MR HENRY HOOKHAM.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6344, 25 November 1898, Page 2

MR HENRY HOOKHAM.

Mr Henry Hookham, one of the oldest chess players in Canterbury, and for some twenty years Chess Editor of the " Canterbury , Times," djed yesterday afternoon, at the age of seventy-four yearp, after a short illness. He was born in London in 1824. In 1850 lie became part owner of an oldestablished London library, known as I " Hookhani's Libary," and when in 1863 the business was turned into a company Mr Hookham became manager. One of the employees of the firm was Mr S. Tinsley, chess editor of the weekly edition of the London "Times." In 1865 Mr Hookham came with his family to New Zealand, and for some years farmed land at Kaiapoi. For len years he taught in schools at Kaiapoi Island and Yaldhurst, and in more recent years he lived at Fendalton. At the time of his death he was living- at St Albans. It was chiefly in connection with chess that Mr Hookhaui was known in New Zealand. He founded a club at Kaiapoi. and in 1870 won the chess championship of Canterbury. For many years he has been president of the Canterbury Übess Club, and has represented it at nearly . every tournament held in New Zealand. He won the championship of the Goiony in 1879, and for about ten years retained the honour. Again in 1890 he was champion of New Zealand. He ably represented the colony, too, at an Australasian Chess Congress held at Adelaide in 1887. Apart from chess circles, he was widely known as an extremely generous and kindly man, and his sympathetic nature led him to take up the study of socialistic and philanthropic schemes. He was .a prominent menibeiv.of -the. Fabian and of the j Socialist .Church at the time of Ijis death. : The funeral will take place at the Papanui Churchyard on . Saturday afternoon.