History of the Club
The Churchmen’s Snooker Club Community Interest Company was registered in September 2024, but the history of the Churchmen’s Building and Club goes back 176 years. Built in 1848, our Club building situated at 272 Abergele Road, Old Colwyn, along with the adjoining headmasters house Ty’n Ddol was opened in 1849 as the National School of Old Colwyn.
By 1888 a new school was opened in Old Colwyn and the original National School building was used for Sunday School and a village Assembly Room.
References to Concerts, Political Meetings, and recitals at the Assembly Room can be seen in the North Wales Weekly Newspaper Archives. One example from the paper dated Friday 9th January 1903 refers to “Forthcoming Entertainment at the Assembly Room – In aid of the Old Colwyn Men’s Club, a high-class musical and cinematograph entertainment will be held”.
Friday 26th September 1913 a newspaper article refers to the “Old Colwyn Churchmen’s Club” this is the first evidence found to date of the name “Churchmen’s Club” in Old Colwyn. At the Annual General Meeting it was noted that 70 members had enrolled in the Club.
By 1915 World War 1 was with us, according to a North Wales Weekly Newspaper Article dated Thursday 14th January 1915 the Assembly Room had been converted by the Colwyn Voluntary Organisation into a most comfortable and attractive recreation room for the troops now billeted in Colwyn. These troops were from the 11th Gwent Battalion South Wales Borderers and had come from the depot of the regiment in Brecon. The battalion was under the command of Colonel Porter who was staying at the nearby Marine Hotel.
In this article there is reference to a “billiard table”, which is still in place to this day at the Churchmen’s. A newspaper article dated Thursday 15th May 1924 refers to re-payment of a loan for a second snooker table at the Churchmen’s Club. In the 1980’s a third snooker table was added in the Club room.
Over the years many well-known billiards and snooker champions have visited the Churchmen’s Club, playing exhibition matches against Club members. October 1956 former world amateur billiards champion Leslie Driffield of Leeds. January 1966 Irish snooker professional Jack Rea played at the Churchmen’s. October 1976 snooker professional Cliff Wilson visited the Churchmen’s Club. The Club premises were rented from the St Asaph Diocesan Council from the first occupancy until the mid 1970's. At that time the Diocesan Council made known it's wish to dispose of all Church property not used for Church purposes. Negotiations began for the sale of the Club premises, but the Club did not have sufficient funds to cover the modest agreed price of one thousand pounds. After much discussion it was agreed that all members should put up five pounds to create a building purchase fund.
In February 1978 the purchase was completed. Although the members now owned their Club premises there was still much to be done. Over the years various improvements have taken place as funds would allow. During the late 1960’s Ty’n Ddol the headmasters house adjacent to the Churchmen’s Club building was demolished and the land was used as the playground of the Old Colwyn Junior School. Over the years the Churchmen’s Club has been a breeding ground for many of the top snooker/billiard players of the area.
Competing in team and individual competitions, the Churchmen’s have won many of the top awards. In the Colwyn and Aberconwy League, the Churchmen’s Team have won the league championship five times, with the Churchmen’s Snooker Team adding to this proud record by winning the league title for the 2025/2026 season. By 2024 with a membership of 150 the Churchmen’s Management Committee proposed that the Club change its status to a Community Interest Company (CIC). A CIC is a limited company which operates to provide a benefit to the community they serve and is a not-for-profit organisation. Members agreed to this proposal and in September 2024 our application was successful, and the Club is now known as: Churchmen’s Snooker Club Community Interest Company. There is much to do, but with support of our members and a strong Management Committee we hope the Churchmen’s can continue to provide a meeting place for all.