Women's Amateur Snooker Championship

Maureen Barrett playing snooker
Maureen Baynton (pictured in 1953) won eight titles between 1954 and 1968.[1]

The Women's Amateur Snooker Championship was a tournament held annually in the United Kingdom most years from 1932 to 1985 by the Women's Billiards Association (WBA), which was later renamed as the Women's Billiards and Snooker Association (WBSA).[1][2][3]

In 1932 a snooker tournament for amateur women players was organised by the WBA, which had been established in 1931.[4][5][6] Six players participated in the main tournament at Burroughes Hall, London.[7][5] Margaret Quinn was the youngest, aged 13 and 11 months, and won the title.[8][5] Following this, the 1932 Annual General Meeting of the WBA resolved "That girls under 16 are only eligible for such WBA events as are run specially for young people."[2] It was further resolved, however, that Quinn would be allowed to enter to defend her title for as long as she held it.[2][9] Quinn retained the title in 1933 but lost it in 1934 when, due to confusion about the date of her first match, she did not attend.[10][11] As of 1947, the annual winner held the Burwat Trophy, the runner-up held the A.D.C. Cup, and the player who compiled the highest break held the Grace Wise-Parker Bowl.[12]

The WBA was in decline in the late 1960s and early 1970s, but was revived under the leadership of Wally West, who was appointed as secretary in 1978 and obtained sponsorship for tournaments including the 1980 and 1981 Women's World Open championships.[13][3] The Association was renamed as the Women's Billiards and Snooker Association (WBSA).[3] After the 1981 Women's World Open, a number of players became dissatisfied with West's management of the WBSA and the World Ladies Billiards and Snooker Association (WLBSA) was founded as a rival on 31 July 1981.[13][14]

The WBSA continued to be the body officially recognised by the Billiards and Snooker Control Council (B&SCC).[13] West resigned from the WBSA in September 1981, but then withdrew his resignation.[15] The WBSA at that time had no tournaments scheduled.[15] By August 1982, the WLBSA had organised a schedule of ten tournaments for the coming season, and, according to an article in Snooker Scene magazine, was "supported ... by virtually all serious women players."[16] A month later, West was no longer involved with the WBSA and the WBSA's representative on the B&SCC Council, Vera Selby, offered to resign from the Council and supported a merger between the WBSA and the WLBSA, using the latter name.[17] In the meantime, the WLBSA removed its restriction preventing WBSA members from joining, and offered WBSA members free membership of the WLBSA until the end of 1982.[17] The last edition of the Women's Amateur Snooker Championship was in 1980, when Sue Foster defeated Mandy Fisher 2–1 in the final.[18]

Maureen Baynton won the Women's Amateur Snooker Championship title a record eight times, between 1954 and 1968.[1] Snooker historian Clive Everton wrote that Baynton would "have assuredly won more" had she not retired from competition for several years.[3] The largest gap between successive wins by an individual player was when 1939 winner Agnes Davies regained the title in 1978. The most wins in consecutive years by a player was four, by Selby from 1972 to 1975.

