If May 12, 1834 is correct, it is well possible that the Leeds church was not licensed for baptisms in 1829.

"The Chess Player's Chronicle", 1877, p 20-21:
"Death of Mr Wormald.-- We much regret to have to announce the death, on December 4th, of Mr Wormald, the Chess Editor of the Illustrated London News, who, since the decease of Mr Staunton, has conducted the Chess column of that paper. ...."

The "Westminster Papers", October 1876, p 104:
"PORTRAIT GALLERY No.8. -- MR. ROBERT B. WORMALD.
Mr. Robert B. Wormald is a scion of one of our oldest county families, and was born in the vicinity of York in the year 1834. ...."

The "Westminster Papers", January 1877, p 164-65:
"Death of Mr.Wormald.
Only three months ago we published a brief sketch of the Chess career of Robert Bownas Wormald, and now it is our sad duty to record his death, which occured on the 4th ultimo, in the forty-third year of his age. ..."

From these sources: he entered Oxford University in 1853 and obtained his degree in 1857. His entry in "Alumni Oxoniensis" Vol. VIII, p 1609 from 1891 is: "Wormald, Robert Bownas, 35. Bryan, from Branham, Yorks, gent. LINCOLN COLL., matric. 2 June 1852(sic), aged 18, bible clerk 1852-56, B.A. 1857. [25]" (By some reason "35. Bryan" shall mean "3rd son of Brian Wormald, gent.")

There is also an article on Wormald in "Chess Life-Pictures", p 45-48, by George Alcock MacDonnell, but I have no access to that.

The <CG> bio should mention his prominent role as editor of <Bell's Life> ("conducted the chess department of ~).

Also this:

<He was universally beloved and admired, and his loss have been mourned by the entire chess faternity.>

<A notable assertion by MacDonnell was that a negative book review by Steinitz led to the closure of the City of London Chess Magazine. On pages 39-40 of The Knights and Kings of Chess MacDonnell wrote of Steinitz:

‘Years ago he said to me, “Nothing would induce me to take charge of a chess column”; and when I asked why he replied, “Because I should be so fair in dispensing blame as well as praise that I should be sure to give offence and make enemies.” However, when offered a column in the Field, he accepted it, and conducted it for some time with fairness and decorum. His first false move was his attack on Wormald’s book on the openings. When he showed me the proof of his review, I at once condemned its tone, and advised him to omit personalities. But he declined to do so and, the Field rejecting the article, he was fain to publish it in the City of London [Chess] Magazine, where its appearance caused much confusion, and led ultimately to the extinction of that journal. Of the article, suffice it here to say that it filled eight octavo pages, took Steinitz eight months to write, and took his friends eight years to forget.’>

Winter quotes this from Steinitz:

<In fairness to the other critics who have pronounced views opposite to our own in reference to Mr Wormald’s book, we frankly confess that at first we were much prepossessed in its favour, having been taken in by the remarkable garrulity of the author, which we trusted would be at least supported by common care and ordinary judgment, until on closer research we found the most hollow propositions spread out over pages.’>

Much more can be found here:

https://books.google.com/books?id=2...

Look at all the footnotes mentioning Wormald.

Wormald's original book can be found online here:

https://archive.org/details/chessop...

He was an associate of Valentine Green and others from their time at Oxford.

More biographical info in <Westminster Papers v9 (1877) Oct 1876 p104>

MR. ROBERT B. Womald is a scion of one of our oldest county families, and was born in the vicinity of York in the year 1834. While yet a schoolboy he evinced remarkable talent for Chess, and it was first displayed as a problem composer in the columns of the Illustrated London News: at the early age of fifteen. In 1853 he entered Oxford University, and during his undergraduate career he became associated with Brien, Ranken, Wilkinson, Dolby, Valentine Green, and many others whose names are familiar to every reader of the Old Chess Players' Chronicle, and whose exploits upon the chequered field had spread the fame of the Hermes Chess Club throughout the entire Chess World. Mr. Wormald obtained his degree in 1857, and coming to London adopted the profession of journalist, devoting much of his leisure to practical Chess play and the composition of problems. In 1858 he played a match with the late Mr. Charles Kenny, a prominent amateur in those days, winning every game, and in 1859 the only other public match in which he has engaged, was fought with Mr. Campbell, then the rising star of English Chess. This match, which was, perhaps, the most stubbornly contested one on record, no fewer than fourteen drawn games having occurred in it, was won by Mr. Campbell with a score of seven to five. Mr. Wormald's Chess Openings was produced in 1862. Its success at once placed him among the first analysts of our time, and the new and enlarged edition of the work produced in 1875 was endorsed with the approval of every authority on the subject. Since his arrival in London, twenty years ago, Mr. Wormald has been a constant contributor of problems, analyses and games to the newspaper and periodica literature of Chess, and his life-long friendship with the late Mr. Staunton marked him out as the fittest successor to that gentleman in the post he now worthily fills on the staff of the Illustrated London News. His writings are distinguished by scholarly grace and amodesty of statement in Chess analysis, unfortunately somewhat novel to the subject, and his high personal qualities have secured for him the cordial regard of every one that knows him. >

<WE chronicle, with much pain, the somewhat sudden demise of Mr. Robert Wormald. It is nearly twelve years since the present writer and poor dear Wormald discussed in Fleet-street the then nebulous Sportsman, upon which journal they had severally been engaged. At that time he was a stalwart fellow, abounding in "go," who looked all his inches (he stood upwards of six feet high), and boasted a physique such as those who have only known him during the past five years would find it difficult to credit him with. [...]

1834: Robert Bowman Wormald. bapt 12 May 1834 in Bramham Yorks., father Saml. Wormald, mother Elish (England Select Births and Christenings) (not orig. document, perhaps misread)

1851 census Holywell Oxford: Robert Wormald, Visitor, 17, --------, born in Yorksh Bramham.

1865: Robert Bowner Wormald married in Bramham 22 June 1865 to Frances Kell. Father: Samuel Wormald. (England Select Marriages)

1865: Bramham Electorial list of 1865 has Robert Bownas Wormald in No. 5 Clement's Inn, London, W. C.

1868: Bramham Electorial list of 1868 has Robert Bownas Wormald in 23 Lorn Road, Brixton, London.

1871 census Brixton, Lambeth, London has Robert B Wormald, 37 (= abt 1834), journalist B. A. Oxford, born in Bramham Yorkshire (= E of Leeds). Wife Fanny, 36, also born in Bramham.

<Pursuant to a Decree of the High Court of Chancery, made in a Cause "Barker v. Wardle," the Creditors of Bryan Wormald, late of Leeds, in the county of York, Woollen-draper, deceased, (who died in the month of December, 1832,) are, by their Solicitors, forthwith to come in and prove their debts, before John Edmund Dowdeswell, Esquire, one of the Masters of the said Court, at his Office, in Southampton-buildings, Chancery-lane, London, or in default thereof they will be excluded the benefit of the said Decree.>

<Bryan Wormald

born 09/03/1824, to Samuel Bownas, woollen draper, Trafalgar Street

baptised 21/07/1825, St Peter, Leeds, by R. Fawcett, vicar>

Maybe the father was <Samuel Bryan>.

<Deaths ... On Saturday last, in her 71st year, much and deservedly lamented by her numerous family and friends, Martha, the wife of Mr Bryan Wormald, of Leeds.>

Leeds Intelligencer, 19 July 1832, p. 3:

<Deaths ... On Saturday last, suddenly, Mr. Samuel Wormald, cloth dresser, formerly of Woodhouse-lane, in this town.>

Yorkshire Gazette, 5 January 1833, p. 3: