Cranston Trophy

Presented by Sir Robert Cranston, a Lord Provost of Edinburgh 1903-1906 to the Scottish Ladies' Chess Association in the year of its formation, 1905. On the amalgamation of this body with the SCA in 1921, the cup became the property of that association. It is an individual competition confined to lady members of the SCA, no handicaps being allowed.
(Glasgow Herald chess column, 10 May 1924, p. 4)

After the demise of the Stirling Ladies' Chess Club, it was played for yearly by a representative from each of the remaining Ladies' clubs, Glasgow and Edinburgh. It comprised of a match of three games.

The Edinburgh Ladies' Chess Club closed in 1967. The trophy continued to be competed for by independent lady players.

The Glasgow Ladies' Chess Club closed in 1989.

WINNERS (1905-1943)

EL - Edinburgh Ladies'
GL - Glasgow Ladies'
SL - Stirling Ladies'

There is no recorded winner for 1918, 1919 and 1946.

The engraving on the trophy shows the 1927 winner as J.C. Thomson. The Glasgow Herald chess column of 16 April 1927, page 4, indicates that 'Mrs J.F. Thomson, of the Glasgow Ladies' C.C., retains the Cranston Trophy...'

Thanks to Ken Stewart for help in compiling this list.

EL
1905
Miss I. S. Robertson
EL
1906
Miss S.E.S. Mair
EL
1907
Mrs M.M. Ritchie
EL
1908, 1937
Miss A.D. Cunninghame
EL
1909
Miss M.R. Forman
EL
1910
Miss J.H. Moorhouse
SL
1911, 1912, 1913
Miss C.E. Sanders
EL
1914
Miss M.C. Fitzroy
EL
1915
Miss M.C. Robson
EL
1916, 1917
EL
1920
Miss M.C. Forbes
EL

1921, 1936, 1939, 1942, 1943, 1944
GL
1922, 1923, 1924, 1941, 1945
GL
1925
GL
1926, 1927
EL
1928, 1932, 1948, 1950
Miss M.E. Edington
GL
1929, 1930, 1934
Mrs A.M. Sunter
GL
1931
Mrs L. Prenter
EL
1933
Miss E.H. Henderson
EL
1935, 1947
GL
1938, 1940, 1952, 1954, 1958, 1960, 1969,
1970, 1971, 1972
GL
1949
N.M. McEwen
1951
Mrs M.S. Hepburn
GL
1953
EL
1955, 1957, 1959, 1965
Mrs R.M. Jones
GL
1956
Mrs H.A. Waterworth
GL
1961
Miss J.D. Ferguson
GL
1962
W. Goldie
EL
1963, 1964, 1968
B.C. Mitchell
EL
1966, 1967
J.S. Bain
1973
M.E. Leask
1974, 1975, 1976
     
     

 

Compiled by Alan McGowan