Before a billiards table can be moved, it needs to be disassembled – and that was how its Braidwood connection was found. Photo: John Stahel.
As a historic billiards table finds its way back home to a southern NSW town, there’s hope it can revitalise a new generation of players.
Braidwood Museum volunteer John Stahel is among a group who meet twice a week to play billiards. They’re following in the footsteps of previous generations – including those in 1894 who gathered to play.
“We’re probably a group of men – and it is mainly men – who, essentially, are doing exactly the same they were doing 125 years ago,” he said.
“We probably all sit there and talk about exactly the same rubbish about the drought or whatever it is.”
Purchasing the billiards table originally cost an estimated 87 pounds.
“They got that money back in about 18 months of renting it out, so it was obviously a very popular purchase,” John said.
The current group’s search began when the owner of their current table decided to sell it, meaning they couldn’t play in a private home any longer.
“It got us thinking – well, we’d better try and find another table somewhere.”
They collected one from the NSW Southern Highlands for $100.
Soon after, John said the club heard rumours another table was on the market. It led them to the Berowra RSL Club, which was seeking to offload a billiard table.
“We went, ‘Oh, well, we really don’t need another table but it’s free. We’re on a bit of a roll,” he said.
‘We know how to pull them apart and put them back together and everything.”
Coasters – also known as wafters – are often used to balance a billiards table. They’re normally hidden from view and only seen if a table needs to be repaired – or moved.
“As we were picking it up, we noticed that under one of the legs was a coaster, which was from the Braidwood Servicemen’s Club,” John said.
“A coaster underneath a billiard table is not something that just gets there accidentally – not with how heavy billiard tables are.”
John said research revealed that records from the Braidwood Literary Institute, compiled between the 1860s and the 1930s, recorded multiple billiard tables in their collection.
By the 1950s, one of the tables had been moved to the Braidwood Servicemen’s Club.
“We knew there was a good chance that this table had a real Braidwood connection,” John said.
“As we went through the records, we saw that it absolutely was [that table].”
The group is partnering with a Canberra-based company to handle the restoration.
John said, during their search, the group has been putting aside $10 each at their meetings.
“It’ll be completely restored. The reason the club at Berowra was getting rid of it, it was worn out.
“It’ll probably cost $5000 … and that [saved money] will go towards fixing the table.”
It’s expected the restoration will include polishing the frame, while the cushions and ball pockets will be replaced.
An exhibition space will also house it.
When that process is complete, John hopes billiards players will converge on the town.
“The club will book out the room twice a week at least, and then there’ll probably be a lot of people who are just casual players. We’ll certainly be encouraging visitors to play.
“It’s not going to be a huge money-spinner. We won’t be making a fortune out of it, but it will pay its way.”
