By Elliott West
Introduction
Jack Ridehalgh ran the Marine Snooker Club in Morecambe for 43 years until his retirement in January 1993. A club that was known by the local community as Jack’s. In its time, many famous snooker players walked through its door and played on the various tables ok the club. Players such as Alex Higgins, John Spencer, Tony Meo and a young Jimmy White played an exhibition match here for the club’s members.
The Man Himself
Jack Ridehalgh went to the National School and then Euston Road School, leaving education when he was 14. Like so many young people of the time, Ridehalgh decided to learn a trade and became an apprentice joiner at the Smiths Joiners in Alice Street. However, tragedy was to ensue when Jack had an accident with a stack of timber at the age of 21.
Perhaps this was a blessing in disguise for Ridehalgh as his fate led him to become the owner of the Marine Snooker Club in 1950. Jack’s influence and management made the club popular for years and many a boy of the Morecambe community would go on to spend their misspent youth playing on the green baize of this much-loved snooker club.
Jack himself was a very good snooker player and had a good grounding in the game, becoming North West Champion at one point. He was also awarded a certificate by the Billiards Association and Control Council for a break of 102 on the 4th of June 1958.
Jack married his true love Miriam or Mim as she was more affectionately known in 1956 in Morecambe. A happy marriage that lasted until her passing in 2006. As well as his true loves of his wife and snooker, Ridehalgh also loved golf and was pretty handy with a golf club, displaying an impressive handicap of 7 back in his heyday. Jack also became the golf club’s captain in 1976 and the club’s president for a two-year reign in 1995. A golfer who could boast of having played on all the major golf courses including all of the famous championship courses.
Jack sadly passed away in July 2018, aged 89, surrounded by his friends and family at his bedside. A proud father and grandfather, Jack will always be remembered for his major contribution to the Morecambe community and enthusing many to pick up a cue or a club or just to participate by watching the sports that he dearly loved and were so close to his heart. A true local hero.
