Henry Hookham
Canterbury Provincial Championship, 1870 [x]
In 1870 the Canterbury CC held the first Canterbury Provincial Championship which Hookham won.
In recognition of his win, his Chess Club (Kaipoi CC) presented Hookham with "The Works of William Shakespeare".
The book is now held at the ??? where it will be put on display once restorative work is completed.
New Zealand Graphic 9 February 1895
8th NZ Champs, Wellington, 1894-95
THE AUSTRALIAN CHESS ANNUAL, 1896 (Article by J. C. Andersen)
Mr. Henry Hookham frequented Starey's Philidorian rooms, Rathbone Place, London, during 1845 and the succeeding 5 years, and there met with Falkbeer, Zytogorski, Jannsens, and other players of note, who resorted there. In 1870 he gained the championship of the province of Canterbury, contending, as representative of the Kaiapoi Chess Club, against representatives from the Clubs at Christchurch and Lyttelton. The first chess championship congress in Australasia was the one held at Christchurch, Canterbury, in 1879, and at this he won the championship of New Zealand and the 1st prize, £50. Competed in the first Australian inter-colonial congress, which was held in Adelaide in 1887. Though not a prize-winner, his score against the leading men was creditable, as he drew with H. Charlick, champion of South Australia, and F. K. Esling, the winner of the second prize, and champion of Victoria, and won from Gossip, who took third prize. In 1888 lost the championship of New Zealand, but regained it at the congress in Dunedin, Otago, in 1889, losing it again, however, in Wellington in 1890. Took second prize in the congress in 1893, and third prize in 1895-6. Has been president of the Canterbury Chess Club since 1884, being elected on the death of the Hon. John Tancred. In August, 1882, he took over the editing of the chess column in the "Canterbury Times" which is well-known throughout Australasia for the excellence of its matter.
Press 3 December 1898
OBITUARY.
New Zealand chess sustained an irreparable loss last Thursday, when Mr Henry ] Hockhom, president of the Canterbury Chess j Club, and also president of the N.Z. Chess Association, joined the great majority.To | sketch the deceased gentleman's chess career would be to write at history of our chess almost from its commencement. He was on j the committee of the old Christchurch Chess Club, uader whose auspices the first N.Z. Championship Tournament was played in 1879, and he was successful in annexing the championship and first prize of £50. Dissension among & section of the members soon after thus resulted in the formation of the present Canterbury Chess Club, the old club lingering only for a few months. Mr Hookham took a prominent part in the new club, and at the annual meeting following the death of the president, the late Mr H. J. Tancred, in April, 1884, Mr Hookham was elected president, a post he filled to the time of liis death. To say that he filled the office worthily would be totally inadequate. He was the life of the club, and such was his intense enthusiasm for the game and his club that nothing that lay in his power to do to further the interests of either would he consider too much. . Although he had a long walk to get into town he was rarely absent on club evenings, and whether it was to analyse a complicated position, assist a | novice, attend a committee meeting or perform any other of the numerous duties pertaining to his office, he was the right man in I the right place. As a chess player he was lin the front rank of N.Z. players. Besides being champion from 1879 to 1889—the year injwhich the annual championship congresses | were inaugurated, he won the championship again in 1890. He has competed at every tournament since, except the last one at Auckland, and although"advancing years had its effect on his play in a long series of games, he always occupied a high position on the score sheet at the finish. He has frequently won the championship of the Canterbury Chess Club; indeed he has seldom lost it when he competed. As a chess analyst he was known in every club'in New Zealand, and unfinished games in telegraphic and oioer matches were nearly always sent to lum for adjudication—a task which necessitated many hours of arduous work, but Which he always ungrudgingly performed. Mr Hookhaan also occupied a very high position as a chess journalist, having edited the chess column of our contemporary for a number of years, and his writings on chess matters were characterised by sound, argument clearly and logically expressed. The only clue that could be gathered as to his chess strength against foreign players was his performance.-at,the Adelaide Congress in 1887. At that gathering he was not at his best, for although he tied with Charlick and Ealing, the first and second prize winners, and beat Goss%, who was third,- he lost to a number of the -lower players, and consequently was not among the prize winners. ' ' By the death of their president Christchurch chess players have hot only lost a fine player anu a distinguished exponent of the gome, but a genial friend. On the occasion of the Chiunpionshit) Tournaments in Christchurch. nis hospitality was ever extended to the visiting players, all of whom will cherish the kindliest recollections of his sunny and genial manner. In the chess world his place will indeed be hard to fill, and as in life he was frequently referred to as "our evergreen.President," so in death his memory will long remain evergreen among the devotees of Caissa.
The funeral of the late 'Mr Hookham took place on Saturday at the Papanui Churchyard. The bearers were—Messrs J. J. Milner, hon. secretary of the New Zealand Chess Association (of which body the late Mr Hookham was president), Walter Hunter, J. H. Seager, and Atkinson. There were also present—Messrs W. Harris, Jno. Connal, and S. Manning, directors of the Mutual Benefit Building Society, and a large number of chess players, among whom were Messrs W. Cuddon, R. A. Joseph, W. Acton-Adams, S. S. Blackburne, J. G. L. Scott, A. Cant, H. C. Lane, F. Wbrsley. J. Spiller, J. W. Mellor, and J. Smith. The Church of England service was impressively performed by the. Rev. H. T. Purchas.
Evening Star 3 December 1898
OBITUARY. Mr H. HOOKHAM.
