The Grenville Club in Solihull celebrates 100 years and reflects with Snooker’s star of the 80’s, Steve Davis OBE
In 1922, Annie Grenville gifted a Social Club to the male residents of the parish of Solihull, known today as The Grenville Club. The Club has since moved several times to its current location between the House of Fraser and the petrol station on the Warwick Road in Solihull town centre.
100 years on, the Club continues to thrive in the centre of Solihull, mainly as a snooker club, and is represented by four teams in the Birmingham Efficiency Snooker League.
On 16th September 2022, as part of their club’s centenary celebrations, The Grenville Club had the honour to welcome Steve Davis OBE, 6 times World Snooker Professional Champion, and Chris Lovell, head of coaching for the WPBSA (World Professional Billiards and Snooker Assoc.) who entertained members and guests at two separate events during the afternoon and evening.
In the afternoon, Steve enjoyed a meet and greet function with Club members, sharing moments from his past, and giving a few tips on snooker, and signing memorabilia.
Steve unveiled a commemorative plaque marking Grenville’s centenary and his visit.
In the evening, at an event kindly hosted by Copt Heath Golf Club in Knowle and attended by over 60 members and guests, Steve and Chris presented a history of Steve’s story from how he took up and learnt snooker through his life as a professional player. With interesting insights and supported with video highlights, they described the important events, locations and people that helped to make Steve the successful and internationally renowned star he is today, whilst mixing in moving, humorous, and fascinating facts along the way.
The Grenville Chairman, Paul Turton, briefly presented the audience with a background to the event and a history of Annie Grenville’s donation one hundred years ago originally for the gentlemen of Solihull (now open to anyone interested in membership), and how fitting it was that Steve Davis, a genuine gentleman of the sport of snooker, should join us to celebrate our Centenary event.
Paul went on to play Steve in a one frame exhibition match, which Steve won after needing a snooker, clearing up all the colours to the black and leaving Paul an almost identical shot to the one Steve missed against Denis Taylor in the 1985 World Snooker Final. This time Paul missed the shot and Steve potted the black to win the frame!
After a further exhibition of some super trick shots and some light conversation with members of the audience, Steve posed for more photos and signed some memorabilia. As the event ended, all who had participated during the day’s celebrations were left with super memories of a great milestone that will not be forgotten.
The Grenville Snooker Club now embarks on the next 100 years of its journey and welcomes new members via its website, Facebook page or by calling in to the Club any evening Mon-Sat after 7pm
The Grenville Club 702 Warwick Road, Solihull Town Centre, B91 3DT, tel. 07821 554088