Women's Professional Billiards Championship

The Women's Professional Billiards Championship was an English billiards tournament run by Burroughes and Watts in 1930, and from 1931 to 1950 by the Women's Billiards Association. Joyce Gardner won the tournament on seven of the fourteen times that it was held.

Women's Professional Billiards Championship
Tournament information
Established1930
Organisation(s)Women's Billiards Association[1]
Final year1950
Final champion(s)Thelma Carpenter

History

Margaret Lennan beat Joyce Gardner 1000-960 at Hull in September 1928 in a match billed as the British Championship. Billiard cloth manufacturers Howard and Powell provided a silver rose bowl for the winner.[2] This match is omitted from records in the handbooks of the Billiards and Snooker Control Council. Lennan did not take part in the tournament established in 1930, until the 1935 championship.

In 1930, the cue sports company Burroughes and Watts organised the British Women's Billiards Championship,[3] also known as the Burwat Billiards Cup. The following year, 1931, the Women's Billiards Association was formed, and it was agreed that the Association would take over the running of the competition as a world championship, with the same trophy used in 1930.[4][5]

Joyce Gardner was champion each year until 1934, when Ruth Harrison won the first of her three titles.

1934 saw the first century break in the competition, a 100 by Gardner.[6] Margaret Lennan made two centuries, 113 and then 153 in the 1936 competition.[7] Ruth Harrison's break of 197 in 1937 remains a women's record in competitive billiards.[8][9]

Thelma Carpenter won her first title in 1940, and was champion again when the tournament was next held in 1948. In 1950, she was watched by her 10-year-old son as she beat Joyce Gardner to win her fourth title.[10] This was to be the last women's professional championship to be held to date, effectively making Carpenter the professional champion from 1940 to the present day.[1]

Although the tournament was billed as a "World Championship," no players from outside the United Kingdom participated. The World Women's Billiards Championship is viewed as a continuation of the Amateur championship rather than of the Women's Professional Billiards Championship.[11]

Finals
Year Winner Runner-up Final score Venue
1930[12] Joyce Gardner Eva Collins 1500-727 Burroughes Hall, London
1931[13] Joyce Gardner Eva Collins 2000-1185 Burroughes Hall, London
1932[14][15] Joyce Gardner Ruth Harrison 2000-1713 Burroughes Hall, London
1933[16] Joyce Gardner Ruth Harrison 2000-1306 Burroughes Hall, London
1934[6] Ruth Harrison Joyce Gardner 2000-1608 Burroughes Hall, London
February 1935[17][18] Ruth Harrison Joyce Gardner 3000-2708 Burroughes Hall, London
November 1935[7] Joyce Gardner Margaret Lennan 3000-2872 Thurston's Hall, London
1937[9][19] Joyce Gardner Ruth Harrison 2223-2204 Thurston's Hall, London
1938[20] Joyce Gardner Thelma Carpenter 2313-1824 Thurston's Hall, London
1939[21] Ruth Harrison Joyce Gardner 2559-1792 Burroughes Hall, London
1940[22] Thelma Carpenter Ruth Harrison 2184-1641 Thurston's Hall, London
1941–1947 No tournament held
1948[23] Thelma Carpenter Joyce Gardner 2659-1670 Leicester Square Hall, London
1949[24] Thelma Carpenter Joyce Gardner 3120-2518 Leicester Square Hall, London
1950[25][10] Thelma Carpenter Joyce Gardner 1978-1374 Leicester Square Hall, London

Statistics by player
Rank Name Nationality Winner Runner-up
1 Joyce Gardner  England 7 6
2 Thelma Carpenter (billiards player)  England 4 1
3 Ruth Harrison (snooker player)  England 3 4
4 Eva Collins  England 0 2
5 Margaret Lennan  Scotland 0 1

British Women's Billiards Tournament (1930)

Sources: The Scotsman, 1 April 1930;[26] Sheffield Independent, 2 April 1930;[27] The Billiard Player, May and August 1930.[28][29]

There were four entrants.

Semi-finals

Final: Joyce Gardner 1,500–727 Eva Collins. (3 April 1930) Gardner made a break of 96.

1931 Women's Professional Championship

Source: Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 24 March 1931;[30] The Billiard Player, April 1931.[31]

There were three entrants.

Semi-finals

Final: Joyce Gardner 2,000–1,185 Eva Collins. Lady Wedgewood presented the winner's cup to Gardner.

1932 Championship

Source:The Billiard Player, March 1932.[32][33]

There were four entrants. The highest break was 83 by Joyce Gardner, in the final.

Semi-finals

Final: Joyce Gardner 2,000–1,713 Ruth Harrison

1933 Championship

Sources: Lancashire Evening Post, 15 February 1933;[34] The Scotsman, 23 February 1933.[35]

There were three entrants.

