British Billiard Table Makers and their Table Plates. Rev. 3

It was probably John Thurston who, around 1820, first chose to add an ivory plaque to his tables to mark them as his own manufacture. If he was indeed the originator of plates for the billiard trade, he was soon followed by his contemporaries, and the table plate became a standard feature from that point onward. What may have begun as a simple mark of identification, and a means of advertising, developed into something more lasting, enduring for over two centuries.

Over time, these plates evolved in both material and design. Early examples were often of ivory, sometimes with decorative borders, and engraved with elaborate typography that could include coloured lettering. Later plates reflected changing tastes and technologies, tending towards simpler presentation and more practical materials. Makers altered their plates as their businesses expanded, relocated, or gained royal patronage. Others used them to advertise awards, exhibitions, or newly granted titles. As a result, the table plate can provide valuable clues not only to the date of a table, but also to the development of the firm that produced it.

In this volume, I have included as many plates as I have been able to trace that were issued by British billiard-table manufacturers and repairers who began trading before the 1960s. The aim is to assist collectors, restorers, historians, and owners in narrowing down a likely period of production. Wherever possible, the plates are presented alongside a concise company history, offering background on the people behind the names and the circumstances in which they worked.

This third edition has been expanded to include many additional manufacturers, along with newly discovered plates for firms already represented. Inevitably, examples remain to be found, and it is my hope that future discoveries will continue to refine and extend the record.

My thanks go to Thomas Hudson of John Bennett Billiards Ltd., whose help in locating rare and unusual examples has been invaluable. Special mention must also go to Alina Mordan, whose skilful photo-editing has enhanced many of the portraits and supporting images reproduced here.

This work is intended not only as a catalogue of plates, but also as a modest contribution to the broader history of British billiard-table making and the craftsmen and entrepreneurs who shaped it.

Peter Ainsworth