By Elliott West
“I have known him since the 1980s through our common interest in snooker. He was knowledgeable and very keen on detail, which made him such a good referee”.
Close friend, Ray Fradley
Introduction
Snooker referees come and go but when one is a master of their craft, they deserve to be celebrated. One such member of this officiated society was the Suffolk based referee, Kaye Redmond. Born in Brundon, Redmond who oversaw some of the greatest players of the 1970s and 80s, was a high-level snooker referee, trained as a loom mechanic, served nine years in the Royal Navy during his National Service from 1948. After being discharged in 1957, he went on to have a 31-year career at the Post Office.
Life as a Referee
Kaye Redmond had snooker running through his veins and had a constant passion for the game throughout his life. Juggling his everyday career at the Post Office with his desire to maintain the rule book on the green baize, Redmond spent his spare time doing the groundwork to pass multiple examinations to achieve his eventual goal of being the highest grade as an official, a goal which he achieved. Kaye was multi-talented at sport and could turn his hand to most sports, thanks to his service in the Royal Navy. When he loved something, he put every effort into it and this something that was prevalent in his time as a snooker referee.
Redmond had an amazing career as a referee, overseeing many professional matches, tournaments at amateur level including the prestigious UK Amateur Championship final. He also ran the Post Office National Snooker Championship and organised the Suffolk Free Press annual snooker tournament alongside ex-sports editor Alan Crumpton. Aside from snooker, Kaye was also involved with the Sudbury Institute Bridge Club and frequently played with groups in the Sudbury, Clare and Alphamstone areas.
Summary
Kaye Redmond was clearly a master of his craft and was respected referee at national and local level. An official and organiser, Redmond ploughed his heart and soul into everything he took up and is much missed by his local community, a man who was clearly at the heart of. A long serving member of the Royal Navy and the Post Office, Kaye passed away in 2017, aged 86.
