You are here: Home Archives Trophy winners, donors and dedications Williamson Shield In search of the donor of the Williamson Shield

In search of the donor of the Williamson Shield

In 1904 H. B. Williamson presented a Shield to Standtown Chess Club to be used in connection with a Championship tournament. However, very little is (or was) known about the donor of the Shield.

Contemporary newspaper reports only refer to Williamson being a member of Strandtown Chess Club while on an extended trip to his native land. Over 60 years after Williamson had donated the Shield, Albert Long, the secretary of the Ulster Chess Union, resolved to find out more. Below is the information he found out and then recorded in his ring binder on the history of the Ulster Chess Union.

"Enquiries were made during 1968 and with the help of the Secretary of the Ulster Unionist Council [Mr J. O. Bailie], Miss Dorothy Williamson, 8 Tweskard Park, Belfast (his niece), the Pharmacy Board of New Zealand, the Department of Justice, Wellington, the New Zealand High Commission, London and the "New Zealand Daily Herald" the following facts were obtained.

Hugh Bellis Williamson was born in Coleraine about 1850, the eldest child of Hugh Williamson and Sarah Williamson, nee Caskey. A younger brother was Councillor Dr. Williamson

H. B. Williamson, having studied chemistry, married Jessie Margarette Allen in Dublin in 1876 when aged 26 and emigrated to New Zealand about the same year, where he set up business as a pharmacist at New Plymouth (1876) and then at Wanganui.

He had four daughters.

He died Tuesday, 23rd March, 1926 at his home in Epsom, a suburb of Auckland, where he was living in retirement.

The announcement in "The New Zealand Daily Herald" reads:

Williamson - On March 23 at his residence, 648 Manukau Road, Hugh Bellis, late of Wanganui. No flowers.

There was no obituary or photograph, and although his niece, Miss Dorothy Williamson (mentioned above) tells me she has numerous family portraits, she is unable to identify any as being that of her uncle. She was very young when he was last in Belfast on a visit in 1904."

Unfortunately Miss Williamson appears to have died shortly after these enquiries were made. However in December 1968 Albert Long was again in contact with J. O. Bailie, who was able to tell him a close friend of Miss Williamson, Mr William Kennedy, a Unionist M. P., had acquired some of her personal effects. In Long's ring binder a note dated 22nd April 1969 reads as follows:

"Through the courtesy of Mr. Wm. Kennedy (M. P. Cromac) 8 Cooke Street, Belfast, I was able with the help of Mr. Larmour, to search the photograph albums belonging to the late Miss Williamson, and succeeded in finding one of H. B. Williamson, taken in Wanganui, and dated 1887."

In a letter to Kennedy Long says:

"I need hardly say how grateful I am for you kindness in this matter, which has pleased me beyond all expectation and will be a source of great interest to a large number of people."

So, in the hope that this information is of interest to a new generation, here is the photograph of Hugh Bellis Williamson, generous benefactor to the chess players of Belfast.

Photograph taken in Wanganui, New Zealand, 1887

News
Ulster Fischer Championships took place on June 8th at Civil Service Pavilion One of the most exciting competitions of the year involves chess with a difference. The initial position of the main pie... Jun 29, 2025
Annual General Meeting 2024/2025 2024/2025 season is rapidly coming to a close and with this comes the announcement of the UCU’s Annual General Meeting... Jun 27, 2025
Washingbay FIDE Rapid This week's upcoming event's early entry list Jun 02, 2025
City of Belfast Winners Well done to Steve Scannell our champion, and David Jeffers on winning the Intermediate trophy! May 26, 2025
The Belfast Megafinals took place at Methodist College on Sat May 10th 2025 The last of this years monthly tournaments at Methodist College. Ended with the Delancey Chess Challenge Belfast Megafin... May 25, 2025
More news…
« July 2025 »
July
SuMoTuWeThFrSa
12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031
Upcoming Events
City of Lisburn Championship Jul 26, 2025 - Jul 27, 2025 — Lisburn Chess Club, 60-62 Longstone Street
Ulster Championships 2025 The top Ulster competition returns to open the 2025-2026 season! *FIDE registration of the event is pending.* Aug 23, 2025 - Aug 25, 2025 — Queens University, South Dinning Hall, Belfast
FIDE RATED County Tyrone Rapid Championship 2025 Wednesday 3 September 2025 Check-in at 7:45pm. The 5 rounds will be played back-to-back from 8pm to 10:30pm Washingbay... Sep 03, 2025 07:45 PM - 10:30 PM — Washingbay Centre, 92 Ballybeg Road, Aughamullan, Coalisland, County Tyrone, BT71 5DX
18th Sept. FIDE RATED City of Bangor Rapid Congress 2025 Rounds 1-5 10 rounds of FIDE Rapid play at City of Bangor Chess Club over 2 evenings. 5 Rounds on 18th Sept. 5 Rounds on 25th Sept. Sep 18, 2025 07:15 PM - 10:00 PM — City of Bangor Chess Club, Church of Ireland Parish Hall, 30 Main Street Groomsport
25th Sept. FIDE RATED City of Bangor Rapid Congress 2025 Rounds 6-10 10 rounds of FIDE Rapid play at City of Bangor Chess Club over 2 evenings. 5 Rounds on 18th Sept. 5 Rounds on 25th Sept. Sep 25, 2025 07:15 PM - 10:00 PM — City of Bangor Chess Club, Church of Ireland Parish Hall, 30 Main Street Groomsport
Upcoming events…