<Louisa (the wife's half-sister)>

I wrote this per Townsend (see below), but now I'm doubtful. Her name is given as <Louisa Nethersole>, relationship to the head of the house (Staunton) is <Sister in Law>, unmarried, aged 48 and profession/occupation is <Annuitant> (the same as 'sister' Frances). By the by, Staunton's occupation is given as <Journalist & Annuitant>.

Problem is that I can't identify any such <Louisa>, whose birth date should be c.1802-03.

If she was directly a sister of Frances, her surname should be Cates, not Nethersole. Besides, Frances's known siblings are George (b.1799), Emma (b. 1806), Catherine (b.1808) and half-siblings, Adolphus (b.1809) and Helen Louisa, (b.1813).

William Dickenson Nethersole (Frances's first husband) had one known sister - Harriet Nethersole (1803-1844).

So what did Townsend say on the matter?

<There was also a 48-year-old woman, "Louisa Nethersole", described as Staunton's sister-in-law, Almost certainly, the Nethersole part of that is wrong and she was Louisa Luson Henry, a half-sister of Frances and a life-long friend who left her a bequest in her will when she died in 1881.>

Via Ancestry, I found an 1881 probate record which reads: <The Will of Louisa Luson Henry formerly of 33 but late of 31 Ledbury-road Bayswater in the County of Middlesex[.] Spinster who died 6 November 1881 at 31 Ledbury-road was proved at the Principal Registry by Frances Carpenter Staunton of 4 Westbury - terrace Westbourne Park in the said County [.] Widow one of the Executrixes.>

Ledbury Road, Westbury Terrace (it no longer exists), and the Stauntons last addresses, Landsdowne and Elgin Roads, were all in close proximity, so this Louisa was probably a regular visitor to the Staunton home in later years, but was it her in 1851?

Townsend seems quite definite on the half-sister relationship and as he alludes to the will itself, it's possible this document spells out the relationship, but I withhold judgement and remain sceptical.

A <BNA> search for <Luson Henry> turns up an 1825 list of deacon appointments of Cambridge University students including: <Henry Charles Luson Henry, B.A., Jesus College, Cambridge, by Let. Dim. from the Bishop of Sarum.>

Let. Dim.: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimis...

<Henry Charles Luson Henry> in the <Alumni Cantabrigienses> is given as <Henry Charles <Leeson> Henry>: <Adm. pens. (age 26) at Jesus, Nov. 3, 1820. S. of John. B. London. School, Islington. Matric. Michs. 1820; B.A. 1825. Ord. deacon (Bristol) Apr. 3, 1825.>

Frances Carpenter Staunton and Louisa Luson Henry named each other in their wills and in both cases referred to the other as "my sister". Obviously, they weren't full sisters, since George Cates was father to only one of them. However, to interpret them as half-sisters makes very good sense, for the following reason. Louisa Luson was born on 10 September 1796 and baptized at St. George's Hanover Square on 20 December 1796, a daughter of John Luson and Louisa Luson. The theory is that her mother, Louisa, later became the mother (also known to have been a Louisa) of Staunton's wife, making them half-sisters. There is no proof of this as yet, and it remains to be explained how LLH acquired the name Henry (as did her brother, the clergyman). However, that they were half-sisters seems to me extremely likely.

Wait, what gives? It takes two minutes to register for free. Or is this meant to be a one off contribution? I will continue as if this were a conversation.

<Frances Carpenter Staunton and Louisa Luson Henry named each other in their wills and in both cases referred to the other as "my sister".>

What were the dates on these wills?

<Louisa Luson was born on 10 September 1796 and baptized at St. George's Hanover Square on 20 December 1796, a daughter of John Luson and Louisa Luson.>

I had only searched for <Louisa Luson Henry>. It didn't take long to find <Henry Charles Luson> in the St. George's baptism register: Born December 26 1794, baptised March 27 1795. Father is John Joshua, mother Louisa. I suppose it would be curious to have baptised him <Henry Henry>.

<The theory is that her mother, Louisa, later became the mother (also known to have been a Louisa) of Staunton's wife, making them half-sisters.>

My attention was more focused on the Nethersole side of the family, but, of course, this is compelling. As you're presumably aware, there's already uncertainty regarding the early years of the Cates children.

<Frances's known siblings are George (b.1799), Emma (b. 1806), Catherine (b.1808) and half-siblings, Adolphus (b.1809) and Helen Louisa, (b.1813).>

The mother of George, Frances (b.1805), Emma and Catherine is supposed to be Louisa, who I'd assumed was the first wife of George Cates, Snr., although no marriage record is known. The mother of Adolphus and Helen Louisa is thought to be Elizabeth Goodson (c.1781 - 1863). But she married George, Snr., on May 16 1804, i.e., before the births of Frances, Emma and Catherine.

< If "Louisa Nethersole" was not LLH, who was she? And where is LLH in the 1851 census, if not at 8 Sydney Place?>

That Louisa was present on such an auspicious occasion confirms the closeness of her relationship with Frances and suggests she was accepted within the Cates family circle (or by some members, at least) even though she was not the child of either George or Elizabeth. That said, what if George Cates was her actual father, meaning Louisa and Frances were full sisters.

https://www.chessarch.com/excavatio...

<"We advise all discussion to stop, as Morphy stands too high to bandy words. He fights, as the knights of old, with swords. Excuse, there, not printing your quite unanswerable letters [ed. - images]">

Fischer was already a world class grandmaster in 1964. He studied all the great players of the past. We should give his opinion great credence.>

<I was very glad to hear the chess of the F.H. [Family Herald] had fallen into British hands, as that preposterous custom of engaging a foreigner to edit Chess in an English newspaper makes us ridiculous wherever the game is known... Indeed the practice if not checked would shortly have given to half-dozen refugees a complete monopoly of English periodical Chess. You have no conception of the exertions these fellows have been making to get the Chess in their hands...>

The source is David Levy's book, <Howard Staunton 1810-1874> p.122, (Nottingham 1974), but Harding states no citation or source is provided.

Harding comments: <Staunton's xenophobic attitude was not based on fact: The majority of columns were still in the hands of Englishmen. That letter was probably counter-productive because soon afterwards Tomlinson then passed the column on to Lowenthal himself, "whom he considered more qualified to write it," according to Levy. Lowenthal's series was a more typical column, including problems and games.>

That should, of course, be William Dickenson Nethersole. How did I not notice this before?

Louisa Luson Henry was also present as a witness at the wedding of Emma Cates, Frances's sister, and Francis Fladgate. in September 1826.

And now I find her as <Louisa Henry> in the 1841 census living with Elizabeth Cates (nee Goodson) in Elizabeth St, Belgravia. Her age is given as 36, whereas she was actually 44. Recall that for the 1851 census, she claimed to be 48 (actually 54).

< That said, what if George Cates was her actual father, meaning Louisa and Frances were full sisters.

Cates left a will when he died in 1828, which is available online, making provisions for his children, but it's largely indecipherable to these eyes.>

Meanwhile, John Townsend suggests that Staunton may have had a fondness for alcohol:

<‘The New York Herald suggested that during the 1843 match in Paris between St Amant and Staunton the latter’s “second” was afraid of the English champion’s partiality to drink and took steps to prevent it damaging his performance. Thanks are due to Jerry Spinrad of Nashville, Tennessee for two quotations from the Herald. He urges caution in evaluating the articles, as they come from a distant source.>