Orme & Sons

Orme & Sons, founded in Manchester 1845, had become highly respected billiard table makers by the 1860s, a feat which was achieved by very few provincial firms. They rapidly expanded into further premises in Manchester, Glasgow (1880) and London (1890). The firm was highly ambitious and innovative, being the first to publish their own magazine “The Billiard Journal”, to supply ivorine balls and from 1876 to encourage billiards competitions by donating silver trophies (the first was valued at 140gns for the inaugural Championship of Ireland). With a talent for self-publicity they also challenged themselves to build and fully equip a room for the 1870 Professional Billiards Championship in 24 hours! Their success was described by the Sportsman newspaper thus: “Sixty men were engaged and they entered thoroughly into the spirit of the task. The timber (mahogany) had all been laid out, slates, ivory for the balls and all the other material for the cues, marking board, etc. and strip rubber cushions.” In 1880 they acquired the accolade of royal patronage and from this date the three Prince of Wales feathers feature prominently in their advertising. It is therefore of no surprise that they were selected to undertake this truly magnificent commission for Queen Victoria’s Jubilee exhibition in Manchester in 1887. Following the death of the Queen, their royal warrant converted into a warrant from King Edward VII and further expansion into Liverpool, Belfast and Stockport followed. The fortunes of Orme & Sons continued to rise under the next monarch, King George V, but from then on the two world wars and changing lifestyles contributed to their gradual decline until they were finally absorbed into Burroughes & ... show more

Orme & Sons, founded in Manchester 1845, had become highly respected billiard table makers by the 1860s, a feat which was achieved by very few provincial firms. They rapidly expanded into further premises in Manchester, Glasgow (1880) and London (1890). The firm was highly ambitious and innovative, being the first to publish their own magazine “The Billiard Journal”, to supply ivorine balls and from 1876 to encourage billiards competitions by donating silver trophies (the first was valued at 140gns for the inaugural Championship of Ireland). With a talent for self-publicity they also challenged themselves to build and fully equip a room for the 1870 Professional Billiards Championship in 24 hours! Their success was described by the Sportsman newspaper thus: “Sixty men were engaged and they entered thoroughly into the spirit of the task. The timber (mahogany) had all been laid out, slates, ivory for the balls and all the other material for the cues, marking board, etc. and strip rubber cushions.” In 1880 they acquired the accolade of royal patronage and from this date the three Prince of Wales feathers feature prominently in their advertising. It is therefore of no surprise that they were selected to undertake this truly magnificent commission for Queen Victoria’s Jubilee exhibition in Manchester in 1887. Following the death of the Queen, their royal warrant converted into a warrant from King Edward VII and further expansion into Liverpool, Belfast and Stockport followed. The fortunes of Orme & Sons continued to rise under the next monarch, King George V, but from then on the two world wars and changing lifestyles contributed to their gradual decline until they were finally absorbed into Burroughes &

Watts in 1967.