Jack wasn’t just a winner individually but also as a team member, as seen here with his Paddock Conservative Club team mates. In the centre is Frank Stringer who this year sprang a surprise by beating the favourite, Clifford Percival, in the Snooker Championship.
1958
Jack won his fifth title and his fourth in consecutive seasons. It would be another twenty five years before Tommy Donlan equalled and bettered that with six, 1979 – 1984; Tony Clegg also won five titles in consecutive years , 2001 – 2005.
Not a newspaper photo but, as it is so rare, it should have been and therefore I have put it in this section. In the picture are the three trophies held by members of the same club. On the left is the Billiards Championship, in the middle is the Snooker Championship and on the left is the Non Political Snooker League Championship.
1959
I’m sure Jack would not have been happy about losing the final but if there was anybody he would want to have beaten him, it would be Cyril. They were both young men 15 years ago back in 1944, practicing and playing at Meltham Liberal Club. They were also team mates in the Huddersfield side playing in the Yorkshire League and had met in previous years of the Championship. It was Cyril’s only title and it would mean even more to him knowing that he beat a mate and one of the greats of Huddersfield amateur billiards.
1962
Three photos of three Championship years as Jack continues to show that his prowess at this level is not diminishing despite his age, 51. There was another win for him in 1963 but we have no photos from that year as he wins his sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth titles.
1966
Jack Mellor 