Australia


Melbourne

The Baron arrived in Melbourne on 15th November from Sydney. [1]



The Leader reported that the local chess players did not become aware of the Baron until a few days after his arrival which prevented them inviting him to the Chess Club and playing games with Club members as he was desirous of doing. But "Some of the leading players paid their respects to him at his hotel”. [2]

During the Baron’s stay he visited Ballarat and Fernshaw. [1]

He left for Sydney on Wednesday 23rd November. [3]

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Ballarat

Ballarat was the second biggest city to Melbourne in Victoria, famous for it's gold fields.


Part of Ballarat (Looking South-west), F.W. Niven, ca. 1889

For those interested, a history of Ballarat is here.

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Fernshaw

In a letter, dated 2022, from Elizabeth of the Healesville & District Historical Society, she comments:

"I have been unable to find your Baron visiting Fernshaw, however the township was taken over by State rivers in 1872, the last residents leaving in 1890. The town buildings were auctioned off and it is now a picnic spot on the Maroondah Highway at the bottom of the Black Spur.

By the time he visited, people were gradually relocating.

Fernshaw village was the haunt of artists, naturalists, fisherman and distinguished visitors including Lord Brassey, Sir George and Lady Bowen, Lady Loch (her husband was the Governor) and stage actresses including Gracie Plaisted, Emillie Melville (La Belle Helene) among others.

Artists including Buvelot, Patterson, Gill, Von Guerard, Van Houten, Curtis J Mather and renown floral painter Mrs Elise Rowan also stayed at Fernshaw. The village was quite the place to go apparently so I suspect the Barons friends would have directed him there.

Famous German photographer J W Lindt had his home nearby called the Hermitage where many photographers stayed and this may be the connection for Baron Von Heydebrand und der Lasa."


Jefferson Hotel, Fernshaw, J. H. Harvey, 1886
The Hermitage, J. W. Lindt, ca. 1890



Watts Bridge Hotel - Fernshaw ca.1870s


For those interested, a history of Fernshaw is here.

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Sydney

The Baron arrived in Sydney on November 24th staying at Petty’s Hotel. His route from Melbourne hasn't been found so far. [4]



Sydney Harbour, ca. 1800’s

Petty's Hotel (Charles H. Kerry), 1934

During his 6 days in Sydney, he was mainly busy visiting and sightseeing [5], in a note to the Australasian the Baron said “… during his stay in New South Wales, of playing a few private games with Mr. G.A. Russell, …” [6]

Suburban outings near Sydney, 1887

Yachting in Sydney Harbour, 1887


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G. A. Russell
George Alfred Russell was born at “Claremont”, Jamaica, on July 15th, 1839 and died December 6th, 1926 in Toorak, Victoria, aged 87.

He arrived in Sydney from London in 1859 working as a shipping clerk. He became an Australian businessman involved in several mining business ventures, finally acting as Australian manager for the North British Insurance Company until his retirement.

He played for New South Wales against Victoria as long ago as 1877, and from 1900 onwards played 7 times for Victoria. In one Victoria vs. New South Wales match he once defeated J. Wisker, an ex-champion of England. He competed twice in the Victorian State championship, being third on each occasion.

J. H. Blackburne in speaking of chess in Victoria and New South Wales, said "In Sydney, I found Messrs. Crane and Russell the best of those I met ...".


George Alfred Russell - Tassilo Heydebrand und von der Lasa
ECO "B02" Scandinavian Defence
Location: Sydney, Australia 24th Nov. 1887
1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nxd5 4. Nxd5 Qxd5 5. d4 c5 6. Be3 cxd4 7. Qxd4 Qxd4 8. Bxd4 Nc6 9. Bb5 Bd7 10. Nf3 f6 11. O-O-O e5 12. Rhe1 a6 13. Bxc6 Bxc6 14. Bb6 Be7 15. Nh4 Kf7 16. f4 exf4 17. Nf5 Rhe8 18. Bc7 g6 19. Nh6+ Kg7 20. Bxf4 Bf8 21. h4 Rxe1 22. Rxe1 Bxg2 23. Rg1 Bc6 24. h5 g5 25. Nf5+ Kf7 26. Bd6 Ke6 27. Bxf8 Kxf5 28. Rf1+ Ke6 29. Bg7 f5 30. Re1+ Be4 31. h6 g4 32. Kd2 Kd5 33. b3 g3 34. c4+ Ke6 35. Ke3 Rd8 36. Bd4 Kf7 37. Bg7 Rd3+ 38. Ke2 f4 39. Kf1 f3 40. Rxe4 Rd1+ 41. Re1 g2+ 42. Kf2 Rxe1 43. Kxe1 g1=Q+ {wins.} 0-1

"There were some opening variations tried between the two on 26th November at Hunter’s Hill a harbour suburb and a lovely place to visit and obviously where Russell lived." [8]

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Departure from Australia

In a note to the Australasian the Baron stated “… owing to the increasing heat of the weather, he had abandoned the idea of visiting the Fiji Islands.” [5]

The Baron departed Sydney aboard the San Francisco mail steamer R.M.S. Mariposa on November 30th at 17:05. [7]


The Mariposa’s route to the USA from Sydney was: [6]
  • Auckland, NZ
 
  • Tutuila, Samoa
 
  • Honolulu, Hawaii
 
  • San Francisco, USA
R.M.S. Mariposa, 1886, Oceanic Line

The Baron's voyage to the USA is here.

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References:
[1] The Australasian, Saturday 26th November 1887
[2] Leader, Melbourne, Saturday 26th November 1887
[3] Table Talk (Melbourne), Friday 2nd December 1887
[4] The Sydney Morning Herald, Friday 25th November 1887
[5] The Australasian, Saturday 10th December 1887
[6] The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser, Saturday 3rd December 1887
[7] The Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday 30th November 1887
[8] A Letter to Bert (A medley about chess libraries, dealers and collectors)
Bob Meadley, 2001