The Principles of Chess by James Mason, 1896

A lovely second edition of The Principles of Chess by James Mason, dated 1896 (I believe the first edition was also issued in that year)., published by Horace Cox.  Price of the book was 2 and 6 (two shillings and sixpence).

The book features a picture of James Mason opposite the title page - I think a fairly novel idea for a book of this age

Wonderfully, this book was awarded as a prize to William Hoole (?) for coming second in the 1896-97 season St Ignatius Chess Club Tournament.  I can only imagine the slight implied by being awarded a book on chess for coming second!

Inside the book were a few press cuttings with photographs of Catholic priests - Rev Rather Fanning, S.J, Rev Father Martin, S.J and Rev Fsather Tarleton, S.J. (I looked up that S.J. means "Society of Jesus", aka Jesuits).  I believe these were all from the Liverpool diocese, which would make the St Ignatius connection (as both the founding father of the Jesuits, and also potentially the church/school in Preston)