Published: 16.06.08

The National Chess Library, the third largest public chess library in the world, was officially opened on 10 June at the University Centre Hastings by former Home Secretary, Charles Clarke MP.

The English Chess Federation library now has a permanent home in Hastings, a town with a long association with the game of chess and home to the annual Hastings International Chess Congress.

Charles Clarke said "The University Centre Hastings is already making a major contribution. This will give it a very public, very well-known string to its bow. The library is tremendously important for chess. Hastings has a world wide reputation for chess and this library will help build things up."

His father, Sir Richard Clarke, was the first donor to the English Chess Federation library, which now contains over 7,000 books, journals and tournament information from five collections. This includes the collection of Harry Golombek, the 'grand old man of chess' who was chess editor of the Times and an Enigma code breaker in World War II.

Professor Stuart Laing, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, at the University of Brighton said: "This is a contribution we are making to Hastings. It is the job of universities to preserve collections like this and the research opportunities for chess are wide. It is very important to Hastings, and it shows we are serious at supporting things that are specific to the local area. This is another way of bringing people in, to talk to them about what we can offer."

Gerry Walsh, President of the English Chess Federation said "It's logical that this library is in Hastings. The library's contributors would be very proud that their donations are housed here in a town with over 100 years of chess history."

The English Chess Federation collection is on open access shelves and may be visited at any time during the Learning Resource Centre opening hours. Visitors can contact the LRC on 01273 644640 or by email at askuch@brighton.ac.uk to make an appointment to visit the other collections.

Read more about the National Chess Library.

For more information and photography from the event, please contact Gordon Kay at g.m.kay@brighton.ac.uk

Photographs copyright of the Hastings & St Leonards Observer.

Image 1 shows Charles Clarke MP and Margaret Wallis, Head of Co-ordination and Development at University Centre Hastings.

Image 2 shows a child with 'Visual Chess' designed by University of Brighton Illustration graduate George Eady.