Vera Selby

Vera Selby MBE (born 13 March 1930) is an English former snooker and English billiards player. She won the Women's World Open Championship twice, in both 1976 and 1981. She was also the Women's Billiards champion from 1970 to 1978.[1]

Vera Selby
MBE
Born (1930-03-13) 13 March 1930[1]
Richmond, England[2]
Sport country England

Career

Selby was introduced to billiards as a six-year-old. Her uncle had a table in the cellar of his home in Newcastle and she would sit and watch. At the age of 36, she was seen playing by former British amateur billiards and snooker champion Alf Nolan, who started coaching her.[2]

In 1976 she became the first ever women's world champion, claiming the title by beating Muriel Hazeldine 4–0 in the final, which was held in Middlesbrough.[3] Her second title in 1981 came after a 3–0 defeat of Mandy Fisher in the final.[4] At 51, her success made her the oldest woman world champion in any sport.[2]

Selby became a television commentator for snooker, is a qualified referee, and served as chairman of the North East Billiards and Snooker Association.[2] She won a lifetime achievement award for her services to billiards in 2014.[5]

In 2009 Selby became the Master of the 400-year-old Fellmongers’ Guild in Richmond, as the first female Master in its history.[5][6]

In 2016, she was awarded the MBE, for services to sport. At the age of 85, she was still playing cue sports regularly.[7]

Personal life

She was born in Richmond, North Yorkshire Richmond, where her father was manager of the Freeman, Hardy and Willis shop. Selby studied art and design at Leeds University,[6] before becoming a senior art, textile and dress designer lecturer at the former Newcastle Polytechnic, before taking early retirement at 53.[2]

Titles and achievements
  • 1976 Women's World Open champion[8]
  • 1981 Women's World Open Championship winner[8]
  • Women's Billiards Champion, 1970–79[1] (1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979. There was no contest in 1975)[9]
  • National Women's Snooker Champion, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1979[10]

References
    1. "Birthdays – Court & Social". The Times. 12 March 2001 – via NewsBank.
    2. Amos, Mike (6 July 2004). "Cueing up to listen to first lady of snooker". Durham County Publications (England) – via NewsBank.
    3. History Archived 24 April 2019 at the Wayback Machine Womens's World Snooker. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
    4. World Champions Archived 18 August 2019 at the Wayback Machine Womens's World Snooker. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
    5. Amos, Mike (27 November 2014). "Green Party". Northern Echo. Archived from the original on 20 July 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
    6. Meetings Archive 2012 Archived 20 July 2019 at the Wayback Machine Soroptomist International. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
    7. Ough, Tom (13 February 2016). "85-year-old snooker champion Vera Selby reveals longevity secret as she earns MBE". ChronicleLive. Archived from the original on 20 July 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
    8. Everton, Clive (1985). Guinness Snooker: The Records. Enfield: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 154. ISBN 0851124488.
    9. World Ladies Billiards Champions Archived 19 January 2018 at the Wayback Machine World Billiards. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
    10. Morrison, Ian (1987). The Hamlyn Encyclopedia of Snooker. Twickenham: Hamlyn Publishing Group. p. 120. ISBN 0600556042.
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