English billiards, known in Britain as just billiards, was developed by around 1800 as a combination of earlier cue sports. Matches are played either across specified time periods, or to a specified number of points. As of 1930, many billiard halls in the UK did not admit women. That year, the British cue sports company Burroughes and Watts organised the first edition of what would become the Women's Professional Billiards Championship and then announced a Women's Amateur Billiards Championship, later recognised as the World Women's Billiards Championship. The first rounds of the amateur tournament would be played at regional venues, with the regional winners qualifying for the semi-finals and final at Burroughes Hall in London. Ruth Harrison was the champion from 23 participants, and the highest break made was 28.

The Women's Billiards Association took over responsibility for the amateur tournament from the 1932 edition, which had 41 entries. Thelma Carpenter made the highest break, 45, on her way to winning the title. Carpenter won in 1933 and 1934 to complete a hat-trick of victories, before turning professional. Vera Seals, a receptionist from Chesterfield who had learnt the game from male world professional billiards champion Joe Davis, took the 1935 amateur title, and set a new highest break record of 62. The tournament was held regularly until 1940, but then put on hold until after World War II. From 1947 to 1980 the tournament was held most years, with Vera Selby winning eight titles, and Maureen Baynton (née Barrett) winning six. Evelyn Morland-Smith was another player to win multiple titles; her last was in 1959 when she was 75.

After a period of dormancy from 1980, the tournament was revived by the World Ladies' Billiards and Snooker Association (WLBSA) in 1998, and Karen Corr won the first of two titles. The WLBSA became a subsidiary organisation of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association in 2015, and was renamed World Women's Snooker in 2019. As of 2024, World Billiards, another subsidiary company of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, runs the competition. Emma Bonney has won the title a record 13 times, between 2000 and 2018. The 2025 champion was Shruthi L who defeated Anna Lynch 347–222.

Finals +World Women's Billiards Championship finalsYearOrganiserWinnerRunner-upFinal scoreVenue 1931 Burroughes and Watts 1,000-581 Burroughes Hall, London 1932 WBA 1,000-730 Burroughes Hall, London 1933 WBA 1,000-552 Burroughes Hall, London 1934 WBA 1,200–915 Burroughes Hall, London 1935 WBA 1,000-499 Burroughes Hall, London 1936 WBA 1,000-528 Burroughes Hall, London 1937 WBA 1,000-968 Burroughes Hall, London 1938 WBA 1,000-991 Burroughes Hall, London 1939 WBA 674–563 Burroughes Hall, London 1940–46Not held 1947 WBA 373–335 Empire Club, Shaftesbury Avenue, London 1948 WBA 537–399 Thurston's Hall, London 1949 WBA 455–398 Burroughes Hall, London 1950 WBA 420–359 Burroughes Hall, London 1951Not held 1952 WBA 431–408 Burroughes Hall, London 1953 WBA 411–388 Burroughes Hall, London 1954 WBA 448–430 Burroughes Hall, London 1955 WBA 451–401 Burroughes Hall, London 1956 WBA unknownunknown Burroughes Hall, London 1957 WBA 553–334 Burroughes Hall, London 1958Not held 1959 WBA 330–328 Burroughes Hall, London 1960 WBA 339–324 Burroughes Hall, London 1961 WBA 542–506 Burroughes Hall, London 1962 WBA 438–385 Burroughes Hall, London 1963 WBA 485–315 Burroughes Hall, London 1964 WBA 649–336 Burroughes Hall, London 1965 WBA 393–386 Burroughes Hall, London 1966 WBA 514–319 Burroughes Hall, London 1967 WBA 416–319 Burroughes Hall, London 1968 WBA 434–265 Billiards and Snooker Centre, Great Windmill Street, London 1969 WBA 452–409 Billiards and Snooker Centre, Great Windmill Street, London 1970 WBA unknown unknown unknown 1971 WBA 506–304 Billiards and Snooker Centre, Great Windmill Street, London 1972 WBA 736–354 London 1973 WBAw.o. n/a 1974 WBA unknown Windmill Billiards Club, London 1975Not held 1976 WBA 407–157 unknown 1977 WBA unknown unknownunknown1978 WBA 366–319 Fishers, Acton, London 1979 WBA unknown British Rail Staff Association, Gateshead 1980–97Not held 1998 WLBSA 403–219 Radion Executive Club, Sheffield 1999 WLBSA 354–276 Radion Executive Club, Sheffield 2000 WLBSA 218–50 Radion Executive Club, Sheffield 2001 WLBSA 290–219 Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon 2002 WLBSA 227–196 Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon 2003 WLBSA 299–155 Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon 2004Not held 2005 WLBSA 243–136 Cambridge Snooker Centre 2006 WLBSA 193–164 Cambridge Snooker Centre 2007 WLBSA 187–148 Cambridge Snooker Centre 2008 WLBSA 216–119 Cambridge Snooker Centre 2009 WLBSA 272–118 Cambridge Snooker Centre 2010 WLBSA 269–220 Stadium Snooker Club, Birmingham 2011 WLBSA 202–181 Pot Black Sports Bar, Bury St Edmunds 2012 WLBSA 201–143 Cambridge Snooker Centre 2013 WLBSA 329–207 Cambridge Snooker Centre 2014 (April) WLBSA 226–209 Northern Snooker Centre, Leeds 2014 (October) WLBSA, World Billiards 237–191 Northern Snooker Centre, Leeds 2015 WLBSA, World Billiards 334–119 Northern Snooker Centre, Leeds 2016 WLBSA, World Billiards 239–169 Northern Snooker Centre, Leeds 2017 World Billiards 295–185 Northern Snooker Centre, Leeds 2018 World Billiards 329–209 Northern Snooker Centre, Leeds 2019 World Billiards 244–204 Royal Automobile Club of Victoria, Melbourne 2020–21Not held 2022 World Billiards 304–148 Sharkx Academy, Newbridge 2023Not held 2024 World Billiards 215–202 Landywood Snooker Club, Great Wyrley 2025 World Billiards 347–222 Landywood Snooker Club, Great Wyrley

