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Howard Staunton, circa 1810-1874, Chess Player, Shakespeare Editor
I am researching into the life of Howard Staunton, the famous chess player, who gave his name to the Staunton pattern of chessmen. By defeating the Frenchman, Pierre St. Amant, in a famous match in Paris in 1843, Staunton established a reputation as the strongest chess player in Europe - many assumed he was the best in the world. Staunton was also a respected Shakespeare scholar, his achievements including an edition of the complete works and a lithograph edition of the 1623 folio; he served on the executive committee of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and was an honorary member of the Shakespeare Society of Germany.
As a genealogist and chess enthusiast, I am seeking to throw light on Staunton’s life, but in particular on his parentage and early life. I have spent much of my leisure time in the last seven years in searching countless manuscripts, books, newspapers, websites and indexes in various record offices and libraries. In the process, I have collected a huge amount of genealogical and biographical data. As is inevitable with lengthy ongoing searches, much of this information is of a speculative nature, but I am pleased to report that I have also obtained important and surprising information about Staunton which I believe is new and which I hope will shortly enable me to solve the mysteries of his parentage, childhood and early adulthood.
At this stage I am particularly anxious to receive any snippets of information, however small, about Staunton’s personal life prior to his marriage in 1849 to Frances Carpenter Nethersole. Any addresses, early letters, names of friends and contacts (especially outside chess), literary and theatrical associations, or notes about his religious convictions, work or leisure pursuits, would be extremely welcome. New information received in this way may tie in with data which I already possess.
I intend to write up my research at an appropriate time, when I would acknowledge contributions of any material so used. Please e-mail all suggestions and feedback to:
Throughout most of the 1840s and beyond Staunton had an ongoing feud with George Walker, chess player and writer. Staunton’s venomous treatment of his enemies with the pen is legendary. Here is a sample of his invective, the target on this occasion being Walker.
“The pamphlet … is an unequivocal indication of the opinion that body [London Chess Club] entertains of the egregious conceit and deplorable ignorance which this Titmouse of Chess professors exhibits in his lucubrations upon the game.” (Chess Player’s Chronicle, Vol. 1 (1841), p. 10)
Contemporary writers attest to Howard Staunton’s qualities as a convivial companion and entertainer:
“He was great at a dinner party, but greater by far when seated behind a long “Broseley” and a modest measure of grog, in company with one or two congenial spirits. Many an evening have we assisted at these simple symposia, and listened with never-failing wonderment to the ceaseless flow of piquant anecdote that seemed to pour spontaneously from his lips—reminiscences of the men and manners of “auld lang syne”, of Chess art, literature, and the stage - aliquo proelia mixta mero - always fresh and always to the point, and told with a vivacity and verve that imparted a twofold charm to the narration”. (The Westminster Papers: Obituary by P.T. Duffy)
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Opposite: Howard Staunton shortly before his death, from an engraving by P. & E. Taylor . This accompanied his obituary in the Illustrated London News, 4 July 1874; he had been their chess correspondent since 1845.
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