Semi-finals

Final: Joyce Gardner 2,000–1,306 Ruth Harrison

1934 Championship

Sources: Shields Daily News, 6 February 1934;[36] Leeds Mercury, 22 February 1934;[37] The Scotsman, 23 February 1934.[38]

There were four entrants.Joyce Gardner made a break of 100, a record for the championship.[39]

Semi-finals

Final: Ruth Harrison 2,000–1,608 Joyce Gardner

February 1935 Championship

Source: Billiards and Snooker, March 1935.[39]

There were five entrants.

Preliminary Round: Thelma Carpenter 1,000-699 Eva Collins

Semi-finals

Final: Ruth Harrison 3,000–2,708 Joyce Gardner. Harrison made two breaks of 101, the highest of the competition, and also a 99, during the final. Gardner's average score of 18.5 against Carpenter was a new Championship record.

November 1935 Championship

Sources: The Scotsman, 2 November 1935;[40] Coatbridge Express, 6 November 1935;[41] Aberdeen Press and Journal, 6 November 1935;[42] Sheffield Independent, 7 November 1935.[43]

There were five entrants.

First round: Margaret Lennan 1,000-466 Eva Collins

Semi-finals

Final: Joyce Gardner 3,000–2,872 Margaret Lennan

1937 Championship

Source: Billiards and Snooker, June 1937.[44] There were five entrants.

Heat 1: Ruth Harrison 1,178–469 Eva Collins

Semi-finals

Final: Joyce Gardner 2,223–2,204 Ruth Harrison (snooker player). Gardner made a break of 154.

1938 Championship

Sources:Lincolnshire Echo, 25 April 1938;[45] Dundee Courier, 10 May 1938;[46] Western Mail, 12 May 1938;[47] Aberdeen Press and Journal,14 May 1938.[48]

There were five entrants.

First Round

Semi-finals

Final: Joyce Gardner 2,313–2,872 Thelma Carpenter

1939 Championship

Source: The Billiard Player, June 1939.[49] There were five entrants.

Heat 1

Semi-finals

Final: Ruth Harrison (snooker player)2,559–1,792 Joyce Gardner

1940 Championship

Sources: Birmingham Daily Gazette, 27 January 1940[50] Liverpool Daily Post, 15 February 1940.[51]

There were four entrants.

Semi-finals

Final: Thelma Carpenter 2184-1641 Ruth Harrison

1948 Championship

Source: The Billiard Player, June 1948.[23] There were three entrants.

Semi-final: Joyce Gardner 1,256–1,037 Ruth Harrison (snooker player)
Final: Thelma Carpenter 2659-1670 Joyce Gardner

Carpenter averaged 11.92 to Gardner's 7.92 in the final, and made the highest break of the tournament, 90.

1949 Championship

Source: The Billiard Player, July 1949.[52]

Final: Thelma Carpenter 3,120–2,528 Joyce Gardner

(Cumulative scores after each session: 328–261, 619–567, 890–801, 1,275–1,002, 1,557–1,346, 1,992–1,531, ,2162–1,795, 2,484–1,986, 2,753–2,279, 3,120–2,528.)
Highest break: Joyce Gardner, 73.

1950 Championship

Sources: Birmingham Daily Gazette, 20 June 1950;[53] Dundee Courier, 21 June 1950;[25] Dundee Courier, 23 June 1950.[10]

There were only two entrants.

Final: Thelma Carpenter 1,978–1,374 Joyce Gardner

(Cumulative scores per day: 716–359, 1,368–792, 1,978–1,374)

