click or tap the image to view it at full size
click or tap the image to view it at full sizeIrene May Ellis, also known as Dolly Lindrum (13 May 1922 – 10 January 2019), was the beloved niece and perhaps the most devoted admirer of the billiards genius Walter Lindrum. Throughout her life, she kept his memory alive with love and admiration. Her passing on 10 January 2019, at the age of 96, was one of the saddest moments of my life.
Walter’s name is synonymous with the game of billiards, which he dominated as the World Champion for many years. The Lindrum family produced other champions and elite players; however, Dolly kept the memory of Walter and his incredible records at the forefront of Australian sporting legends and never missed an opportunity to promote his name along with the game of billiards. Dolly adored Walter, and it’s stated that Dolly was the child that Walter never had.
Dolly was known to provide charitable donations to assist cue sports in Australia; indeed, she would often be the first to offer support, donations, or a visit to Walter’s billiard room at her home in Melbourne, where she was famous for serving a great cup of tea along with a plate of cakes, mostly Lamingtons, which, unless you finished, you couldn’t leave.
During your time with Dolly, she would take you back to Walter Lindrum’s remarkable talents and leave you absolutely in awe of his ability on the green cloth. Walter was summoned to play for King George the V, which Walter treated like any other event. He never looked for accolades; he just loved the game and was never happier than when he could share his skill. Billiards was a family obsession as well as a business, with Walter becoming a billiard room proprietor to support his income.
The iconic Lindrum room at 317 Flinders Lane was where Walter practiced for hours to ensure he could develop a game that could never be matched by his opponents. Even when he played against a blind handicap of up to 7,000, the exact figure was kept from him so that he would play the game out. Dolly grew up in the Flinders Lane room watching her beloved uncle develop a game that would leave opponents questioning the rules and having them changed numerous times to beat him. He adapted.
As Robby Foldvari accurately states, “They changed the baulk line rule, and the cue ball had to cross the baulk line every 200 points to limit Walter’s famous nursery cannon.” Even with these changing rules, Dolly would proudly boast, “Walter can’t be beaten.” His “nursery cannon” — a delicate shot, moving the balls by just a few millimetres — was a skill he could repeat indefinitely, even managing 1,900 successful shots in a single game. Tom Newman once said, “Don’t ever refer to Walter as a scoring machine. He is showing you everything the beautiful game can offer.”
Dolly became a formidable player and a popular figure in Walter’s billiard room from a young age. After Walter’s death in 1960, she took over the family business and, in 1968, married Bill Ellis, who joined her in running the room. The Flinders Lane room closed in 1973, replaced by a new venue at 26 Flinders Street, Melbourne — the Lindrum Hotel. In 2022, the hotel was sold and closed, with its heritage façade preserved in a new 27‑storey development, keeping Walter Lindrum’s legacy visible in the city.
The hotel was named in honour of Walter Lindrum, who had become a huge Melbourne sporting hero due to his charity performances, which raised over two million pounds for the war effort and other worthwhile causes. Unfortunately, the naming of the hotel was not without family disputes, with both my aunt and I defending the honour that had been bestowed upon the great Walter Lindrum. Some in the family had hoped to profit from the use of the name, but we have continued to defend it to this day. Dolly remained fiercely loyal to the Lindrum name, ensuring that the Kerferd Road billiards room (Dolly’s home), complete with memorabilia, was preserved.
Dolly was born in South Australia, the daughter of Percy and Florence Lillian Dunn. Florence, Walter’s sister, was known as Dolly from an early age. Following her mother’s death, Irene May was effectively adopted by her grandparents. Dolly then moved back to Melbourne with her grandmother, where she became affectionately known as Dolly.
The stunningly beautiful and charming Dolly was always a gracious host to visiting members of the billiards fraternity, giving them a tour of the billiard room and recounting Walter’s remarkable achievements. My aunt was a catch for every Melbourne bachelor and was also a lover of animals. At one point, I counted one dog and ten cats at her home. The neighbours knew that her kindness extended beyond humans, so if there was ever an animal in need, they would find their way into Dolly’s care.
I write this article to preserve the goodness and absolute love that Dolly had for Walter Lindrum and to ensure that we never forget Walter’s greatest fan, Dolly Lindrum.
To recap, Walter set many records, but those that Dolly would often recite include:
- 711 breaks over 1000
- 29 breaks over 2000
- 2 breaks over 3000
- 1 break over 4000
- 1011 in 30 minutes, 1930
- 998 in 29 minutes, 1930
- 663 in 15 minutes, 1930
- 346 in 8 minutes, 1934
Andrew Ricketts, author of Walter Lindrum, Billiards Phenomenon, and the best Lindrum historian I know, referred to Dolly’s passing as “the end of a remarkable era.” I will certainly do my best to ensure that the memories of both Dolly and Walter remain close to our hearts and minds.
As stated in previous articles, I miss Aunty Dolly immensely, and this sentiment is shared by all those who knew and loved her.
I share the following photos:
- Dolly in her 20’s
- The Lindrum Hotel
- Dolly’s beloved dog Roxy
- Aunty Dolly, proud proprietor of the Lindrum Billiard Room in Melbourne
