The Women's Amateur Snooker Championship was a tournament held annually in the United Kingdom most years from 1932 to 1985 by the Women's Billiards Association (WBA), which was later renamed as the Women's Billiards and Snooker Association (WBSA).

In 1932 a snooker tournament for amateur women players was organised by the WBA, which had been established in 1931. Six players participated in the main tournament at Burroughes Hall, London. Margaret Quinn was the youngest, aged 13 and 11 months, and won the title. Following this, the 1932 Annual General Meeting of the WBA resolved "That girls under 16 are only eligible for such WBA events as are run specially for young people." It was further resolved, however, that Quinn would be allowed to enter to defend her title for as long as she held it. Quinn retained the title in 1933 but lost it in 1934 when, due to confusion about the date of her first match, she did not attend. As of 1947, the annual winner held the Burwat Trophy, the runner-up held the A.D.C. Cup, and the player who compiled the highest break held the Grace Wise-Parker Bowl.

The WBA was in decline in the late 1960s and early 1970s, but was revived under the leadership of Wally West, who was appointed as secretary in 1978 and obtained sponsorship for tournaments including the 1980 and 1981 Women's World Open championships. The Association was renamed as the Women's Billiards and Snooker Association (WBSA). After the 1981 Women's World Open, a number of players became dissatisfied with West's management of the WBSA and the World Ladies Billiards and Snooker Association (WLBSA) was founded as a rival on 31 July 1981.

The WBSA continued to be the body officially recognised by the Billiards and Snooker Control Council (B&SCC). West resigned from the WBSA in September 1981, but then withdrew his resignation. The WBSA at that time had no tournaments scheduled. By August 1982, the WLBSA had organised a schedule of ten tournaments for the coming season, and, according to an article in Snooker Scene magazine, was "supported... by virtually all serious women players." A month later, West was no longer involved with the WBSA and the WBSA's representative on the B&SCC Council, Vera Selby, offered to resign from the Council and supported a merger between the WBSA and the WLBSA, using the latter name. In the meantime, the WLBSA removed its restriction preventing WBSA members from joining, and offered WBSA members free membership of the WLBSA until the end of 1982. The last edition of the Women's Amateur Snooker Championship was in 1980, when Sue Foster defeated Mandy Fisher 2–1 in the final.

Maureen Baynton won the Women's Amateur Snooker Championship title a record eight times, between 1954 and 1968. Snooker historian Clive Everton wrote that Baynton would "have assuredly won more" had she not retired from competition for several years. The largest gap between successive wins by an individual player was when 1939 winner Agnes Davies regained the title in 1978. The most wins in consecutive years by a player was four, by Selby from 1972 to 1975.

Finals

+Women's Amateur Snooker Championship finalsYear Winner Runner-up Final score Venue 1932 3–0 Burroughes Hall, London 1933 4–1 Burroughes Hall, London 1934 4–0 Burroughes Hall, London 1935 4–1 Burroughes Hall, London 1936 4–1 Kensington Billiard Club, London 1937 3–2 Burroughes Hall, London 1938 4–1 Kensington Billiard Club, London 1939 4–0 Kensington Billiard Club, London 1940–46 Not held 1947 4–3 Empire Billiards Club, London 1948 5–2 Leicester Square Hall, London 1949 4–1 Burroughes Hall, London 1950 4–1 Burroughes Hall, London 1951 4–1 Burroughes Hall, London 1952 4–1 Burroughes Hall, London 1953 4–3 Burroughes Hall, London 1954 4–0 Burroughes Hall, London 1955 4–2 Burroughes Hall, London 1956 4–0 Burroughes Hall, London 19574–2 Burroughes Hall, London 1958Not held 19594–1 Burroughes Hall, London 19604–3 Burroughes Hall, London 1961 4–0 Burroughes Hall, London 1962 4–1 Burroughes Hall, London 19634–2 Burroughes Hall, London 1964 4–2 Burroughes Hall, London 1965 4–0 Burroughes Hall, London 1966 4–2 Burroughes Hall, London 1967 4–1Burroughes Hall, London 1968 4–1 Windmill Snooker Club, London 1969 4–3 Windmill Snooker Club, London 19704–2 London 19714–1 Windmill Snooker Club, London 19724–0 London 19734–0 London 19744–1 Windmill Snooker Club, London 19754–2 Windmill Snooker Club, London 19764-1 Windmill Snooker Club, London 19774–2 London 19784–1 Wandsworth Billiards Club, London 19793–1 Craneswater Club, Portsmouth 19802–1 Willie Thorne Snooker Centre, Leicester

See also World Women's Billiards Championship Notes

References

Books