners were as follows—

Consolation A: 1 G. Benjamin (Luton) 3½; 2-3 A. Calder-Smith (Battersea), P. Harris (West Bromwich) [score not given]
Consolation B: 1 J. F. Barratt (Southampton) 4; 2 D. J. [sic] Horseman (Coventry) 3½
Consolation C: 1 B. N. Lewis (Grays, Essex) 4½; 2 P. J. Burke (Reading) 3½
Consolation D: 1 R. A. Holmes (Gillingham) 4; 2-3 A. M. Edmonds (Southampton), M. N. Barker (Birmingham) 3
Consolation E: 1 L. G. Harris (Leyton) 3½; 2 C. H. Jackson (Southampton) 3

There were besides fifteen boys who entered for the Open Tournament, mostly from Hastings and surrounding district, who played in the evenings.

Sir George Thomas gave two books for the best-played games and the British Chess Magazine two books for the best two games by boys under fifteen.

These were adjudged by a Committe of three from some 20 games sent in. Sir George Thomas’ prizes were won by D. J. Horseman for his game with R. D. Hirsch, and A. Calder-Smith for his game against N. Basco. The British Chess Magazine prizes were won by M. N. Barker (v. R. D. Hirsch) and J. Penrose (v. N. B. Watts).


1947 British Boys' Championship - Play-Off, London, 21 April

The first game in the tie match was won by Barden and the second by Penrose. The third was a draw, but Penrose played exceedingly well to win the fourth game and the match.

In the tie match, Barden still played below form, but credit must be given to his opponent for his excellent play. He made no mistakes except in the first game, where he left himself open to a nice mating combination.


1947 BRITISH GIRLS CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP, 9-12 April

BCM, May 1947, p144

The British Girls’ Open Chess Tournament, 1947, organized by the Chess Education Society, was held at St. Bride’s Institute, London, from April 9th-12th.

The tournament was divided into a Senior Competition, for girls between 15 and 18, and a Junior Competition for girls under 15. Due to the number of entries, the Junior Competition was played in two sections. Results were as follows—

Senior (Under 18): (1) Audrey Pocknell (Bromley, later Carpenter) 6/6; (2) Sylvia Fisher 4; (3-4) Josephine Riley, Myrtle Butler 1.

Junior (Under 15) A: (1) Lesley Fletcher (Tiffin, Kingston) 7/7; (2) Valerie Heathman (Bristol) 5½; (3) S Fepps 4½; (4) Audrey Seaman 4; (5-7) E Bratton, J Smith, M Herbert 2; (8) J Locke 1.

Junior (under 15) B: (1) Jean Craker (Harrow, West London) 6/6; (2-3) Margaret Webley (Bristol), R Onn 4; (4-6) B Brand, G Green, H Smith 2; (7) Antoinette Fletcher 1.

Audrey Pocknell comes from Bromley and is to be commended for her clean score. Runner-up Sylvia Fisher was last year’s Junior Section winner.

In the final play-off of the under-15's, Lesley Fletcher, of Tiffin School, Kingston, and Jean Craker, of Harrow, who recently joined the West London club, drew a keenly contested game, and thus share the title for the coming year.

Valerie Heathman and Margaret Webley, two eleven-year-old competitors, travelled from Bristol to compete, and both succeeded in gaining second place in their respective sections.

The event proved an outstanding success, and great credit is due to the organizers and controllers, who included Mrs. Wheelwright, J.P., of the Herts Education Committee; Elaine Saunders, the British Lady Champion and herself a former Girls’ Champion; and Miss K. [Katharine Tate] Austin.

David Hardman, M.P., Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education, presented the prizes, and expressed his wholehearted support of chess in schools, although he admitted that he did not play himself. Miss Elaine Saunders commented on the general high standard of play attained in the Tournament, particularly in the Junior Sections.' The following game, the final play-off between the Junior Section Winners, is a good example— [Jean Craker - Lesley Fletcher. See viewer/download]

D. Brine Pritchard

A notable feature of this Tournament was some remarkably good play in the Junior Section (under 15). One felt that the juniors would give the under 18’s a very hard fight.

