Snooker, Billiards & Caretakers

The game of “Snooker” is reputed to have developed from a combination of the games of pool and pyramid pool.  Colonel Sir Neville Chamberlain invented it in 1875, whilst playing in the Officers’ Mess at Jubbulpore, India.   Royal Military Academy first year cadets were known as “Snookers.”    During the game when a participant missed a pot Chamberlain used the term “Snooker,” referring to the player, but it soon became the name of the new game.

            By 1882, the new game was established throughout the Army as personnel were moved throughout the British Empire.   The rules were subsequently recognised by the “Billiards Association,” who were the Governing Body until 1900.

            So in 1906 when the Institute was opened, a Snooker Hall would have been the latest fad for leisure activity.   Too trendy perhaps for Llanhilleth at that time.  

            But by the 1920s the swimming pool had been closed due to engineering problems, so why not instal a Snooker Hall?  Eight tables were established on the lower ground floor.  

1940s and beyond

The Snooker hall was always very popular over the years.    Some members of the Institute only used the Snooker Hall and never ventured up the stairs to other parts of the building.

A hierarchy of players was established and the use of table numbers was graded according to ability.  Originally eight tables were situated in the current lower ground floor.  Tables one and two were for billiards, table three for both billiards and snooker and the remainder for snooker.   Tables seven and eight were the best tables.  Table eight being the match table reserved for only the best players and always used for special matches.   The other tables were made available for the local experts making it difficult for the younger boys to get a game.   

Young lads were always eager to reach working age of 14 and later 15, and thus achieve Institute membership in their own right.   Then, as miners they would have priority over non-miners and the unemployed in the queue to play on the next available table.

There would be no talking whilst playing snooker, and the hall closed promptly at 9 pm.

One player recalls playing on table seven for 2s. (10p) prize money, “winner take all.”   He had won two out of three games so convincingly that he was told rather abruptly “Move to number 8!!”

Jim Hodder

Jim Hodder and his colleagues started visiting the ‘Stute Snooker Hall  in the 1940s, aged 14.   They were not allowed before they were 14, as this was the age they started work underground    A bench along the side wall was where they were expected to sit, quietly, unless spoken to. 

They could only play (2d. for 30 minutes) if there was no-one older wanting to play.   Fathers and older brothers taught sons and cousins.

Jim's snooker cup

“It was the only place to go.   The only place to go to after work.   You could have a couple of games of snooker in the evening.”  

They soon went on to become excellent snooker players, and the Llanhilleth team won several trophies competing in the Western Valley Div. Billiard & Snooker League, including the Burroughs & Watts Trophy.    Burroughs & Watts made snooker tables, so were keen to promote their product.  

School boys

Around 1947-49 several schoolboys from Brynhyfryd Modern Secondary School found a way to occupy their lunch hour.   As soon as the lunchtime bell rang, they made a hasty departure from the school yard, down the road to the Bakers to quickly collect a batch each to eat for their lunch.   This was devoured quickly in order for them to be allowed entry into the Snooker Hall at the ‘Stute.   (No food allowed.) A sixpence, (2.5p) would be inserted into the clock on the table for 30 minutes of snooker, before they returned up the hill to their afternoon lessons.

They were known, when a little older, to visit Pontypool on a Sunday night, where a snooker club was open, even though the pubs weren’t.

1950s

A presentation dinner was held in October 1950 to pay tribute to the successful Institute billiards team and the individual cup winners in the Western Valley competition.   On presenting the Western Valley Snooker cup 1950 to Mr Jim Hodder, Mr Fred Dayton said that, through his record of play, Mr Hodder was an inspiration to the younger boys.   He reminded everyone present that Mr Hodder had defeated the Welsh Champion to obtain the trophy.   This Welsh Champion was no less than Jack, Jim’s elder brother who received the Individual Cup for 1949.   An  unusual event for the trophy to go to brothers in consecutive years.   Jack had defeated the previous Welsh Champion to obtain the trophy. 
 

“No better facilities are attainable than at Llanhilleth.”

Mr Jack Tarling received the Welsh Junior Billiards Cup and Jack Lewis the Western Valley Senior Individual Billiards Cup.   Mr Towy Burrows stated that they had the answer to the oft asked question “What is there in Llanhilleth?”   He went on to say how proud he was of the part played by the Workmen’s Insitute and pledged that support would be provided for the youth of the area.

Amongst the accolades obtained by the Institute team were the Boys’ Snooker League 1949, semi-finalists of the league 1^st division 1950, and runners-up 2^nd division snooker league.

Two team members, Lyn Hodder and Malcolm Blanche, received a send-off at the event as they were leaving for military service the following day.

Doug Mountjoy
Was born in Ebbw Vale in 1942, and was known to be a regular player at the Institute before achieving fame and fortune by winning Welsh Amateur Tournaments and then the World Amateur Tournament.

Billy 'Shilling'

1964

In 1964 the Social Club moved two or three tables into the bar on the upper ground floor and converted the lower ground into a Coffee Shop for teenagers. (This breed of human rarely existed before the 1960's, but soon demanded attention.)

