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THE "LIB" CLUB
- BRITAIN'S BEST SNOOKER TEAM
The story of how a great
Abertillery institution started, triumphed and ended.
by Graham Bennett
 The
Abertillery Central Snooker Club, situated at the side of the Foundry Bridge,
was originally built by the Powell Tillery Coal Company in 1898, probably as
part of the Gray Colliery. In 1901, it was acquired from Powell Tillery by a
group of local businessmen, traders, and workers, and turned into a Billiard
Hall.
It was first registered as a Billiard Hall and Private Club in 1902 became The
Abertillery Liberal and Labour Club and was still up to its closure a private
members, men-only, non-profit making club. The members were shareholders of the
club with the contributions going in to the upkeep of the club and its
facilities.
The club with its balcony alongside the original Foundry
Bridge in 1905
The building originally had a flat roof and a balcony on the 1st
floor. The internal wall in the cellar has an arch with window openings,
although no one knows why! Sometime during the 1940s or 50s the flat roof was
covered with a sloping, tiled one and the balcony was removed.
The building originally had a flat roof and a balcony on the 1st
floor. The internal wall in the cellar has an arch with window openings,
although no one knows why! Sometime during the 1940s or 50s the flat roof was
covered with a sloping, tiled one and the balcony was removed.
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The Club's Billiard Championship trophy -
presented in 1904 |
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The club changed its name during this period to The Abertillery
Central Snooker Club And Institute, picking up the nickname, the "Lib". Many
players from the club went on to become top Welsh amateur champions, including
Jack Cable, Horace Coles, Bryn Gravenor, Bob Berryman, John Ford, Des Meredith,
Len Luker and David Edwards.
The 1956 "British Champions"
Back Row: Mr. Mills (President), Colin Meredith and Fred Prewett (reserves),
Bill Pike (Secretary)
Front Row: Emanuel Marks, John Wellington, John Ford, Len Luker and Des Meredith
In 1956 at the height of their successes, the Abertillery team
entered a national team competition sponsored by The News Chronicle national
newspaper. Out of 1,109 team entries, the Abertillery team comprising John Ford
(captain), Len Luker, Des Meredith, Emanuel Marks, Jack Wellington, Colin
Meredith and Fred Prewett, won the competition and was awarded the World
Championship Table which was made for the 1946-47 championships held in
Leicester Square London, the very table upon which Joe Davis made his record 146
and 147 snooker breaks and on which many record billiard breaks were made.
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Newspapers and magazines record Abertillery's
win in 1956 |
It was a wonderful achievement by what was considered to be the
best snooker team in Britain. The final match of the championship was televised
and shown live on TV, but we were recently told by the BBC that they never
recorded it onto tape.
The Joe Davis table at the club
The table was brought back to Abertillery and proudly erected in
the club where it stayed until its closure. The club still had many successes
through the 1960s and 70s within the Rhymney Valley and Abergavenny Snooker
leagues and still held on to its huge reputation.
David Edwards the marker at the club became the English Amateur Billiards
Champion in 1987 and 1989, and he also went on to reach the quarter finals in
the World Amateur Billiards Championships held in India in 1987.
Tables at the club just prior to closure
Sadly, the club's successful past could never be regained and,
with the loss of many members and lack of interest in the sport in general, the
club could not hold its head above the water. For years, the club had been
struggling financially and had it not been for the hard work by its officers, it
would have closed long before it did. The upstairs was refurbished and a bar
serving drinks was added, along with 2 pool tables, widescreen TV and other
amenities but despite all the efforts and hard work by all of those involved it
was not able to stay open.
In the last committee meeting on the 5th March 2007 it was decided we had no
option but to close, so ending 105 years of billiard and snooker history in
Abertillery.
The outside of the club just before closure
The following link is to is a transcript from the original
founding members' ledger from 1902, starting with member number 1 through to
member number 806 along with the shares they paid. This list shows just how
affluent Abertillery was at this time and how men from different professions
mixed at the club.
Members' Ledger - note, this is a word document
TYLERI TALES
Contents:
 THE
HORROR OF 1921 - THE HAROLD JONES MURDERS
THE
FOUNDING FATHER OF DRUG METABOLISM - the story of Professor RT Williams,
FRS
THE
BLAINA RIOTS OF 1935 - Desperation and unrest in the Ebbw Fach valley
(by Martyn Thomas)
THE
MODEST, HARD MAN - Jim Webb, Wales rugby star of the Golden era
THE
MAN WHO BOWLED W. G. GRACE FOR A DUCK - Abertillery cricket memories of
the 1890s
THE
WAR HERO WHO TESTED THE BRITISH H-BOMB - Air Vice Marshall Wilfred
Oulton
THE
MARIE STOPES CONNECTION - Britain's first-ever hospital birth control
clinic opens at Abertillery
THE
REDOUBTABLE DAGGARS - A remarkable tale of an extraordinary Abertillery
family (by David Daggar)
THE
ABERBEEG GHOST
HEROES
OF WORLD WAR ONE
THE "LIB" CLUB
- BRITAIN'S BEST SNOOKER TEAM
(by Graham Bennett)
CAMERA'S GREATEST MAGICIAN - the humble beginnings of Angus McBean
Coming soon:
THE
TRAGEDY OF SIX BELLS - the terrible pit disaster of 1960
A
CHARITABLE ACCIDENT - Eddie Price, founder of the Tenovus charity
THREE LIONS IN THE
SHIRT -
Pask, Morgan, and Lewis, stars of the Green & Whites
THE
MEN WHO BECAME SAINTS
THE
MAN IN THE MIDDLE
AHEAD
OF HER TIME - The extraordinary story of Beatrice Green
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