Glasgow Chess League - Formation

The constitution and rules were adopted at a meeting held in Glasgow Chess Club on Friday, 9th October 1908. The appointed officials were:-

President, Thomas McGrouther (Glasgow CC).
Vice-president, Fernand Lacaille (Burns CC).
Hon. secretary and treasurer, Carrick Wardhaugh (Athenaeum CC), 186 Byres Road, Glasgow.

Council: Mrs Gunn (Glasgow Ladies' CC), J. Thomson (North Western CC), J. Vincent (Central CC).

All clubs within a five-mile radius of the Royal Exchange are eligible entrants.

For the first season of competition in 1908-09, the following teams entered:-

First division: Glasgow, Burns, Bohemian, Athenaeum, Queen's Park and Central. Matches were to be played 10-a-side.

Second division: Burns, Bohemian, Athenaeum, Queen's Park and Central.

Third division: Glasgow Ladies', Bohemian, Central, North Western, Arlington, Bearsden, Pierce Institute (Govan) and College Conservative Association.

The second and third divisions were played 7-a-side. (The third division was dropped after two years, but re-introduced in season 1921-22 because of the high number of entries.)

It will be noted that the strongest club in the city only entered a team in the top division. This is because many of its members chose to play for the other clubs with which they were associated. Also, some members showed no interest in playing at all. The result was that Glasgow CC was defeated by it own players.

Winners in 1908-09 season:
First division: Queen's Park 10 points (won all matches), Athenaeum 7, Burns 6, Central 4

Second division: Burns 8 (won all matches), Central 5, Queen's Park 4.

Third division: Central 11 (won 5, drew 1, lost 1)

Sources
Falkirk Herald, 21 October 1908, p. 8; 28 October 1908, p. 7; 11 November 1908, p. 8; 31 March 1909, p. 7.
The Chess Amateur, June 1909, p. 260.
Glasgow Herald chess column of 5 November 1921, p4.

Compiled by Alan McGowan
Historian/Archivist, Chess Scotland

revised 21/11/2020