Ruth Harrison (10 May 1909 – 1991) was an English snooker and billiards player. She won the Women's Professional Snooker Championship each year from its inception in 1934 to 1940, and again when it was next held, in 1948. She also won the Women's Professional Billiards Championship three times.
Biography
Harrison was born on 10 May 1909 in Lintz and was a coalminer's daughter (as was her fellow leading player Agnes Morris) and learnt to play at the institute in her village in County Durham.
She entered the 1931 World Ladies Billiards Championship, which was the first time she had played against women, and won the tournament. She turned professional straight afterwards. When the Women's Billiards Association was formed in 1931, Harrison was one of the four professional players appointed to a committee to organise the professional championships, along with Margaret Lennan, Eva Collins and Joyce Gardner.
She won the Women's Professional Snooker Championship each year from its inception in 1934 to 1940, and again when it was held after an interval of several years, in 1948.
Harrison also won the Women's Professional Billiards Championship three times, in 1934, 1935, and 1939. Her break of 197 in the 1937 championship is still the women's world record break in competition.World Ladies Billiards Champions World Billiards. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
She received coaching from Willie Smith and Sidney Smith. Harrison qualified as a referee for billiard and snooker in 1937.
She died in 1991, aged 82.England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916–2007. Newcastle-on-Tyne; Volume: 2; Page:875.
Titles and achievements Snooker
Outcome No. Year Championship Opponent Score Ref. Winner 1 1934 Women's Professional Snooker Championship Joyce Gardner 7–6 Winner 2 1935 Women's Professional Snooker Championship Joyce Gardner 7–5 Winner 3 1936 Women's Professional Snooker Championship Thelma Carpenter 7–3 Winner 4 1937 Women's Professional Snooker Championship Joyce Gardner 9–4 Winner 5 1938 Women's Professional Snooker Championship Thelma Carpenter 11–2 Winner 6 1939 Women's Professional Snooker Championship Thelma Carpenter 8–5 Winner 7 1940 Women's Professional Snooker Championship Agnes Davies 11–2 Winner 8 1948 Women's Professional Snooker Championship Agnes Morris (née Davies) 16–14
Billiards Outcome No. Year Championship Opponent Score Ref. Winner 1 1931 World Women’s Billiards Championship (amateur) Mrs. Eddowes 1,000-581 Runner-up 2 1932 Women's Professional Billiards Championship Joyce Gardner 2,000–1,713 Runner-up 3 1933 Women's Professional Billiards Championship Joyce Gardner 1,306–2,000 Winner 4 1934 Women's Professional Billiards Championship Joyce Gardner 2,000–1,608 Winner 5 1935 Women's Professional Billiards Championship Joyce Gardner 3,000–2,708 Runner-up 6 1937 Women's Professional Billiards Championship Joyce Gardner 2,204–2,223 Winner 7 1939 Women's Professional Billiards Championship Joyce Gardner 2,559–1,792 Runner-up 8 1940 Women's Professional Billiards Championship Thelma Carpenter 1,641–2,184
References
External links Sportshots No. 9 – Billiards – For Ladies! British Pathe film segment featuring Harrison.