In November 2017 a call was received from a Mr. Foster who had some information on a patent for Billiard Pocket Nets that allowed a referee or player to remove the balls from the net without having to put a hand into the net via the slate pocket opening. (It turned out that it was not as the same idea as the ‘bottomless pockets’ that were perhaps more commonly used).
In speaking to Mr. Foster the items were from his wife’s family and they were offered to the Heritage Collection to enable this small historic patent be preserved.
The patent is number 12318 dated 1912, which was finally accepted in February 1913. It was taken out by the sisters Emily and Clara Ryland.. The patent front page and the drawings of the way their pocket would be made are as shown below.
Two pictures were also provided one shows the sisters mother Harriet making pocket nets the other is Emily, one of the patentee’s, also making nets. The tool they used has also be added to the collection and can just be made out in the pictures.
Billiard Pocket Net Tool
So it would seem that the Ryland family were quite involved in making billiard pocket nets.
Our thanks to Mrs Carole Foster , whose great Aunts were Emily and Clara Ryland and great grand daughter of Harriet Ryland, who kindly donated the items to the Snooker Heritage Collection.
© Peter N. Clare 2018
Reproduction of this article allowed only with the permission from E.A. Clare & Son Ltd.
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