Can anyone fill in the gaps. We just know this was taken in 1985. Where? No idea. Who? It just says John Flaherty on the back. Now it is obviously something to do with chess and some sort of competition. I can just make out on the shield Castle Point and Rochford Schools Chess Congress and The BH W???? Challenge Shield.
Come on, there must be someone out there who can tell us who, where and why!!!
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This picture was taken at St Joseph’s School Canvey they had a chess club tournament will try and find out some more information
Thanks Faith
Hello, I attended St. Joseph’s primary school on Canvey Island between 1978 and 1985. I am one of the boys in the photo. John Flaherty who you mentioned was written on the back of the photo is the boy in the front of the picture with the glasses.
John was a good chess player, his family lived on one of the side street off of Link Road – I think that it was Oulton Ave. He was the oldest of three and his younger brother and sister (who also went to St. Joseph’s were Michael and Mary).
In my last year at the school 1984-1985 we started a chess club and played matches against each other during lunch time on an occasional basis. Most of the boys in the picture were in my class but some were one year (class) younger. John was the strongest player in the club.
Of the 10 boys in the picture, here are the names that I can add – working from left to right…..
1 – John Flaherty
2 –
3 –
4 –
5 – Andrew Lagden
6 – Christopher ?
7 –
8 – Mark ?
9 – Jamie Saunders
10 – Stephen Hayes (me)
Many of the boys (including me) went on to St. Thomas More High School in Westcliff the following year but I have not seen some of this group for more than 30 years and I don’t recall many of the names.
Near the end of school (summer 1985) we heard about a chess tournament for local schools and most of our school chess club, including me, entered this competition. There were at least 100 players in the tournament. It was held in the cafeteria of SEEVIC College in Benfleet on a Saturday.
John Flaherty also entered the tournament and did really. My memory of the tournament is that you played 6 matches and John lost his first round match and that all of the players who lost their first match went into a consolidation tournament and that John won every chess game in that consolidation pool for a record of 5 wins and 1 loss overall. The shield in the photo is what John was awarded in that tournament.
I live just outside Boston, USA but grew up on Canvey Island. My parents still live on the island and my mom saw me in this picture and forwarded it to me to see if I could add any detail.
no 7 is my son noel howard
Number2 is Michael Flaherty ( John’s brother)
3. Lee Clark
4 Danny Edwards
5. Andrew Lagden
6. ?
7 Noel Howard
8 Mark Larmen
9. Jamie Saunders
10 Stephen Hayes
No 6 is Christopher Bennett. (Not sure if spelt that correctly).
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