Snooker tables
 

Riley's, always seen at Crucible etc.

Re: Snooker tables
 

yep E.J.RILEYS world famous for snooker tables, i once took george best there,you could drive up meadow street from whalley rd in those days.:)

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George Best purchased a snooker table around 1969/70 from Riley's. My dad worked there and was photographed with him which was autographed by George. It started my love affair with Man U, so if you're the one that took him to buy it............cheers!

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If I remember right, the table was put in his Cheshire home which was somewhat weird looking but novel. Also a gadget in his car opened up his garage which was quite something in those days.

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it did go in his cheshire home, didn't really take him as such, he just stopped me in his 2 tone E-Type on manchester rd bash n asked me where it was, as i lived just around corner i bummed a lift off him, we stopped at royal oak on meadow st, were i was goin fer a pint n he came in wi me, had a couple of drinks n then popped up to rileys fer his snooker table.:D;) theres a bit more to that tale, but kids come on here pmsl

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Did they end up at Rosegrove, Burnley ?

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No they moved to Padiham in th late 70s early 80s

Re: Snooker tables
 

Thanks

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I'm sure there's a picture in the library archives of George Best buying his snooker table at Rileys

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I remember going over to Rileys at Padiham in the early 80s at the request of Eric Parke, who was a director of Rileys, they wanted me to take a look at a prototype of a pool table they were thinking of marketing at the time. When I arrived Steve Davis and his minder were just going in at the same time, he had just won the world championship the previous week, but he was a really nice bloke to talk no airs and grace, just a down to earth chap really

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Bet there aint one of him n me having a slurp in the Royal Oak just before he bought it.:D

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Me dad had a friend and his son fitted tables for rileys he went to Nigel mansells home on the isle of man to put one in for him. He said he was the most miserable ****** he had ever worked for.He also went to Hong kong and they fitted 147 snooker tables in ONE snooker club:eek::eek:

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A few snooker players came to Riley's when they were in Accrington.
I lived just round the corner on Hood street at the time and had a few suits made by the little Italian tailor on Meadow street ( next street). He showed my photos of some of the players who came into his shop.
I was given a decent suit length of cloth by my guv'ner and the tailor made me a suit. My claim to fame is; there wasn't enough material to make a waistcoat so the tailor made a contrasting one using the spare material left over from the suit he had just made for Dennis Taylor when he won the final.

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The Original John Virgo ! :) "No Dad, not the waistcoat !" :eek:

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Once Refereed an exhibition match for John Virgo at the 147 club in Hassy, couldn't keep score for laughing, seeing he brought Steve Davis, Alex Higgins, Denis Taylor, Cliff Thorburn and a few more along with him, twas a laugh a minute:)

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Groove once got a 147 break at Rileys snooker club at the bottom of Ormerod.st

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They moved to padium in either 83 or 84 CD Pearce moved there at the same time same company and all that

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I recall EJRs on Dale Street in Accrington many moons ago before they went to the top of Meadow Street. My brother-in law worked for them for many years Served his time there. Freddie Wallace was his name. Another guy I knew who worked for them was Chris Lonsdale. I worked for Alan Spencer the Builder who had his complex at the rear of EJRs

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Do yeh know what year they moved up yon? was defo before 1970, cos i worked on Dale St then, n it was Stevens @ Mercers, who made 3 pc suite frames fer Pierces to upholster, they were next door on dale st, But E.J.Rileys were all part of same firm then. Can remember top of meadow st being the Pioneer, but that was 50s early/mid 60s?

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rileys moved to padiham 9th april 1984

winifred

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I think you are confusing two different firm and thinking they were one. I don't think EJs were ever in Horne St near the Iron Bridge.

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I think that they moved into the Pioneer building but can't come up with a date

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Just seen this, E.J.s were in Horne St, which was the Pioneer Works, I actually Got a lift from Bash yon wi George Best, who was after directions yon, he was going to buy a snooker table. happy days.:D first time i'd ever been in n E-Type Jag.:D:D:D Thats a story n half i'd forgotten about, but one or two members on here are aware of it.

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what year was the 147 break ?

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What instance do yeh mean??:confused: There was many 147s well before the first televised break, That i think would be Cliff Thorburn?

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He still is a top bloke and came to play at Accrington Golf Club a couple of weeks ago for the Paul Hunter Charity along with a few more snooker pro's and we all had a great time

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The FIRST instance OR TELEVISED MAXIMUM was Steve Davis in the 1982 Lada Classic.......

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What year was your 147 Groove ? I played for the team and dont remember it whilst I was there

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thought you would have changed hands at 99.

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Fair enough, yeh aint said what instance yeh was referring too.