Fred Davis O.B.E.
This article is not one written by Norman but as Fred Davis
must be considered as a Past Master it seems to be the appropriatre
place for it to be.
Fred Davis O.B.E
The following pages and pictures
are a result of Fred Davis's relatives being left with the sad and
difficult task of handling and sorting out, on her death, the
estate of Fred's daughter . They kindly donated the papers and
pictures about Fred to the Snooker Heritage Collection.
Rather the writing Fred's Life
History, which is well covered by Wikipedia, this is basically a scrap
book of interesting items from the papers donated by his relatives.
We even have the letter, dated April 1989, sent to Fred concerning
the W.P.B.S.A. drug testing being brought into line with the I.O.C.
Guidelines meaning that the heart drug prescribed to Fred contained
banned narcotics and suggesting alternatives but telling him to
check with his GP.
Some of the pictures did have
information attached, some do not, if anyone can provide
information for those pictures please send it to the Snooker
Heritage Collection.
Where possible the items are in
date order where that is not possible they are just there to show
highlights from Fred's long and successful career.
We hope that you find this 'scrap
book' interesting.
This picture was part of the
very large collection that Fred had collected and it is of some
interest as it shows Joe Davis ( the challenger), sitting alongside
A. Goundrill (at the front centre) and Tom Newman (holder). 1927
Professional Billiards Championship of England played in
Manchester.
Fred's B.A & C.C. Certificate
confirming his winning the Junior Professional English Billiards
Championship in November 1931.
Trying to date pictures and
programmes during the 1939/45 period is difficult so they may not
be in true chronological order!
Fred was granted permission to
enter the City of Canterbury by the Chief Constable.
Not sure why in 1942, during
the war, that he required permission but could it be that movement
was restricted in the City after the June 1942 'Baedeker' air
raid
The above is brochure from the
"Billiards for Service Fund", possible date March 1944, listing
Fred Davis as one of the famous professionals giving exhibitions on
be half of the fund. This leaflet
Was this before Fred joined
up (?) as the next two pictures show him in uniform
Fred, in uniform, and brother
Joe
Fred & Joe also took part in
an Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) radio
interview and Fred kept the script which very
interesting.
Not sure when this was broadcast
but it could have been in the period 1939/42
Peter Ainsworth noticed that
the script has Joe Davis saying 'I hope you are listening Tom. This
Ainsworth suggests it was recorded before Tom Newman's death on
30th September 1943.
1944 Fund Raiser for Red Cross
& St. John's Fund
In 1946 The Professional Billiard
Players Association produced a rule book with a list of Honorary
Life Presidents as well as Members. Joe Davis was the
chairman
Not sure why the bindings are
different colours as the contents is the same.
1946/47 list of members
Fred's certificate from the B.A.
& C.C. as runner up in the 1946/47 Wold Professional Snooker
Championship. He was beaten in the final by Walter
Donaldson
(82 frames to 62)
Tom Webster Cartoon from
October 13 1946
Walter Donaldson won the
1947 Championship
L - R
Walter Donaldson (Champion)- Tommy
Leng (referee) Not certain that the picture is Tommy Leng but
he was the referee for the Championship - Joe Davis - Raymond
Glendening (BBC Commentator) - Fed Davis (Runner-Up)
The picture was taken at the
Albany Club, Saville Row 25th October 1947
Fred World Champion
1948
The following article was
published in a magazine in 1948
Tom Webster Cartoon
7/11/1948
Tom Webster Cartoon
17th
July 1949
In 1950 Fred played Walter
Donaldson at The Tower Circus, Blackpool and Fred had an invitation
to lunch with the Mayor of Blackpool
Also in the 1950's the News
of the World newspaper sponsored a Professional Snooker
Tournament
Fred & Joe 1951/52
The final was held at the
Leicester Square Hall 17th -19th January
1952
Again in 1951 Fred played for the
World Professional Snooker Championship against Walter Donaldson
(Holder) at The Tower Circus, Blackpool. Fred took the
title.
Not sure if the following picture
is from the World Championships between Fred Davis & John
Pulman 1955 or 1956 season but it is a nice picture of both
players.
In 1958 Fred was invited to play a
series snooker matches against the Canadian Champion George
Chenniere British Columbia Centennial celebrations.
The following pictures are from
that event.
Arriving
George Chennier is in the centre
of the picture.
The Snooker matches were
played on Brunswick tables
Fred & George admiring the
trophy
Fred being presented with the
winner's trophy
Fred kept the trophy back at
home
In 1960 the World Open Snooker
Championship was held in Brisbane, Australia. Fred who was the News
of the World Snooker Champion was the player from
England.
The above is a poster promoting
the event & below the Souvenir Programme
There were representatives from
South Africa; Australia, New Zealand, and India in the
competition.
Fred was given a visitors
'pass' whilst he was in Brisbane to the Queensland Bookmakers
Club
Fred had a busy schedule
whilst visiting Australia and he seems to have travelled and
visited a few of the States as the following itinerary shows him
arriving from Launceston (Tasmania) into Victoria then off to
Adelaide (South Australia)
He must have also visited New
South Wales as there is a card from Tattersall's Club
Sydney
During the competition Fred
received a few telegrams
( before the invention of the fax
or texting!!)
As you can see from the last
telegram Fred won he tournament
The Sun (Australia) newspaper did
the following report in July 1960 after Fred's win
In 1965 The World Snooker
Championship returned to London to be played at the Burroughes
& Watts Hall
In 1966 the Championship moved
North to Liverpool
During Fred's stay in Liverpool
did he get an invitation to the 'Gunners Club' in Crosby. The
membership card is about the correct era.
The early recordings of the
BBC 'Pot Black' in Birmingham featured a
Clare-Padmore-Thurston Jubilee
Snooker Table. The following picture is circa 1971 with Fred in
play and Rex Williams looking on.
Also in the 1970's the
Clare-Padmore-Thurston group had Fred & Rex Williams on their
Advisory Panel
Note :- The Clare - Padmore -
Thurston Group in the 1980's traded just as THURSTON
In 1974 Rex
Williams started his pool table business Rex Williams Leisure. Rex
with Fred promoting his U.K. Style Pool Table- Circa
1974
Drawing of Fred done at the
Pro-Am Snooker 1974
In 1983 Fred took
the highest break prize, sponsored by Winterbotham, Strachan
& Playne, in the World Professional Billiard
Championship.
Fred was still a
keen player and entered the Qualifiers in 1989 receiving the
instructions from the WPBSA.
is was the year he
received the letter about the heart drugs he was prescribed being
on the banned narcotics of the International Olympic Medical
Committee.
Fred Paid his fee
for his entrance in to the 1990 World Snooker
Championships
In 1991 Fred was
asked to put down his thoughts and reflection on the
game
By 1993 Fred still
held a ranking position of 259 and despite being 80 in August of
that year still would have loved to continue to play. However his
severe arthritis in his knee made it painful to walk.
Fred passed away
in April 1998
Just one final
picture from Fred's scrap book
which show Fred
& Joe's father on the far left (#1);Walter Lindrum (centre
#4)
and Horace
Lindrum's father (one in from the right #6)
Our thanks
to Fred's extended family for donating all the pictures, of which
the above are just a selection.
Acknowledgements -
Peter Ainsworth
© 2023 E.A. Clare & Son Ltd; © Peter
N. Clare 2023
Snooker Heritage
Collection
THURSTON for all your Snooker, Pool
& Billiard accesories
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