Charles J. Janion
Otago Witness 21 September 1878
An interesting game played the other day at Kumara, between Mr Charles Janion and Mr Robert Cross, who were at one time members of the Dunedin Chess Club.
Cross, R. vs. Janion, C., Kumara September 1878
ECO "C30" Kings Gambit Declined
Annotator ""
1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5 3. Nf3 d6 4. d3 {4. d4 considered superior. The move in the text blocks in the KB, which is not by any means an advantage.} 4... Nc6 5. Be2 Nd4 6. c3 Nxe2 7. Qxe2 Bg4 8. Be3 Bxf3 9. Qxf3 Bxe3 10. Qxe3 exf4 11. Qxf4 {These exchanges have simplified the game considerably.} 11... Ne7 12. O-O O-O 13. Nd2 Ng6 14. Qg3 c6 15. d4 Qe7 16. Rae1 h6 17. Rf5 Qh4 18. Qe3 Rae8 19. Ref1 Qe7 20. Re1 Qe6 21. c4 d5 22. cxd5 cxd5 23. Rxd5 Qxd5 24. exd5 Rxe3 25. Rxe3 {This is rather wholesale work, but White came out with the best of it after all.} 25... Rd8 26. Rb3 b6 27. Ra3 a5 28. Rb3 Rd6 29. Rb5 Nf4 {Very well played.} 30. Nc4 Rxd5 31. Rxd5 {Exchanging trie rooks at tbis stage was rather injudicious, as White's pawns would have had a greater chance of queening with the aid of the rook. We should have preferred 31. Rxb6.} 31... Nxd5 32. Kf2 f6 33. Kf3 f5 34. Ne3 Nxe3 {This exchange ought to have lost Black the game, White having a passed pawn advantageouely placed.} 35. Kxe3 Kf7 36. d5 Ke7 37. g3{A most unfortunate miscalculation, for had he played 37. Kd4 or 37. Kf4 , we do not see how Black could have saved the game, as White, by sacrificing his centre pawn, could effectually attack Black's pawns and queen one of his own in spite of the best play. End games, with pawns, require the nicest calculation, as everything depends on having the move as in the game of draughts.} 37... Kd6 38. Kf4 g6 39. g4 fxg4 40. {Resigns.} 0-1
Kumara Times 7 June 1879
The chess match by correspondence, three games simultaneously, between Dr. Giles, of Hokitika, and Mr C. Janion, of Kumara, Avhich commenced early in December last, has just terminated, Mr Janion winning all three games.
West Coast Times 1 March 1879
The tollowing game by correspondence is given. Hot for its intrinsic merits but because it was a local encounter. It will be seen that the play was all on one side;
Janion, C. vs. Giles, J., Game A, Correspondance Match, 1879
ECO "C60" Ruy Lopes
Annotators "KT - Kumara Times, 3 March 1879" &
"HL - Hokitika Leader"
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nge7 {KT - a6 or Nf6 are both considered preferable moves, as Ne7 shuts in the Q and KB, and allows White to develop his game without hindrance.} 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Nxd4 6. Qxd4 c6 {KT - Nc6 would have made an exit for Q and KB.} 7. Bc4 d6 8. O-O c5 9. Qd1 a6 10. Nc3 b5 11. Be2 Bb7 12. Bg5 Qc7 {KT - The consequences. k of this move seem at once fatal. Black should first have driven away, the hostile QB by 12... h6 or f6; b4 would also have suited the.defence better.} 13. Bxb5+ Nc6 {HL - This seems the only move, KT - If axb5 White would get four Ps for his B, and probably the KR in exchange for the N, and still leave Black a very awkward position.} 14. Bxc6+ Bxc6 15. Nd5 Qb7 16. c4 h6 17. Bh4 Rc8 {HL - Threatening the b pawn.} 18. Qe2 Bxd5 {HL - The wisdom of choosing for this capture the moment when it must lead to a check by discovery is not very obvious.} 19. exd5+ Be7 20. f4 O-O {HL - This seems a surprising oversight for a correspondence game, but in fact after move 19 had been decided over the board, move 20 was added from memory. Perhaps this carelessness was caused by the knowledge that the same was lost already unless Mr Janion should make a slip, which he rarely does.} 21. Qxe7 {and wins after a few exchanges} 1-0
Kumara Times 20 June 1879
Janion, C. vs. Giles, J., Game C, Correspondance Match, 1879
Annotators "KT - Kumara Times, 20 June 1879"
Dominion 25 November 1912
OBITUARY.
