A Thurston Leicester Square Match Table

Thurston Leicester Square Match Room Table No 15036

In October 2017 Thurston received an email concerning a table manufactured by them with a plate indicating that it had been installed in their famous Leicester Square Match Room.

The owners wanted the room it was installed in for other purposes and asked if the Heritage Collection was interested to display it? After checking some details to confirm that it was indeed a table that had been in the Match Room a deal was done. This allowed the table to be displayed in the Heritage Room whilst still being retained by the current owner. Since 2020 and Covid-19 the table was dismantled and stored, so sdaly it is no longer on display.

The information that we have gathered is that the table number is 15036 and was original made in 1916. As shown in the Foreman's note book.

Thurston Foreman Book Entry Reduced

In pencil on the right hand side can be seen Lei Sq 10/9/17, also in the middle the Sales Order Number 42784 is shown.

There is a ivory plate on the end rail of the table refiring to the Triangular Tournament between - M. Inman, H.W. Stevenson and T. Reece played Decemebr 1917- January 1918 and February 1918.

1917 PLATE ON TABLE Reduced

In the old Thurston Ledgers the Sales Order Number 42784 was found and the entries there again confirm the table being in the Match Room at Leicester Square and its use in the Triangular Tournament.

Thurston Sales Order 42784 Match Table

Table 15036reduced

The following information on the Triangular Tournament that the table was used for is provided by Peter Ainsworth:-

Don't know how much you know of the triangular tournament, but it was looked upon as a very important event at the time. There had been no match for the championship since before the start of the war when Inman had won the title against Reece. There was keen rivalry between Inman and Stevenson throughout the subsequent war years, the former insisting on giving start to all comers, and Stevenson consistently refusing to take it, but the Billiard Association would not sanction another championship contest while the war was in progress. Consequently this tournament was put together by private arrangement, which involved the only three players not engaged in the war effort who were likely to contest a championship. It was played not for prize money and a title, but for a rather grand trophy donated by the combined funds of Sir Guy Chetwynd, Sir Thomas Dewar, and H. H. Lukens (otherwise known as "T. N. Palmer," of snooker fame). Inman beat both of his opponents with some ease to take the trophy. It was apparently a substantial 216 ounces (your John Roberts trophy is about 90 ounces), and I have a note that it was still in Inman's possession in 1926. Not sure where it ended up after that.