Harriet Worrall: Female Chessplayer in the 19th Century

Harriet Worrall, from the
Philadelphia Inquirer, July 4, 1897

Well, it's one of those strange things that took me, circuitously, to visit Chessville and it's Delphi Message Board (which is still there but dead, which is an unfortunate circumstance, I am very sad tonight) and I happened upon a page of News from December at Chessville, and found this incredible article at Chess Cafe about Harriet Worrall.

I won't say any more - you have to read it for yourself, and I hope you do.  Image from Chess Cafe article.  Mrs. Worrall was about 60 years old when this image was sketched, when she was visiting England for about 3 months to participate in a chess event with "international" female players.  Mrs. Worrall was a woman who promoted her inner pawn.