Wins by player

+Finalists in the World Women's Billiards Championship NameCountryWinsRunners-up Emma Bonney England 13 6 Vera Selby England 8 2 Maureen Baynton (née Barrett) England 8 2 Evelyn Morland-Smith England 4 4 Thelma Carpenter England 3 0 Thea Hindmarch England 3 2 Victoria McDougall England 2 0 Kelly Fisher England 2 2Sadie Isaacs England 2 1 Chitra Magimairaj India 2 2 Vera Seals England 2 3 Helen Futo England 2 2 Karen Corr Northern Ireland 2 0 Shruthi L India 2 0 Anuja Thakur India 1 0 Marie Keeton England 1 0 Muriel Hazeldene England 1 0 Ruth Harrison England 1 0 Vera Youle England 1 1 Revanna Umadevi India 1 3 Anna Lynch Australia 1 1 Grace Phillips England 1 0 Jamie Hunter England 1 0 Ray Craven England 0 11 Eva Palmius Sweden 0 3 Gladys Burton England 0 2 Ellen Eddowes England 0 1 Ethel Brown England 0 1 G M Saunders England 0 1 Doris Keene England 0 1 Sally Bartley England 0 1 Ella Morris England 0 1 Lynette Horsburgh Scotland 0 1 Snethra Babu India 0 1 Rochy Woods England 0 1Tina Owen-Sevilton England 0 1 Caroline Walch England 0 1 Rebecca Kenna England 0 1 Judy Dangerfield Australia 0 1 Keerath Bhandaal India 0 1 unknown – 0 3

IBSF Championship In 2015, the International Billiards and Snooker Federation held its own version of a World Women's Billiards Championship. Arantxa Sanchis defeated Revanna Umadevi to take the title.

+IBSF World Women's Billiards Championship finalYearOrganiserWinnerRunner-upFinal scoreVenue 2015 IBSF 414–255 Oceania Snooker Academy, Adelaide

See also Women's Amateur Snooker Championship Notes

References

Books

External links World Billiards In pictures: World Ladies Billiards Championship 2010 (BBC)