Elston and Hopkin, Snooker tables.


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Elston and Hopkin were snooker table manufacturers and suppliers. They had several snooker/billiards hall in the Midlands but were based in Nottingham.

I vaguely recollect that one of their halls was on the first floor opposite the Theatre Royal/Empire?  John Hopkin took over when his father died in 1955. John was my scout master at Palin St. At that time he worked for Stanton and Stavely Iron works as a statistician. 

Did anyone play in that hall near the Theatre Royal? They are still in business but moved from Nottingham.

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I remember playing (if thats what you call it) snooker in one of the halls near the theatre, I think you went downstairs to the hall, there was a small bar on the left as you went through the door and about ten or a dozen snooker tables in front of you, if I remember rightly it was 2/6 a game that would be about 1968/9 during the hour and half lunchtime break from Peoples college, some right shady characters down there I can tell you

 

Rog

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The Law and accountancy students in Nottingham formed a club called the City Club which was in the basement of the Borough Club on either King St. or Market St. - It was in the 60’s so I can’t remember much! We opened for daily lunches and evening social events at weekends. We had access at certain times to the elegant snooker room in the Borough Club upstairs. That was far from being a seedy snooker hall! :biggrin:

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Photo of the inside of the old Scala cinema at Blidworth before and after it was converted into a snooker club (now demolished). Photos from Blidworth and District Historical Society website. Well worth a read. The old cinema at Rainworth was also converted to a snooker venue 

Before

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After

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John Hopkins was a decent church going man and didn't like the 'goings on'  in the snookers halls. He did not seem that keen to go back to his fathers business even though he was not directly involved with the halls.

 

Those slate bed tables must have taken some handling. Wish I had one of the six footers for my front room.

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  • 1 month later...

I was told that playing Snooker was a sign of a miss spent youth. When I met the master he worked at "Plessey" Beeston and in the Plessey social club were snooker tables, at the time women were not allowed to play snooker (can't think why just male ego I suppose) but give Plessey their do women could play on there tables, so I learnt to play snooker and enjoyed it from the grand old age of 17. Still like to get a game when I can.

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  • 1 month later...

Brilliant thread! I did look into buying a full size vintage snooker table a couple of years ago..if you are prepared to dissemble and transport yersen between about 900 - 1400 for  real piece of craftsmanship and history...problem is we ain't got the space ..

 

 

Empire snooker hall I played in roughly 1973  .. think this is the one that moved to a left off manvers St..

 

 

The ex factory on the right.. the  fox pub  at the top off the hill.

Lovely old chap..always used a metal slide rule and sharp pencil as he at a 45  degrees meticulously marked up your 2 hour slot! Happy days!!!

 

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  • 11 months later...

I worked for John Hopkin as a billiards fitter when we moved from Goldsmith street to Newark street , Elston & Hopkin also had a workshop on canal Street .
But did you know that Elston & Hopkin originally two firms that amalgamated in 1938 and moved into Goldsmith street , where originally through the Elston side a pass me down from JOHN GENTS BILLIARDS  the workshop  based behind the palais de dance on Convent street  and offices and billiard rooms on Broad Street the lace market around 1880 to 1930's .
I worked for John Hopkin for 25 years then worked for the take over firm still named Elston & Hopkin for a further 8 years .
John hopkin originated from a long line of billiard hall proprietors , I think they had 13 halls at one time dotted around Nottinghamshire . 
Their best hall was Burnaby hall in hyson green , you can still see cues with J Hopkiin Burnaby hall Hyson green on them .
the last two  billiard fitters to work for Eslton & Hopkin where Roger Perchynski and Geoff Large ( myself ) both of us started  break off firms after we left .
Roger has now retired , but I am still working at age 65  under the name of GCL billiards .
The photo below shows John Hopkins Grandfather in the hat , I think his name was Stuart John hopkin  , at Burnaby hall on set up of tables before they opened for business , this would be before 1938 
and electric lights where first being used , they where gas lights before this .
Oh and John hopkin is still alive and lives in his Bungalow in Wollaton aged 93 ...my self and Roger visit him every Christmas .

 

link to my business a legacy from john Gent billiards  to Elston & Hopkin to GCL billiards ....all Nottingham based .

http://gclbilliards.com/about-geoff-large/ 

 

Elston-and-Hopkin-burnaby-hall-gent-tbales.jpg

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Great post Geoff..

I have a lovely old cue, given to me in Nottingham when I was seven.just over 52 years ago.

Old boy, was a friend of dad, he was given it by his friends widow thus his 'spare'. it was manufactured at the Leeds billiard works.

 

The case was made at the Radford Billiard works, Nottingham. Has what appears to be a copper oval plate stating thus. The Case, i'm guessing is made of tin, and has a partial cork lining. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Thank you for that great post Geoff. I'm pleased to see that John is still with us. If you see him this Christmas please give him my best wishes. He may remember me (Terry Coging the mischievous cyclist). I last saw him 20 years ago in Woollaton at the Palin St Youth Club reunion'. If you can pm me with his address I'll send him a card.

 

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5 hours ago, HSR said:

I have a lovely old cue, given to me. 

 

I have old one piece cue also given to me many years ago by an old fellow in the Wollaton British Legion, it’s hanging from a beam in the loft, I’m sure it’s made by Elston & Hopkins, it’s in a long black tubular metal case, he recommended I had a new “Blue Diamond” tip fitted, which I did at E&H in Sneinton. 

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Read the post's most of you seemed to have played "Snooker" have any of you played "Billiards!? this is a different game altogether.

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My father was pretty handy at billiards, and that stood him in good stead for snooker. He did try to show me the fundamentals but i couldn't grasp it in the same way as snooker. My father actually beat Ray Reardon at a guest visit tournament at my fathers golf club. A few of the decent players were invited to play and dad was one of them. Before the game, they were requested to smash the balls (no pun intended) on the break so that Ray would look good!.. Not dad's style, he plays anything to win. When Ray lost the frame, he congratulated my dad for a 'interesting ' game.

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10 hours ago, radfordred said:

 

You should have read the title of this thread Mary? Says snooker not billiards :crazy:

YES!!!  I'm nit blind but what tables do you play Billiards on if not snooker tables?  Which game came first ? you also have to cover both tables will wool cloth and make sure the nap is going in the right direction, can't both subjects have a discussion on or do we have to start a new  topic. (on more or less the same thing?) compusmash

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radfordred 

I'm so so sorry if i confused any one it won't happen again  after reading the post all i did was comment. wrist slapped

if you believe this you will believe any thing .lips0

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  • 1 month later...

John was my mum and dads best man at their wedding in 1959. Looking at some of the scout references some of you may remember my dad, Eric Garratt. He passed away in 1991. I was looking for John as, sadly, mum passed away yesterday. I saw thought I saw John in the chip shop a few years ago... if someone does have his contact details I’d be grateful, cheers, Tim xxxxxxxx

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