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  The Tiller Girls

1886 - 2008

This Page is dedicated to the Tiller Girls. For those of you old enough to remember the Television Show from the London Palladium you will know the name and the great dancers.

For those of you that are not old enough, then you will find a little of the history on this page.

John Tiller ( My Great Grandfather ) founded the dancers in 1886 as The Four Sunbeams. "See the John Tiller Pages" From this was founded the Tiller School of dancing and the Tiller Girl troupes.

John Tiller and his wife "my great-grandmother Mary Tiller (née Carr)" originally formed the group for a show at the old Pavilion Theatre Blackpool in the 1890's. Mary died in 1905, however John married again 20 months later to Jenny who became very much involved in the running of the troupes.

Jenny Tiller

The Tiller's became famous throughout the world performing as resident dancers at the Folies Bergeres in Paris, The London Palladium, The Palace Theatre London ( As the Palace Girls, The Blackpool Winter Gardens. And hundreds of theatre's over the British Isles, The Continent and the United States. 

   Elizabeth Tiller ( My lovely Grandmother ) was a very early Tiller Girl, I remember her for presence and charm. Even in her 80s she still waited for everyone to gather to make her grand entrance. As a Tiller Girl it was frowned upon to have a relationship, John Tiller was particularly worried that two of his son's John Lawrence Tiller and Robert Tiller my grandfather were showing and interest in Elizabeth. It is said that she was first linked to Lawrence but in the end she married Robert Tiller.

When she retired from dancing she continued to work with the Tiller Schools looking after the girls and making the costumes. She was a very accomplished seamstress and used to make items for the family in her old age.       

When I was 7 year old in 1960, The Tiller family attended a performance at the Victoria Palace to celebrate her 80th birthday . The show Young in Heart featured the Crazy Gang. I can remember the cast including the Tiller Girls coming back on stage at the end of the show to wish her Happy Birthday, and throwing flowers to our box.  We now have another Elizabeth Tiller as my Brother has named his daughter after her.

The Tiller Girls are probably the longest established dance company of all time, and Tiller Girls are always very proud to say they danced as a Tiller Girl, on this site you will find information and photos from the very first dancers to the new School in 2008.

The New Tiller Girls were revived by Dougie Chapman, in a show with Danny la Rue at the Winter Gardens Pavilion Blackpool in 2000.  Fay Robinson, who is currently with the 1960's Tillers group, choreographed the new team of twelve. A picture of this troupe is on page 2. unfortunately this troupe has now disbanded but I keep in contact with some of them who are now in other shows around the world via our Facebook site.. 

We are in the process of discussing the possibility of reforming or own Tiller School of Dance and a Tiller Girl Troup of Fantastic dancers, Should it all go ahead more information on appearances and shows will be following shortly. Keep an eye on out Tiller School of Dance page.

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One Ex Tiller Girl "Avril Owton" held a Tiller Girl Reunion in 1997. Avril is the proprietor of a lovely hotel in Brockenhurst Hampshire UK, where she has named a bar after the Tillers.

The Cloud Hotel, Meerut Road, Brockenhurst, New Forest, Hampshire, SO42 7TD

Telephone 01590 622165  email Cloud Hotel

The wonderful 1960's Tiller Girls October 2005

Robert Luff Page

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