MR. CHARLES JANION.
AN INTERESTING CAREER.
Mr. Charles Janion, one of the oldest pressmen in the Dominion, passed away yesterday morning at the Shamrock Hotel, - Moleswortk Street, Wellington, where he bad lived for the past dozen years. He was about eighty-two years of age. " 1 When quite a'young man, Mr. Janion left England for Melbourne, and Jjecame acquainted with most of the pressmen on the Melbourne "Argus," "Age," end ,"Herald." Later on he' came across to Dunedin, and'workedas a compositor on. the "Otigo "Daily Times," when the late Sir Julius Vogel was editor, aud Mr. B. L; Farjeon, the English novelist, was subeditor; For a time Mr. Janion was foreman printer 'of the Nelson "Examiner," in the days what that paper had an exceptionally brilliant group of leader-writers, including Mr.' Alfred Domett, the poet Premier, the Richmoiids, the Staffords, and other leading men, for at that period Nelson aspired to be the seat of Government,- .when the rich Kumara goldfield broke out, Messrs. Korr and Arnott, proprietors of the "Grey River Argus," started the "Kumara Times." The late Mr. Arnott, who was a confrere and life-long frieiid of Mr. Janion's, sent for him to take charge of the'new paper, and ho remained a " considerable number of years in Kumara, whilst there becoming intimately acquainted with the late Mr. Seddon and other leading men on the West Coast. After severing his connection with Kumara, Mr. Janion visited bis relatives in England, -and brought back with, him ai) interesting "family tree" record 'of the Janions, who were a very old English family.
Upon his return to the Dominion he met the lato .Mr. Seddon, who asked him if he had anything in yiew. Mr. Janion replied'that he had worked out some detailsof a "year book," and would be prepared to produce one if the Government' would assist; by furnishing the necessary statistics. ' "Toe very thing Mr. Ballance hasibeen talking about," said Mr. Sed."Come along, and see him." With that, .the two ;old friends jumped into a .©ab,>saw iit.. Ballance,. and, after 6ome preliminary discussion, it was decided to start the publication of the "New Zealand Year Book." For the first couple of jears the compilation and revision of the ' Year Book"-mainly fell to' Mr.. Janion, and he was a familiar figure at-the. Government Printing Office. ;".As the work grew in importance, Mr. Janion, to use his own words, "got side-tracked," and the production' was entrusted : to other hands. Mr. Janion always felt sore that, just as the 6UCC6SS of the work had. been assured, he was "side-tracked," and last session he petitioned i Parliament, asking. for some tangible recognition of his services, alleging that his small' superannuation (about lb 1 0s 6d. per week) was inadequate for his maintenance. Like most literary men; -Mr. Janion did not set much store on money; no one ever appealed to him in vain'for'a subscription; for a good object. He was in receipt of e small annuity from England, but not enough to make of material'' difference in his circumstances. He was for many years one of the leading chess-players in the Dominion, and took parfc'in most of the principal games. He was a student of astronomy, and from time to time contributed, note to the press on this and other interesting topics.
Mr; Janion is survived a sister' and two step-sisters all of whom reside in England. He had no relatives in the Dominion.
The funeral takes place at 2 p.m. today.
Book of the 30th & 31st Congresses
Obituary
NZ Chess Championships Results
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
References:
[1] 1920-1922 Book of the 30th & 31st congresses and club statistics,
[2] Find a Grave Memorial ID: 221536835