The many friends of Mr H. Hookham will learn with regret of his death, which took place after a short illness. Mr Hooknam was a very old colonist, and shortly after his arrival be entered into business in Christchnrcb. Subsequently he became master of the Kaiapoi Island School, and after some years he retired from the scholastic profession and took up his residence in Christchurch, He was a member of the old Christchurch Chess Club, which was dissolved early in the eighties, the present Canterbury Chess Clnb having been formed in 1879. He was ou the committee when Mr H. J. Tancred was president At the first New Zealand Chess Championship, held in Bellamy’s, Christchurch, Mr Hookham won the first prize of £SO and the championship, Mr D. R. Hay, of Dunedin, being second, and the late Mr P. F. Jacobson, of Christchurch, being third. On the death of Mr Tancred in April, 1884, Mr W. ActonAdams was elected president of ihe club until the end of the year, when Mr Hookham was elected president, and he filled that office up to the time of his death. The only chess congress outside New Zealand at which he competed was in Adelaide in 1887, when, although not in the prize-list, he tied with Cbarlick and Esling, the first and second prize winners, and beat Gossip, who was third. Since the institution of the New/Zealand annual champion tourney in 1889, Mr Hookham has competed iu every one except the last. He played in Auckland last Christnus, aud won the championships in 1879 and ISB9. He was chess editor oi the ‘ Canterbury Times,’ and held a very high position in chess journalism.— ‘Press.’
[z] Otago Witness 1 December 1898
Obituary.
We have to record with deep regret the death of Mr Henry Hookliam, which took place at his residence, Christchurch, on the 24 th tilt. Mr Hookliam was often styled the father of New Zealand chess, and that he had claimß to the title is evidenced by the fact that he has taken a lively interest in chesa and held a foremost position as a player for over 30 years. He was a leading member of the New Zealand Chess Association, of which he was a vicepresident fiom its inception until he assumed the position of president at the beginning of this year. His loss to the association will be seveiely felt, as his long experience rendered his advice most valuable to that body.
Mr Hookham was well known to many chess players who had never seen him through his connection with the Chess Column of the Canteibury Times, which he edited in a most able manier for a period of 1j years. Until quite recently, when failing health prevented, his was a prominent figure at the annual Chess Congresses which are held for the championship of the colony. For many ye?rs he never missed one of those gatherings, and on most occasions he distinguished himself, being the first champion of .New Zealand in 1879. It is worthy of note that this congress, held at Chustchurch, was the first of its kind in Australasia. In 1889 he again secured the championship, and in 1890 tied for second place, a position which he also held in 1892. He had a greater knowledge of the game than any other man in the colony. He was a model tournament player — never flurried, but taking full advantage of his time limit, and playing a careful, sound, and when opportunity offered brilliant game. -He wvs exceedingly popular, not only in chess circles, but with all those with whom he came in contact, his courteous and unassuming manner being particularly taking. Hs was born on October 23, 1824, at 15 Old Bond street, London, where was then carried on, and has been carried on for 60 years, the business known as Hookham' s Library. He was educated in a boarding school in a small town called Princes Risborough, in Buckinghamshire. After leaving school he resided in London almost contnmoiisly until the year 186b, when he left England for New Zealand, and since his arrival in this colony he lived almost entirely in Canterbury. He was connected with the Canterbury Chess Club (prior to 1879 called the Christchurch Chess Club) for about 25 years, and has been president for many years.
British Chess Magazine, 1899
Obituary
We learn with great regret , from the Australasian of December 17th , of the death of Mr. Henry Hookham , of Christchurch , New Zealand , an old friend of the B.C.M. of many years standing . Our contemporary says:
" Mr. Hookham was born at 15 , Old Bond Street , London , on October 22nd , 1824. He acquired his knowledge of chess as a young man in the chess circles of the metropolis . In 1850 he became a partner in “ Hookham's Library ” ; and when , some 13 years later, the library was converted into a company, he was appointed the manager. This position he resigned
after a tenure of two years. He then emigrated with his wife and children to New Zealand , and settled near Christchurch. He first tried farming, but , after the experience of a few years , he became a schoolmaster, and he pursued the business of this calling till 1885, when he retired into private life. He won the chess championship of the Province of Canterbury in 1870 .
Nine years later , when the first New Zealand Chess Championship Tourney was held at Christchurch , he became the first chess champion of the colony. This position he retained for ten years, losing it , in the city in which he had won it , in the year of the establishment of the Annual Championship Congress of New Zealand . He regained the title , however , at Dunedin , a
year later ; but , at the end of a second year , he finally lost it at Wellington , the physical disabilities of advancing age freventing him from holding his own against players in the prime and vigour of life. Mr. Hookham was the representative ef New Zealand chess at the Adelaide Congress of 1887 . He did not succeed in winning a prize ; but in his individual contests with Mr. Charlick , Mr. Esling, and Mr. Gossip, who came out first, second, and third, he drew with Mr. Charlick and Mr. Esling, and won from Mr. Gossip. Mr. Hookham has been the president of the Canterbury Chess Club ever since its foundation ; and by the members of that body his death will be regarded as an irreparable loss. He has also been the chess editor since 1882 of the Canterbury Times, and his performance of the duties that have devolved upon him in that position has been characterised by ability and by soundness of judgment, as well as by consistent kindliness to all young players who have sought for his experienced help and guidance . "
Book of the 30th & 31st Congresses
Obituary
NZ Chess Championships Results
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References:
[1] Star (Christchurch) 25 November 1898
[2] Yaldhurst School Tōtara Tūkaha (https://hail.to/yaldhurst-school-ttara-tkaha/article/U2hYOYi/amp)