The team that reached the Boys Brigade National Chess Final in 1972, but narrowly lost, left to right: Colin Wennington, Alan Boardman and Clive Bell, all Norton boys.
Photograph and details courtesy of Alan Boardman.
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
The Chessplayers. This team reached the final of the Boys Brigade national chess competition in 1971-1972 , and the quarter final in 1972-1973, losing both times in Scotland. The competition, over many months, comprised of several rounds and the usual final stages. It involved much road travel, and the nervous energy of playing late into the night or early morning. I still have my runners- up trophy. The above photograph was taken at Captain Sid Bell’s house during Easter 1972 and it appeared in the Norton Methodist Church or Teesside Boys Brigade newsletter. I think Sid Bell was amazed that he had a team capable of reaching a national final. He acted as team manager, also road manager, and he liked to drive at high speed on motorways. Reaching the carnage of a multi- vehicle motorway crash, in the fog near Leicester, soon after it happened was one everlasting memory.
Another was beating a chess team of ICI Billingham managers 9-0 in a practise match. The 1st Norton (11th Teesside) Boys Brigade Company of Norton Methodist Church was very active in local competitions in the early 1970’s, and always finished high in the Teesside Boys Brigade league table, usually runners-up to the 2nd Teesside/ Middlesbrough. The 1st Norton had a mixture of boys from Blue Hall, and the streets around Leven Road and Norton Road. The company was strong at indoor and outdoor sports, drill and band competitions, the latter two coached by Arthur Sindon. I think Brian Turton was a keen boxer, he coached some of the sports, and thus was more popular with the boys.
Lovely to see one of my younger brothers, Colin, playing chess.