Above is the game which decided the result in the Junior Section, a fighting game, which, however, shows fine understanding of positional requirements.

Lesley Fletcher is the daughter of L. E. Fletcher who, during the war, several times successfully played for the R.A.F. in representative matches. He also reached the final in the R.A.F. Championship.


File Updated

Date Notes
2016 Original upload.
1 April 2016 Complete score of Schenk-Aitken, Premier Rd 8. Many thanks to Andy Ansel
7 April 2016 Complete games Abrahams-Milner-Barry, Rd 3, and Thomas-Broadbent, Rd 5. Again, many thanks to Andy Ansel. Also, Thomas-Fairhurst, Rd 3, which I discovered, and three games from lower sections, found by Brian Denman, for which many thanks.
18 April 2016 A further nine games played by William Fairhurst, from Alan McGowan's Fairhurst collection. Many thanks to Alan.
15 April 2020 1947 Lenton-Buerger scoresheetThe score of Lenton-Buerger, Premier Round 7, from a scoresheet contributed to the Facebook Chess Book Collectors group by Eric Fisher, and subsequently forwarded to me by Eduardo Bauza. Many thanks to Eric and Eduardo. Scan of the scoresheet shows a number of ambiguities and missing moves. If readers think they can improve on the interpretation of the score, please let me know.
16 April 2020 The score of Buerger-Schenk, Premier Round 10, from another scoresheet contributed to the Facebook Chess Book Collectors group by Eric Fisher, and subsequently forwarded to me by Eduardo Bauza. Many thanks to Eric and Eduardo. There is a slight mystery as to why Schenk resigned at the end.
11 November 2020 A much improved and wholly convincing reconstruction of the part-game W.R.Morry-R.Broadbent (rd 7) has been sent me by Han Bükülmez, which replaces my overly complicated one. Many thanks to Han for sending this.
8 June 2022 I've added Baruch Wood's report of the event in the pages of his magazine CHESS, including criticisms of the event and the selection process leading up to it, followed by letters reacting to his comments written by British Chess Federation grandees Hugh Alexander and Stuart Milner-Barry.
20 June 2022 A couple of moves added to E.Tranmer 1-0 E.Saunders, from CHESS, November 1947, p51.
12 July 2022 I've added some games from the Boys and Girls Under-18 and Under-15 events held in Hastings and London respectively at Easter. My thanks to Gerard Killoran for the Craker-Fletcher game, which also appears in BCM.
5 December 2022 A major update: until now BritBase featured 25 games and 9 part-games from the Championship, but thanks to the games from Eric Fisher's 76-page A4 booklet on the 1947 Harrogate Congress, this figure has now swelled to 62 complete games, 1 part-game (Blow 0-1 B.Wood, rd 1), with only three others missing (B.Wood 0-1 Morry, rd 6; G.Wood 1-0 B.Wood, rd 9; Newman 1-0 Morry, rd 10). Two further games from the Women's Championship have been added: E.Saunders [Pritchard] 1-0 R.Bruce, rd 1 and E.Saunders 0-1 E.Tranmer, rd 5. My thanks to Andy Ansel for inputting and sending the games.
11 January 2023 Added 30 scores of Premier tournament games input from Eric Fisher's 76-page A4 booklet by Andy Ansel, for which many thanks. This means we have 53 games and 3 part-games from a possible 66 Premier tournament games.
13 January 2023 Brian Denman points out that some of the rd 8 Premier games were given with an incorrect date. Now corrected. Many thanks to Brian.
17 April 2023 Added the game E.Tranmer ½-½ R.Bruce, rd 8, Women's Championship. Many thanks to Gerard Killoran who contributed the game via the English Chess Forum.