Vera Selby Obituary

Vera Selby was an English snooker and English billiards player. She won the Women’s World Open Championship twice, in both 1976 and 1981.

Selby was also the Women’s Billiards champion from 1970 to 1978. She was introduced to Billiards as a six-year-old. Her uncle had a table in the cellar of his hole in Newcastle and she would sit and watch.

At the age of 36, she was seen playing by former British amateur billiards and snooker champion, Alf Nolan, who started coaching her.

In 2009, Selby became the Master of the 400-year-old Fellmonger’s Guild in Richmond, as the first female Master in its history.

In 2016, she was awarded the MBE, for services to sport. At the age of 85, she was playing cue sports regularly.

Selby died on March 13, 2023, her 93rd birthday.