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Robert Pirrie
April 1828, Glasgow ─ 11 December 1913, Glasgow (aged 85)
A longtime member of Glasgow Chess Club, he was also Hon. President of the club for nineteen years. He presented to the club a document dated 1827 addressed to his uncle, Alexander Glasgow, which showed that a chess club existed in the city earlier than the official 1840 date of Constitution for Glasgow CC.
He was also associated with Hillhead CC, Glasgow, to which he presented a silver cup in 1891 for annual competition.
Extracted from the web site for Glasgow's Digital Library:
He was a partner with his younger brother in the firm of Pirrie, Foote & Co. Engaged as a merchant during the greater part of his life.
For many years he was a Director of the National Bible Society of Scotland, and in 1905 became one of its Vice-Presidents. Among other institutions also he has long been a Director of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children, and of the Glasgow Sick Poor and Private Nursing Association.Extracted from the History of Glasgow Chess Club (unpublished), compiled by Ken Stewart:
Chapter 10 One notable gift to the Club by Mr Pirrie was the chess column of the Illustrated London News from its beginning in 1842 till end of 1888. Bound in two volumes this is an interesting record of the game during a period of forty-six years.
The Glasgow Chess Club - 20th Century The season 1913-14 in fact saw a series of losses to the Club. In December Robert Pirrie died aged 85 after a spell of 25 years in the office of Honorary President. "He held a unique position in the Club. He retired many years ago from active play but was revered and loved for his amiability of disposition and deep interest in the game. He was a good player in his younger days and fully appreciated strong play in others."
Alan McGowan
Historian/Archivist, Chess Scotlandupdated 10/12/2020