Toaduff, Jackie

Jackie with Tiny Allison and Harry Robinson

Jackie Toaduff was born in 1933 and grew up in South Moor, Stanley, County Durham. His father was a miner and Jackie was the youngest of four brothers.

He initially learned some tap steps from Jocka Richardson, a local dancer. However Jocka died when Jackie was about seven so he sought out another local dance teacher, Tiny Allison and was a member of her troupe until he was fourteen, when he left school and began work as a miner. Not long after this he was invited to enter a clog dance competition. It was 1949 and the competition was only three weeks away and was to take place in Hexham. Jackie agreed to take up the challenge and was to enter the Junior Championship.

The Hexham competition was a great success with Jackie winning the Junior Championship and Tiny Allison winning the Senior. The judges were Peter Kennedy, Harry Robinson and Dickie Farrell. When the competition ran again in 1951, Jackie won the Senior Championship and went on to win the Championship for the next two years after which it ceased to run.

In addition to Tiny Allison, Jackie had some tuition from local dancer Harry Robinson.

Jackie came to prominence as part of the folk revival following his competition successes and was invited, by the EFDSS, to perform at their many festivals and showcases including travelling to Denmark in 1949, dancing at the Royal Albert Hall in 1950 and, perhaps one of his proudest moments, dancing with Princess Margaret at Cecil Sharp House in 1955 and 1958.

After winning a talent contest in Blackpool, he met singer Roland Roy and his manager/musician Colin Edwardes and they eventually formed the professional cabaret act Roy and Jackie Toaduff in 1959. They toured internationally and were resident performers on the QE2 for 20 years.

Jackie Toaduff's Hornpipe Steps

Collected by Alex Fisher over a period of several years commencing in 2000. Jackie was able to remember his favourite steps with ease, but others took considerable time and effort to re-assemble.

Photograph Album

Jackie, like many professional performers, kept extensive albums of photogtraphs and prtess cuttings. Here you can explore a small selection of that material.

Film of Jackie Toaduff, 1964

Jackie Toaduff regularly danced at the EFDSS Festival at the Royal Albert Hall. This short film shows him dancing his encore in 1964.

Film of Jackie Toaduff on the QE2.

"Roy and Jackie Toaduff" were regular performers on the QE2, This clip shows Jackie dancing his hornpipe routine.