A New Parlour Game.
Year: 1895

page_text: A New Parlour Game.
HARRY, OWEN ROBERTS 4 Commercial Road, Gloucester Manager Mineral
Water Works JOHN OWEN ROBERTS, 34 Midland Road Gloucester, Accountant,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
A new game consisting of 6 or more balls made of wood, glass, ivory or any other
suitable material, half the number of one distinctive colour and half of another, or
instead of colours distinguishing marks, the colours or marks are to enable the
players to identify their respective balls. Also semi-circular grooved or hollowed
out pieces of wood, cane or any other suitable material, of from 6 to 12 inches long,
such as bamboo cane slit down the middle and, cut into the desired lengths, these
are called the grooves and are used for the purpose of giving velocity to the balls
and causing them to roll in any direction, and at any speed the player may wish.
Also a small square, of thin cardboard, on which are printed 9 "stars
bulls-eyes"; this is called the board.
22
.or
Also 9 small skittles,made of wood or any suitable material, coloured or otherwise
8 of these are called meu & 1 is designated the monarch & are placed on the stars
or bullseyes on the board in the positions hereinafter described.
Also a piece of cardboard square or circular with holes punched in it, numberĕ3
or otherwise this is to be used in a variation of the game when the skittles are. not
used.
!
.
The game is played by partners being chosen who should use the same coloured
balls & arrange themselves alternately round a table which if covered with a cloth
should not have a heavy pile or it may impede the speed of the balls.
The board should be placed as near the centre of the table as possible & the men
placed on the bullseyes marked on the board. There are nine men 4 for the players
of each side, & the odd one (the monarch) this latter is placed on the centre bullseye,
the eight others being arranged alternately round the monarch. The object of
each player is to first dethrone or knock down the monarch, then to knock down
(which for the purposes of the game is called rescuing) the men belonging..to the
players own side this is accomplished by means of the groove or guide which should
be held by the left hand in a slanting position, the end farthest from the player
being either on the table or about one inch from it. One of the balls is then
placed at the top of the groove & allowed to run down on to the table, the skill
being to so hold the groove that the desired men only will be rescued or knocked
over. Should the player however knock any men down before the monarch has
been dethroned, these must be replaced on the board or should a player knock down
any of his opponents men (after the monarch has been dethroned) these must also
be replaced on the board & if his side has been successful in rescuing any of their
own men, he must by way of penalty replace one of these on the board for every
man of his opponents so knocked down by him. Every man rescued in accordance
with the rules should be removed from play & placed on one side. The side that
succeeds in rescuing all their men first, scores one point for every man of their
opponents that is left on the board, the side that gains 7 points wins the game.
A code of rules regulates the whole proceedings.
"
A modification of the foregoing is, that instead of using the skittles & board,
the card with the punched holes in it is placed in the centre of the table & the

page_text: players endeavour to get their balls into the holes by playing them in the same
manner as herein before described & the holes being numbered, the side that
succeeds in scoring 20, first wins the game.
Dated this First day of March 1895.
H. O. ROBERTS.
J. O. ROBERTS.
HARRY OWEN ROBERTS 4 Commercial Road, Gloucester Manager Mineral
Water Works JOHN OWEN ROBERTS 34 Midland Road, Gloucester Accountant,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
A new game consisting of 6 or more balls made of any suitable material, half
the number of one distinctive colour & half of another, or instead of colours
distinguishing marks, the colours or marks are to enable the players to identify
their respective balls. .
Also semi-circular grooved or hollowed out pieces of wood, caue or any other
suitable material of from 6 to 12 inches long as in Fig. 4. Fig. 5 is end view of
the same, these are called grooves, guides or shutes & are used for the purpose of
giving velocity to the balls & causing them to roll in any direction & at any speed
the player may wish.
Also a small piece of thin cardboard, or other suitable material, square or
otherwise on which are printed 9 stars squares or circles-this is called the board
& is shewn in Fig. 2.
Also 9 small skittles or pawns as shewn in Fig. 3, made of wood or any suitable
material, coloured or otherwise 8 of these are called men & 1 is designated the
monarch & are placed on the before described board in the positions hereinafter
mentioned.
Also a piece of wood or cardboard, square or circular with holes punched in it,
numbered or otherwise as shewn in Fig. 1. this is to be used in a variation of the
game when the skittles are not used.
The game is played by partners being chosen who should use the same coloured
balls & arrange themselves alternately round a table, which if covered with a cloth
should not have a heavy pile or may impede the speed of the balls.
The board on which are marked the stars or circles should be placed as near the
centre of the table as possible & the men placed on the marks indicated. There
are eight men, 4 for the players of each side & 1 which is termed the monarch,
this latter is placed on the centre star or circle, the eight men being arranged
alternate colours round it.
The object of each player is to first dethrone or knock down the monarch, then
to knock down (which is called rescuing) the men belonging to the players own
side, this is accomplished by means of the groove or guide, which should be held
by the left hand in a slanting position as shewn in Fig. 6, the end farthest from the
player being either on the table or about 1 inch off it, one of the balls is then
placed at the top of the groove, allowed to run down the inclined groove on to the
table, the skill being to so hold the groove that the desired men only will be
knocked over or rescued: Should the player however knock down any men before
the monarch has been dethroned, these must be replaced on the board or should a
player knock down any of his opponents men (after the monarch has been
dethroned) these must also be replaced on the board & if his side has been successful
in rescuing any of their own men, he must by way of penalty replace one of these
ou the board for every man of his opponents so knocked down by him. Every man
:

page_text: rescued in accordance with the rules should be removed from play & placed on one
side until the end of the set. The side that succeeds in rescuing all their men first,
scores one point for every man of their opponents that is left on the board, the side
that gains 7 points wins the game. A code of rules regulates the whole proceedings.
A modification of the foregoing may be employed as follows, instead of using the
skittles & the marked board, the board with the punched holes in it is placed in
the centre of the table & the players endeavour to get their balls into the holes by
means of the groove or guide in the same manner as herein before described & the
holes being numbered the side that succeeds in scoring a given number of points
wins the game.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion & in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
That the herein before described articles used in the manner hereinbefore shewn
for the purposes of a new game or games.
Dated this First day of July 1895.
HARRY OWEN ROBERTS.
J. O. ROBERTS.