1989

In 1989, Jim made the highest break of 122 at the Llanhilleth Workmen’s Club.   The Chairman and members of Llanhilleth Institute presented him with an inscribed plaque in recognition of this achievement.   This presentation was a surprise, made during the celebrations for his Ruby wedding.   

Picture from the Gwent Gazette

He received a trophy for scoring eight breaks over 100.    Then Jim and Jack competed for the 1950 trophy.   Jim won and was allowed to keep a replica of the cup.    Abertillery Central was also a good snooker playing team, and the 1948 Welsh Champion played for that team. 
 

            “There were not many men in Llanhilleth who could not play a good game of          snooker,” Jim says, rather modestly.

Successes

In January 1955 the famous Joe Davis famously made the highest ever break in snooker of 147, a huge highlight in his very impressive career.   There was a national competition held to play for the table that was used.  The Abertillery team (neighbouring Llanhilleth) won the event, but on their return home to the Valleys they played Llanhilleth and duly lost.
  
Inflation

Times were hard, though and the cost of a game increased from 2d. To 4d. during the ‘50s.   Later it was increased to 6d. (2.5p)   Enough was enough and the regular players went on strike and reverted to playing dominoes which remained at 4d. per game.    Eventually they succumbed, snooker was too much of an attraction.

Family

Fathers were not encouraged to take along their young children, especially girls, to watch the play.   It was felt that the Snooker Hall was not a suitable place for young children.    One sister remembers her brother playing in the Snooker Hall, but only when her parents ‘weren’t looking.’   “It was not the place to go,” she added.   “You didn’t achieve anything.”

Behaviour

The caretaker (there were several over the years) took a strict view over the proceedings of the hall and would inspect young lads hands before they would be allowed into the hall.   If they had dirty hands they would be sent home to wash so they did not contaminate the green baize.   Clean hands, however, did not necessarily ensure a game of snooker.   Boys would sit on benches along the wall after washing and changing after work.   They would watch and learn, while they waited for a table to become free.   Older players would, of course, take precedence.

The older men used their skill to earn a couple of coppers.   The younger ones would “mark the board,” keeping score.   The winner would then tip the score keeper.   Tuppence would be a good tip.   It was possible for a score keeper to earn a couple of pounds during a morning at the ‘Stute.

Behaviour was always controlled by the caretaker.   He could impose a ban, its length being dependent on the level of the misbehaviour.   A ban of a fortnight or three weeks would be ‘like having your throat cut’ as there was nowhere else to go, nothing else to do.

Later the caretaker Mr Bob Roberts, was an expert at draughts.   The boys never beat him.  No-one could touch him.   Negotiations to have a game could always be made by doing chores around the ‘Stute such as cleaning the ashes from the coal fire in the caretaker’s flat, or other duties he preferred to delegate.

One occasion there were three or four men playing and the noise level in the room grew with the excitement.   Suddenly the room was in darkness.   Silence fell and everyone wondered what had happened.   All the lights had been switched off by Bob Roberts.  

“Too much noise boys!”

Membership of the club was quite hierarchical.   Members holding red membership books were only allowed into the snooker hall downstairs until they reached age 18.   After the Institute was licensed in the 1960s, even though boys had been working on the coal face in the pit from age 14 or 15 they could not walk up the ‘Stute stairs to have a drink with their father.

Draughts and dominoes were also played in this hall.

Caretakers

This job was always given to someone invalided out of the military or perhaps the pit. Many of the caretakers had a reputation of running the Institute with a rod of iron. All staff was answerable to them in the earlier years.

Sgt Major Tynant

was the first caretaker and controlled the Institute with military precision.   When he died in 1928 his coffin was carried from the living quarters at the rear of the building.   His body was placed on a gun carriage drawn by horses for the journey to the cemetery where he was buried with full military honours .   Apparently his wife became so upset with grief she threw various household items into the nearby river, including her iron and crockery.   The young boys would paddle in the summer time and try to find them.

Mr Wakeland

Unfortunately, no information as yet.

Nathan (curly) Lewis

Nathan Lewis

was an ex-soldier and very strict, especially keen on the clean hand inspection.   Caretaker during the early 1940s, he was also rather cruelly nicknamed ‘Pegleg’ Lewis, because of his affliction, presumably caused during his active service.   He always walked with a crutch which could be used as a weapon to reprimand misbehaviour.   If the culprit was too quick, and ran away, then he was known to throw his crutch at him, very accurately!

Mrs Nathan Lewis

Mr Williams

unfortunately, no information as yet.

Mr Bob Roberts,

Caretaker during the late 1940s, he was short and stocky with greying hair, he was a bright and thorough caretaker.   His wife was ill, so they never lived on the Institute premises, but in Railway Street close by.   His assistant lived in the flat in place of him.

Mr Jim Lewis  ("Jim the 'Stute")

May be a keen gardener as he had a garden outside which was enclosed by a big iron fence.