BONSALL RED TRIANGLE CLUB were one of the founder members of the Darley Dale & District League, taking part in the inaugural 1927/28 campaign which was initially entirely billiards, comprising of A B and C Divisions.
The original roster of teams from August 1927 comprised of Matlock Liberal Club, Matlock United Services Club, Matlock Conservative Club, Matlock Bank Church Institute, Whitworth Institute Darley Dale, Youlgrave Reading Rooms, Cromford Institute, Rowsley Institute, Oaker Institute, Crich Miners Welfare, Bakewell Young Liberals, Wensley Reading Room, Tansley Institute, Cromford British Legion and the aforementioned Bonsall Red Triangle Club.
Teams paid 10 shillings to enter as well as registration of players which was extra.
As well as the League, there was an individual championship and a team knockout.
Peter Fellows of Bonsall History Group writes:
"We have a few references to the Red Triangle Hut (as it was known locally), which was used up until the 1930s to hold village events such as tea dances etc.
Apparently it was a fairly large wooden building with a stage, dance floor and kitchen.
We hadn't previously found anything to indicate that there were billiards tables in the hut but there is clearly now a likelihood that there were.
The hut was located in an area of the village known as ‘Park Bottom’, where there is now a lorry park. The roof collapsed under the weight of snow in 1933 and it was never rebuilt."
The league tables and results started appearing in the local press only from around 1950 onwards so we have little knowledge of the early honours board but luckily with the balance sheets still intact from those early years we can at least trace everything back to when it all started.
The following season Bakewell Conservative Club came on board along with Crich Comrades Club and Ashover Working Mens Club.
It appears there may also have been a trial snooker division this season as it is listed alongside a senior and junior billiards league in the ledger but then does not re-appear until 1936/37, as the league seemingly reverted to three billiards divisions again in the interim period.
The 1928/29 season (second year) also saw the opening Derby League v Darley Dale League challenge match take place, with refreshments appearing for the event in the costings lists.
After the 1938/39 season, the League ceased operations until 1946/47 due to World War II before picking up where it left off and running through continuously thereafter to where we are today!
