Joseph Bennett
Born1842
Town Malling, Kent
Died17 January 1905 (aged 63)
Mayfair, London
Sport country England

Joseph Bennett (1842-1905) was an English champion player of English billiards. He was the billiards champion three times when it was played on a challenge basis.

Biography

Bennett was born in 1842 in Town Malling, Kent, and played his first billiards match aged 22.[1]

In November 1870, Bennett played John Roberts Jr. for the Billiards Championship and £200, and won the title with the scoreline 1,000-905. The match was watched by over 300 spectators.[2] Roberts beat Bennett 1,000-637 the following year, in January 1871, to regain the title.[3]

Bennett made a further unsuccessful title challenge in November 1871, losing 942–1,000 to William Cook, but won the title again in November 1880, beating Cook 1,000-949. Bennett successfully defended the title in January 1881, beating Tom Taylor 1,000-910. During the match against Taylor, Bennett set a new championship record break of 125.[3][4]

In September 1881, Bennett, who had broken his arm when being thrown out of a gig, resigned the title when challenged by Cook.[3][4] He made one further unsuccessful challenge for the title, losing 1,360-3,000 against Roberts in June 1885.[3][4]

He taught billiards in London. Following a stroke on Christmas Day 1904,[1] he died on 17 January 1905 at his home in Mayfair, London, from "apoplexy following a state of paralysis."[1][5]

Titles won

  • 28 November 1870, 1,000–905 against John Roberts, Jr.
  • 8 November 1880, 1,000–949 against William Cook
  • 12–13 January 1881, 1,000–910 against Tom Taylor

In fiction

Bennett is briefly mentioned in Flashman at the Charge (1973) by George MacDonald Fraser.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Death of an ex-billiard champion". Derby Daily Telegraph. 17 January 1905. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  2. ↑ "The Billiards Championship". Monmouthshire Beacon. 3 December 1870. p. 4 – via British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Bennett, Joseph (1899). Billiards.
  4. 1 2 3 Everton, Clive (2012). A History of Billiards. englishbilliards.org. pp. 22–42. ISBN 978-0-9564054-5-6.
  5. ↑ "Billiards". The Times. No. 37607. 18 January 1905. p. 5 – via The Times Digital Archive. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  6. ↑ Fraser, George MacDonald (1974). Flashman at the charge ... Edited and arranged by George MacDonald Fraser. London: Barrie and Jenkins. ISBN 9780214668418. OCLC 752553129. What made it worse, my eye was out, and Cutts' luck was dead in—he brought off middle-pocket jennies that Joe Bennet wouldn't have looked at...
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