Finals

Margaret Quinn playing snooker
Margaret Quinn at the inaugural championship in 1932
Women's Amateur Snooker Championship finals
Year Winner Runner-up Final score Venue Ref.
1932  Margaret Quinn (ENG)  Irene Murkett (ENG) 3–0Burroughes Hall, London[7][8][5][a]
1933  Margaret Quinn (ENG)  Miss Ballentine (ENG) 4–1Burroughes Hall, London[19][10]
1934  Ella Morris (WAL)  Molly Van Norden (ENG) 4–0Burroughes Hall, London[20][11]
1935  Molly Hill (ENG)  Helen McDougall (ENG) 4–1Burroughes Hall, London[21]
1936  Vera Seals (ENG)  Margaret Quinn (ENG) 4–1Kensington Billiard Club, London[22]
1937  Evelyn Morland-Smith (ENG)  Ella Morris (WAL) 3–2Burroughes Hall, London[20][23]
1938  Ella Morris (WAL)  Molly Hill (ENG) 4–1Kensington Billiard Club, London[20][24]
1939  Agnes Morris (WAL)  Victoria McDougall (ENG) 4–0Kensington Billiard Club, London[25][26]
1940–46 Not held[20]
1947  Mabel Knight (ENG)  Aileen Bowmer (ENG) 4–3Empire Billiards Club, London[27]
1948  Joan Adcock (ENG)  E. M. Peters (ENG) 5–2Leicester Square Hall, London[28][29]
1949  Rosemary Davies (ENG)  Joan Adcock (ENG) 4–1Burroughes Hall, London[30]
1950  Pat Holden (ENG)  Evelyn Morland-Smith (ENG) 4–1Burroughes Hall, London[31][32]
1951  Rosemary Davies (ENG)  Sadie Isaacs (ENG) 4–1Burroughes Hall, London[33][34]
1952  Rosemary Davies (ENG)  Pat Holden (ENG) 4–1Burroughes Hall, London[35]
1953  Rita Holmes (ENG)  Maureen Barrett (ENG) 4–3Burroughes Hall, London[36][37]
1954  Maureen Barrett (ENG)  Rita Holmes (ENG) 4–0Burroughes Hall, London[38]
1955  Maureen Barrett (ENG)  Rita Holmes (ENG) 4–2Burroughes Hall, London[39]
1956  Maureen Barrett (ENG)  Rita Holmes (ENG) 4–0Burroughes Hall, London[40]
1957  Rita Holmes (ENG)  Pat Ayre (ENG) 4–2Burroughes Hall, London[41][42]
1958 Not held[43][1]
1959  Rita Holmes (ENG)  Muriel Hazeldene (ENG)[b] 4–1Burroughes Hall, London[46][43]
1960  Dorothy Thompson (ENG)  K.V.M. Bint (ENG) 4–3Burroughes Hall, London[47][48]
1961  Maureen Barrett (ENG)  Thea March (ENG) 4–0Burroughes Hall, London[49][50]
1962  Maureen Baynton (née Barrett) (ENG)  Rita Holmes (ENG) 4–1Burroughes Hall, London[51]
1963  Rita Holmes (ENG)  Jean Halford (ENG) 4–2Burroughes Hall, London[52][53]
1964  Maureen Baynton (née Barrett) (ENG)  Ray Craven (ENG) 4–2Burroughes Hall, London[54]
1965  S. Jeffries (ENG)  S. Bartley (ENG) 4–0Burroughes Hall, London[55][56]
1966  Maureen Baynton (née Barrett) (ENG)  Thea March (ENG) 4–2Burroughes Hall, London[57][58]
1967  Helen Futo (ENG)  P. Saddington (ENG) 4–1Burroughes Hall, London[59][60]
1968  Maureen Baynton (née Barrett) (ENG)  Ray Craven (ENG) 4–1Windmill Snooker Club, London[61]
1969  Ray Craven (ENG)  Muriel Hazeldene (ENG)[b] 4–3Windmill Snooker Club, London[62]
1970  Muriel Hazeldene (ENG)[b]  Ray Craven (ENG) 4–2London[63]
1971  Muriel Hazeldene (ENG)[b]  Vera Selby (ENG) 4–1Windmill Snooker Club, London[64]
1972  Vera Selby (ENG)  Ray Craven (ENG) 4–0London[65][66]
1973  Vera Selby (ENG)  Kay Godwin (ENG) 4–0London[67][68]
1974  Vera Selby (ENG)  Muriel Hazeldene (ENG)[b] 4–1Windmill Snooker Club, London[69][70]
1975  Vera Selby (ENG)  Ann Johnson (ENG) 4–2Windmill Snooker Club, London[71]
1976  Ann Johnson (ENG)  Vera Selby (ENG) 4-1Windmill Snooker Club, London[72]
1977  Ann Johnson (ENG)  Vera Selby (ENG) 4–2London[73]
1978  Agnes Davies (née Morris) (WAL)  Ann Johnson (ENG) 4–1Wandsworth Billiards Club, London[74]
1979  Vera Selby (ENG)  Ann Johnson (ENG) 3–1Craneswater Club, Portsmouth[75]
1980  Sue Foster (ENG)  Mandy Fisher (ENG) 2–1Willie Thorne Snooker Centre, Leicester[76]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ This edition is omitted from the lists in the 1947 WBA Handbook and other sources
