Gerald Edward Harold Ellis

Born: 17 December 1878, Canterbury, NZ Died: 7 August 1967, (aged 88), Croydon, London, NZ Lincoln College, Oxford. Varsity chess matches 1899, 1900. Educuated at Epsom College. From 1906, schoolteacher, Whitgift School, South Croydon (appointed headmaster 1939, retired 1946). Played for the GB Universities team vs US Universities in 1899. One of his pupils during his headmastership was Leonard Barden who wasn't aware of his former headmaster's chess accomplishments and remained unaware until reading about them on chessgames.com in 2018. [1]

ca. 1903

Oamaru Mail 19 June 1899
1st Anglo-American Universities Cable Match, 1899
The first contest by cable between the English and American colleges resulted in a victory for England by 3 1/2 wins to 2 1/2.



The following game was played af board No. 5 in the inter-universlty match:

Young, W. W. (Princeton) vs. Ellis, G. E. H. (Oxford), Bd. 5, 1st Anglo-American Universities Cable Match, 1899
ECO "A00" Anderssen's Opening
1. a3 e5 2. e3 Nf6 3. d4 exd4 4. exd4 d5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Bb5 Bd7 7. O-O Bd6 8. Re1+ Ne7 9. Bxd7+ Qxd7 10. Nc3 O-O-O 11. Bg5 Ng6 12. Qd3 c6 13. b4 Rde8 14. Reb1 Ng4 15. b5 h6 16. bxc6 Qxc6 17. Nb5 Kb8 18. Nxd6 Qxd6 19. Qb3 Qc6 20. Bd2 Re6 21. Rb2 Rc8 22. Rab1 Rc7 23. a4 Kc8 24. h3 Nf6 25. Be3 a5 26. Bd2 b6 27. Be3 Ne4 28. Nd2 Nc3 29. Ra1 Rce7 30. Nb1 Nd1 31. c4 Nxb2 32. cxd5 Rxe3 33. Qxe3 Rxe3 34. dxc6 Re1+ 35. Kh2 Rd1 36. Kg3 Ne7 37. Kf3 Re1 38. {Resigns.} 0-1


Evening Post 22 August 1939
Headmaster - WHITGIFT SCHOOL
The appointment to the headmastership of Whitgift School, Croydon, of Mr. G. E. H. Ellis, in succession to the late Mr. S. K. R. Gurner, is announced, states "The Post's" London correspondent. Mr. Ellis, who has been deputy master, was born in New Zealand. He joined the staff in 1903. In 1909 he married Gladys, second daughter of the late Rev. S. J. Rowton, second master and organist of Epsom and Bradford Colleges and' Rector of Fulletby, Lines. The use of the title "Master of Whitgift" is to be discontinued. This century-old centre of education was established by Bishop Whitgift. It always has possessed a high educational reputation. Fine school buildings were erected in the heart of Croydon town, but within the last three or four years a section was removed to a beautiful country estate, Shirley, on the Brighton Road. The old school in Croydon is still the school for the younger scholars, and it is to this that Mr. Ellis has been appointed.



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References:
[1] BRITBASE - British Chess Game Archive
[2]