tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37675897.post4475335686071710402..comments2023-12-28T02:11:22.501+00:00Comments on The Streatham & Brixton Chess Blog: The beginnings of organised chess: Brasen Nose Chess Club 1810-11, part 6 of 6. Tom Chivershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09850710685193416732noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37675897.post-59920092336200559032012-11-05T14:37:43.281+00:002012-11-05T14:37:43.281+00:00I'm not from England. I've never even vis...I'm not from England. I've never even visited the country. So my understanding of all things British is somewhat limited and probably skewed. But I have a peculiar interest in chess clubs the world over. So, I have a question. <br />That repository of all knowledge, Wikipedia (and therefore hundreds of other places), under the Philidor entry, claims: "In 1771 and 1773 Philidor made brief stays in London to play at the Salopian coffee-house, Charing Cross and at the St James Chess Club."<br />The only St. James Club I was aware of was of a much later date - Loewenthal was it's president and Morphy played his famous, and only, sighted simul. I know Philidor did frequent Parsloe's Coffeehouse which happened to be located on St. James Place. Would there be some confusion there? I really don't picture Philidor playing in an actual club, but rather someplace where there would be fast money to be made.<br />The book, "Round about Piccadilly" by HB Weatley in 1870 claims, "At "Parsloe's Coffee-house" "Johnson's Club " was held before it was removed to the "Thatched House." Here were the head-quarters of the celebrated chess club of which the great player, Philidor, was a member." Was there a Johnson's Club in Parsloe's?<br />To come full circle, Philidor was buried in the St. James Churchyard on Piccadilly (I love writing that word!).Sarah Bethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15056785834991507720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37675897.post-49215993202817147912012-10-20T17:59:36.668+01:002012-10-20T17:59:36.668+01:00I hadn't thought of looking there; I'll ch...I hadn't thought of looking there; I'll check it out next time I'm browsing in Blackwells on Broad Street.richardThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08226528568451779405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37675897.post-74127670489364925802012-10-20T13:33:06.024+01:002012-10-20T13:33:06.024+01:00Presumably you didn't shell out seventy-five n...Presumably you didn't shell out seventy-five notes for <a href="http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/9780199544868.do#.UIKZdG8xoxE" rel="nofollow">this</a>. but it might be worth asking somebody with deposit-library access (or other ways of reading it for nothing) to see if the club is mentioned.<br /><br />Of course similar college histories might be sources for information about other early clubs.ejhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01582272075999298935noreply@blogger.com