Gossip (1841-1907), “the master that never was “ GH Diggle (BCM) Jan 1969,  lived in this house. American-English chess master, writer, journalist who played with most world’s leading players with modest success. A little bit like our own David Spence.  Gossip is remembered by his famous theory of chess openings.  Wilhelm Steinitz, the first World champion wrote that the 1888 edition of The Chess-Player’s Manual was one of the best available books on the game.