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 The spellings Hazeldine, e.g. in the Birmingham Evening Mail in 1960,[44] and Hezeldene, e.g. in the Birmingham Evening Mail in 1975[45] are also found in some sources for this player.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Morrison 1989, p. 147.
  2. 1 2 3 Carpenter, Thelma (July 1932). "Billiards for Women". The Billiard Player. p. 4.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Everton 1985, p. 155.
  4. ↑ "Women's Billiard Association formed". The Billiard Player. June 1931. p. 2.
  5. 1 2 3 4 McDougall, Victoria (May 1932). "Women's Billiards Association News". The Burwat Billiards View. Vol. III, no. 4. p. 63.
  6. ↑ "The season in review". The Burwat Billiards View. Vol. III, no. 5. June 1932. p. 76.
  7. 1 2 "Girl Snooker Wonder on way to championship". Daily Herald. 23 March 1932. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. 1 2 "Child Snooker Expert". Liverpool Daily Post. 8 April 1932. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Girl Billiards Expert". The News. Adelaide. 18 March 1933. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. 1 2 "Girl retains snooker title". The Daily Telegraph. 27 March 1933. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. 1 2 "Sports in Brief". The Times. 26 March 1934. p. 5.
  12. ↑ Munro Wright 1947, p. 33.
  13. 1 2 3 "Women's game in state of flux". Snooker Scene. December 1981. p. 21.
  14. ↑ Everton, Clive (July 1984). "Is women's snooker on the right track?". Snooker Scene. pp. 14–15.
  15. 1 2 "McIlrath wins tournament as women's wrangle continues". Snooker Scene. May 1982. p. 31.
  16. ↑ "Full women's prog". Snooker Scene. August 1982. p. 23.
  17. 1 2 "Difficulties with women's bodies". Snooker Scene. September 1982. p. 15.
  18. ↑ Everton 1985, p. 154.
  19. ↑ "(untitled article)". The Observer. 26 March 1933. p. 27 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. 1 2 3 4 Munro Wright 1947, p. 32.
  21. ↑ "(untitled article)". The Daily Telegraph. 25 March 1935. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ↑ "Women's Amateur Snooker Championship". The Billiard Player. June 1936. p. 4.
  23. ↑ "Women's Amateur Championship". Western Mail. 19 March 1937. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ↑ "Sidney Smith Makes Certain". Daily News. London. 26 March 1938. p. 19.
  25. ↑ "Women's Snooker Champion". The Bolton News. 28 March 1939. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ↑ "Personality Page". The Billiard Player. May 1939. p. 20.
  27. ↑ "Women's Snooker". The Billiard Player. April 1947. p. 6.
  28. ↑ "A really grand finale!". The Billiard Player. June 1948. pp. 8–9.
  29. ↑ "Snooker Champion: Walsall Girl Started on Small Table Five Years Ago". Walsall Observer. 29 May 1948. p. 7.
  30. ↑ "Women's Amateur Championship 1949–50". The Billiard Player. December 1949. p. 16.
  31. ↑ "Women's Amateur Events". The Billiard Player. November 1950. p. 3.
  32. ↑ "Women's Snooker champion". Belfast Telegraph. 23 October 1950. p. 8.
  33. ↑ "With the ladies". The Billiard Player. November 1951. p. 5.
  34. ↑ "Women's Billiards Title". Belfast News-Letter. 22 October 1951. p. 7.
  35. ↑ "Mrs Pat Holden Loses in Final". Sunday Mercury. 16 October 1952. p. 19 – via Newspapers.com.
  36. ↑ "Women's amateur snooker c'ship". The Billiard Player. November 1954. p. 9.
  37. ↑ "Mrs Pat Holden beaten in women's snooker". Birmingham Gazette. 24 October 1953. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  38. ↑ "Youngest Woman Snooker Champion". Sunday Mercury. 24 October 1954. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com.
  39. ↑ "Maureen wins again". Sunday Despatch. 23 October 1955. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com.
  40. ↑ "Miss Barrett Keeps Title". The Guardian Journal. Nottingham. 8 October 1956. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  41. ↑ "Pat reaches All-England snooker final". Peterborough Evening Telegraph. 12 October 1956. p. 9.
