The pool table business in the UK will miss Malcolm Ferris who died on Monday evening this week, at the early age of just 59, after an illness.
Malcolm, known to everyone as ‘Malc’, was a pool table specialist. While at Javelin Pool in the 1970s he helped the company buy Earl Fisher’s Premier Pool and was the pivotal element in the huge success of Javelin’s North West League that culminated in finals at Quaffers, the Manchester nightclub.
He joined Associated Leisure’s Burton-on-Trent offices as pool promotions manager in 1986 with Ian Aston, who these days is at JNC, and Alan McLeod. He left AL in 1996 and after a short period with TCS in the casino industry, he started his own pool recovering company, Pennine Pool Promotions, and worked for many north-west of England operators.
A keen motorcyclist, he was with the well-known BACTA Bikers, led by David Orton and Andrew Murden, which has raised a great deal of money for charity. After a motorcycle accident on the Isle of Man, Malc left the industry and joined British Gas. He was a leading member of the pool table association, BAPTO, and the one-time UKPF (UK Pool Federation).
Malc Ferris’ contemporaries were quick to pay tribute this week. Stan McKenna, himself a pool table specialist for most of his working life, commented: “Malc was pool through and through. It is such a shame; he will be sadly missed.”
Rory McVeigh, a veteran of the pool table industry who later moved into the casino business, said: “He was a huge character in our industry for a small man. I am so very sorry.”
Malc was married twice. He leaves a widow, Mary, two grown-up children and grandchildren.
Malcolm Ferris’ funeral will be held on Monday, October 14, at 10.45am at Howe Bridge Crematorium, off Lovers Lane, Atherton, near Leigh, Manchester. After the service there will be a reception at 2 Hand Lane, Leigh, WN7 3LP.
