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Company History
Riley had humble beginnings as a sports shop in Manchester way back in the 1890’s. The company quickly diversified and became the largest manufacturer of cricket bats in the world. As a sideline, Riley started to manufacture billiard tables and cues, and by 1910 the Company was producing around 800 full size tables per year. Parallel to the full size tables, the Company also manufactured a large quantity of convertible tables (tables with dining tops) and also another line known as portable tables. Portable tables became by far Riley’s biggest selling line. By 1912 the Company was producing 4000 units a year exporting to all parts of the globe and Riley’s biggest customer was the British Army.
By the mid 1920’s the Riley brand was not only famous for snooker tables, cues and accessories, the Company had expanded into club ownership. In little more than a decade the company had become the giant of the industry:
- Manufacturing tables
- Manufacturing cues and accessories
- Manufacturing lighting
- Owners of 40 snooker style clubs
- Exporting to all corners of the globe
Snooker truly was the quintessential sport of English gentlemen.
By the 1930’s the popularity of the sport had spread to the working classes. Riley snooker tables had made their first of many appearances at the World Snooker Championships.