  42. ↑ "Rita Holmes again women's amateur snooker champion". The Billiard Player. November 1957. p. 15.
  43. 1 2 "Rita Holmes achieves third victory in Women's Amateur Snooker Championship". The Billiard Player. September 1959. p. 10.
  44. ↑ "Keen Struggle". Birmingham Evening Mail. 5 May 1960. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  45. ↑ Barry, Ed (22 February 1975). "Top Women Cue Up for Miles". Birmingham Evening Mail. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  46. ↑ "Women's Amateur Championships". The Billiard Player. May 1959. p. 16.
  47. ↑ "Sports in Brief". The Times. 4 May 1960. p. 17.
  48. ↑ Holt, Richard (June 1960). "WBA Finals". the Billiard Player. pp. 6, 16.
  49. ↑ "Billiards and Snooker". Daily Herald. London. 28 April 1961. p. 12.
  50. ↑ "WBA Championships. Maureen Barrett still supreme: Miss T March's splendid feat". Billiards and Snooker. June 1961. p. 8.
  51. ↑ "Snooker". Birmingham Daily Post. London. 5 May 1962. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  52. ↑ "untitled article". Billiards and Snooker. May 1963. p. 11.
  53. ↑ Holt, Richard (June 1963). "Rita Holmes again and Sadie Issaacs repeats 1947 billiards win". Billiards and Snooker. pp. 16–17.
  54. ↑ "Snooker: Women's Champion". The Birmingham Post. 11 April 1964. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
  55. ↑ "Snooker". The Daily Telegraph. 2 April 1965. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  56. ↑ "Snooker". The Daily Telegraph. 3 April 1965. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  57. ↑ "Womens's Billiards Association". Billiards and Snooker. February 1966. p. 8.
  58. ↑ "Maureen Baynton wins both billiards and snooker titles again". Billiards and Snooker. May 1966. p. 9.
  59. ↑ Buxton, John (June 1967). "Turnabout". Billiards and Snooker. p. 8.
  60. ↑ "Women's Amateur Championship". Daily Express. 23 March 1967. p. 18.
  61. ↑ Tabor, Ethel (August 1968). "Women's Championships". Billiards and Snooker. p. 8.
  62. ↑ "Great Recovery". Billiards and Snooker. June 1969. p. 15.
  63. ↑ "Snooker". Birmingham Evening Mail. 23 May 1970. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  64. ↑ March, Thea (July 1971). "Hemlines". Billiards and Snooker. p. 7.
  65. ↑ "New first lady". Snooker Scene. June 1972. p. 5.
  66. ↑ "Snooker Title for Mrs Selby". The Journal. Newcastle. 14 April 1972. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
  67. ↑ "Vera wins final spot". The Journal. Newcastle. 14 April 1973. p. 25 – via Newspapers.com.
  68. ↑ "First lady again". Snooker Scene. June 1973. p. 13.
  69. ↑ Hamilton, Alex (22 March 1974). "Winning Women: Hot Pot". The Guardian. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
  70. ↑ "First lady again". Snooker Scene. July 1974. p. 21.
  71. ↑ "Vera Selby retains women's championship". Snooker Scene. July 1975. p. 11.
  72. ↑ "Ann beats Vera at last". Snooker Scene. June 1976. p. 38.
  73. ↑ Benger, Geoffrey (19 April 1977). "Ms Pot black pockets a title". Western Daily Press. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  74. ↑ "Vera Selby retains women's championship". Snooker Scene. May 1978. p. 2.
  75. ↑ "Vera Selby regains women's snooker title". Snooker Scene. June 1979. p. 28.
  76. ↑ "New Women's Champion". Snooker Scene. October 1980. p. 8.

Books

  • Everton, Clive (1985). Frei, Beatrice (ed.). Snooker: The Records. Enfield: Guinness Superlatives. ISBN 978-0-85112-448-3.
  • Morrison, Ian (1989). Snooker: Records, Facts and Champions. Enfield: Guinness Superlatives. ISBN 978-0-85112-364-6.
  • Munro Wright, Bessie, ed. (1947). Illustrated Handbook of the Women's Billiards Association. Women's Billiards Association. pp. 32–33.
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