The Burnley Rotary Club is giving an opportunity to its members to talk at the weekly luncheons about "My Job."
Mr. G. D. Berry, of the firm of Messrs. Willie Holt (Burnley), Ltd., the well known billiard-table makers, of Rosegrove, entertained his fellow members with a talk on billiards. He delved into the origins of the great indoor game, his historical allusions going as far back as 400 B.C. The reference in this case was to a game suggested to be similar to billiards, played in Greece. Quaint references dating from Elizabethan and Jacobean times were made. One of these (of the year 1605) was to the effect that James I. "ordered of Henry Waller, our joyner, one billiarde bourde, twelve foote long and fower foote broude."
Among interesting incidental features of Mr. Berry's talk were his quotations from a book, The Complete Gamester, written (according to its title page) "for the use of the young Princesses," and published in 1734.
The second annual Burnley Victoria Billiards Handicap, the games in which begin in the second week in January, was heralded by an exhibition game on December 18 between last year's winner, R. Mercer, of Great Harwood, and M. Showman, the well-known Manchester amateur, who made the highest proportionate break (169) last year.
Showman won 500-298. The Mayor of Burnley (Councillor L. Rippon) was an interested spectator of the game.
There are over 50 entrants for the handicap, and they include many well known Lancashire players. Two of the Burnley Football Club first team players, "Tommy" Willighan (full back), and Wallace (centre half) are among those to take part.