References
  1. Everton, Clive (1985). Guinness Snooker – The Records. Guinness Superlatives Ltd. pp. 154–156. ISBN 0851124488.
  2. Holt, Willie (22 December 1931). "Letters: Women's Billiards Championship". The Billiard Player. No. January 1931). p. 31.
  3. "Midland Girl's Billiards Title". Birmingham Daily Gazette. p.1. 4 April 1930 – via The British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 23 August 2019.CS1 maint: location (link)
  4. "Women and Billiards". Uxbridge & West Drayton Gazette. p.18. 18 September 1932 – via The British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 22 August 2019.CS1 maint: location (link)
  5. "Women's Billiards. Association Formed to Control the Championships". Lancashire Evening Post. p.10. 18 September 1932 – via The British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 22 August 2019.CS1 maint: location (link)
  6. "Billiards – Women's Professional Championship". The Times. No. 46688. 26 February 1934. p. 7 – via The Times Digital Archive. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  7. "Miss Gardner Wins Women's Championship". The Times. No. Issue 47218. 11 November 1935. p. 6 – via The Times Digital Archive. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  8. World Ladies Billiards Champions Archived 16 August 2019 at the Wayback Machine World Billiards. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  9. "Women's Professional Championship". The Times. No. Issue 47682. 12 May 1937. p. 4 – via The Times Digital Archive. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  10. "Thelma still champion". Dundee Courier. 23 June 1950. p. 5 – via The British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  11. "World Ladies Billiards Champions". world-billiards.com. World Billiards Ltd. 22 June 2015. Archived from the original on 16 August 2019. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  12. "Billiards – Women's Tournament". The Times. No. 45479. 4 April 1930. p. 7 – via The Times Digital Archive. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  13. "Women's Championship". The Times. No. 45781. 26 March 1931. p. 6 – via The Times Digital Archive. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  14. "Billiards – Women's Professional Championship". The Times. No. 46061. 19 February 1932. p. 6 – via The Times Digital Archive. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  15. "Women's Professional Championship". Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail. 13 January 1932. p. 7 – via The British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  16. "Billiards – Women's Professional Championship". The Times. No. 46379. 27 February 1933. p. 4 – via The Times Digital Archive. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  17. "Billiards – Women's Professional Championship". The Times. No. Issue 46997. 25 February 1935. p. 7 – via The Times Digital Archive. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  18. "Women's Championship". The Observer. p.2. 25 February 1935 – via ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Guardian and The Observer. Retrieved 19 August 2019.CS1 maint: location (link)
  19. "(Untitled Article)". The Observer. 12 May 1937. p. 4 – via ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Guardian and The Observer. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  20. "Miss Gardner Wins Women's Championship". The Times. No. Issue 47997. 18 May 1938. p. 5 – via The Times Digital Archive. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  21. "Women's Championship". The Times. No. Issue 48305. 15 May 1939. p. 6 – via The Times Digital Archive. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  22. "New Women's Billiards Champion". The Observer. 18 February 1940. p. 16 – via ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Guardian and The Observer. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  23. "A Really Grand Finale!". the Billiard Player. No. June 1948. p. 8.
  24. "Still Champion". Western Morning News. 13 June 1949. p. 6 – via The British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  25. "Untitled article". Dundee Courier. 21 June 1950. p. 4 – via The British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  26. "Women's tournament". The Scotsman. 1 April 1930. p. 15 – via The British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  27. "Billiards". Sheffield Independent. 2 April 1930. p. 10 – via The British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  28. "Untitled article". The Billiard Player. No. May 1930). p. 30.
  29. "Here and there notes". The Billiard Player. No. August 1930). p. 23.
  30. "an eight stroke by a girl". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 24 March 1931. p. 9 – via The British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  31. "Here and there notes". The Billiard Player. No. April 1931). p. 24.
  32. Young, Patience. "Women's Billiards". The Billiard Player. No. March 1932). p. 14.
  33. "Women's Championship Results". The Billiard Player. No. March 1932).
  34. "Women's Professional Billiards". Lancashire Evening Post. 15 February 1933. p. 12 – via The British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  35. "Women's Professional Title". The Scotsman. 23 February 1933. p. 15 – via The British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  36. "Billiards". Shields Daily News. 6 February 1934. p. 5 – via The British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  37. "Women's Billiards Championship". Leeds Mercury. 23 February 1933. p. 9 – via The British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  38. "Women Professionals". The Scotsman. 23 February 1933. p. 15 – via The British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  39. Carpenter, Thelma. "Billiards for Women". Billiards and Snooker. No. June 1937). p. 4.
  40. "Miss Lennan leads in first round of ladies' title". The Scotsman. 2 November 1935. p. 21 – via The British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  41. "Billiards". Coatbridge Express. 6 November 1935. p. 2 – via The British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  42. "Glasgow player's easy victory". Aberdeen Press and Journal. 6 November 1935. p. 4 – via The British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  43. "Women's Billiards". Sheffield Independent. 7 November 1935. p. 8 – via The British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  44. Carpenter, Thelma. "Billiards for Women". Billiards and Snooker. No. June 1937). p. 4.
  45. "Phone girl's bid for women's title". Lincolnshire Echo. 25 April 1938. p. 6 – via The British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  46. "Scots Girl beaten in billiards tie". Dundee Courier. 10 May 1938. p. 4 – via The British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  47. "Women's Billiards". Western Mail. 12 May 1938. p. 4 – via The British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  48. "Miss Carpenter enters women's billiards final". Aberdeen Press and Journal. 14 May 1938. p. 4 – via The British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  49. "Woman". The Billiard Player. No. June 1939). p. 19.
  50. "Women's billiards". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 27 January 1940. p. 7 – via The British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  51. "Women's billiards title". Liverpool Daily Post. 15 February 1940. p. 8 – via The British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  52. "Women's Professional Billiards and Snooker Championships". The Billiard Player. No. July 1949). pp. 3–5.
  53. "Women's billiards title". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 20 June 1950. p. 6 – via The British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.