Formation
The scene was now set for a rapid series of friendly matches
between the various clubs in the group, with the match-starved Chelmsford
players alone completing half a dozen such fixtures in the first few weeks of
1964. With the frequency of fixtures approaching that in organised
competitions, talk soon turned to the possibility of forming a league in which
all could compete.
Braintree, under the energetic leadership of Colin Smith,
were predominant in these discussions and it was they who called an exploratory
meeting at Braintree Institute on 3rd April 1964. Exchanges of information had
revealed that clubs were known to exist at Braintree, Chelmsford, Colchester,
Hoffmann, Wethersfield, Wickford, Ghyllgrove, Kedington, Burnham-on-Crouch and
Clacton but, although all were invited, only the first five named sent
representatives on the day, although Clacton indicated that they might wish to
take part if a league could be formed. Of the others, Kedington felt that they
were not yet ready for the commitment of regular league chess, while Burnham,
Ghyllgrove and Wickford all concluded that entry into the Essex League was more
suitable to their geographical locations at the southern end of central Essex,
and were considering such a liaison.
The response had been slightly disappointing, but enthusiasm
ran infectiously high. Although many who attended the meeting had officiated at
club level, nobody knew very much about running a league. Possibly, this was
just as well, for any voice of experience might well have materially dampened
enthusiasm by casting serious doubts on the wisdom of setting up a league of
just five clubs. But if anybody had such apprehensions they were unheard in the
jubilant spirit of adventure which dominated the proceedings and it was
resolved to form a league under the title "North Essex Chess League".
Matches were to be played over six boards on a home and away basis. A place was
reserved for Clacton, but in the event it was not taken up. Colin Smith was
elected chairman, and Len Frain secretary. The latter found himself on the move
from Braintree only shortly afterwards and was replaced by another Braintree
member, Brian Heath, who acted in a temporary capacity for the first season.
The League was to be administered by a committee consisting of chairman,
secretary and one representative from each club. Only the club representatives
had the power to vote.
The area had seen a remarkable transformation in a short
period of time. Only a few months before it would have seemed to the observer
that there was no likelihood of organised competition being re-introduced for
quite a long while, the previous venture having failed for want of support in
an area larger, and thus with a greater population than that covered by the new
league. But there was still some way to go before the new league could
justifiably describe itself as established.
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