At the recent club AGM, Chris turned up with a bucket load of chess-related stuff (books; sets; clocks; scoresheets; computers; files) that had been gathering dust in his garage/shed for many years. While some of this was so past its sell-by date that no takers could be found, a surprising amount found a new home, and as current Club Organiser, I felt it was my duty to take possession of two folders worth of old Club records/correspondence (we are pre-email here, of course). And when I started to look through it a couple of days ago, I found a veritable treasure trove of information, of which all but the longest standing club members (Bruce and Bernard) will be blissfully unaware - and even they will have forgotten most of it! So I thought I should share some of the more interesting fragments of club history with you.
January 1975 - KCC has just been formed (only 3 years after the Fischer chess boom!) and the club is looking for friendly matches ahead of joining the Leamington League in the 75-76 season. Bruce is leading the admin effort, and makes sure to enclose a stamped addressed envelope in communications! Leamington, Automotive Products and Barford are identified as the most likely opponents. The Club meets on Thursday at St Francis of Assisi Church on Warwick Road.
March 1975 - Ouch! In possibly the first ever KCC match, on March 20th, the club gets thrashed 0-7 at home by Leamington in a friendly.
Wednesday 29 May 2019
From the Archives - Part 1, 1975/76
June 1975 - The club bounces back to see off Automotive Products 5-2 in an away friendly on June 9th, and one week later gives Barford a good whooping by 6.5-0.5. A major expenditure of £4.16 is made on 8 roll-up boards.
July 1975 - We enjoyed beating Barford so much, we did it again! This time at home by 4-2 on July 3rd. There is a managerial casualty as the Treasurer (Brian Daniels of Windy Arbour) resigns, due to a clash with his singing rehearsals.
August 1975 - On the 27th of the month, we formally apply for membership of the LDCL. Were we accepted? The records don't say, but I'm assuming the answer was yes!
September 1975 - At the LDCL AGM on September 15th, our A team is placed in Division 1 (with Banbury, Daventry, Leamington, Rugby, Stratford and Warwickshire Constabulary) and our B team in Division 2 (with AP A, AP B, Banbury B, Banbury C, Barford, Daventry B, Daventry C, Leamington B, Rugby B, Rugby C, Rugby D and Stratford B. Three days later KCC holds an EGM to prepare for its debut competitive season.
October 1975 - In what may be the first ever KCC league matches, the A team goes down 1.5-3.5 in a Div 1 match at home to Stratford A, and the B team loses 1-2 to Stratford B. Colin Searle wins on top board for Stratford A, while Kenilworth A's sole victor is Barry Rowe on Board 3. The only winner for the B team is ….. Bernard Rogers. Did Barry or Bernard score our first ever win, I wonder? One week later the B team beat Automotive Products B 2-1 at home, with Bernard winning again on Board 1.
November 1975 - Chess must be booming in Kenilworth as another 8 roll up boards are purchased. But the price has already increased to £4.80. If only they'd bought 16 in June, the Club would be 64 pence better off, Probably the upheaval of finding a new Treasurer was to blame for this monumental inefficiency. On November 20th a Club "Lightening (sic) Tournament" is held with 14 players. The winner is Graham Brightwell with 7/7. Bernard scores 3.5 and Bruce 3.
December 1975 - And now £9.80 is spent on 4 chess sets. I cannot understand how Tournament Chess Supplies is no longer trading 44 years later given the vast sums being spent by KCC.
May 1976 - The first season is over, and the A team scored 7/24 in Div 1, while the B team finished with 15/24. Bruce proved difficult to get to the board, managing only two appearances all season, while Bernard chalked up 5/6 for the B team, and 1/2 for the A team. At the AGM (May 6th) the draft club Constitution is up for adoption. If it was agreed and never amended, we have been unconstitutional for many, many years!
Thrilling stuff, eh? Almost makes you feel you were there.
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