About The Chantry Hotel

In 1967, The Chantry was bought by three gentlemen. Two of which were a song and dance double act known as The Toaduff’s, accompanied by their business manager Mr Colin Edwardes. The trio had decided to purchase the hotel and retire from show business, after having a fantastic career traveling all over the world.

On their first week of retirement (having undertaken the task of hotel renovation) The Toaduff’s were asked to perform a two-week set of entertainment shows on the QE2. With hesitation, they took on the job – and their shows were so well received they were asked to stay. What intended to be a two-week job ended up lasting twenty years!

During their years on cruise ships, The Chantry Hotel was left in the capable hands of manager Mr Stuart Hammond. Mr Hammond had long been working with, and was a close friend of the Toaduff’s prior to opening the hotel.  Unfortunately, Mr Colin Edwardes passed away in the 2000s, but Roy, Jackie, and Stuart continued to reminisce their showbiz days alongside being the heart of The Chantry Hotel. 

The Hotel has won several awards over the years for its unique charm and beautiful gardens, which were tended lovingly to by Roy in his retirement. In 2017, Roy Toaduff passed away, and his death was followed shortly by Mr. Hammond, who acted as the hotel manager until his death on 1st March 2018 aged 76.

This left a devastated Jackie, who at this time had been part of a double act with Roy for over sixty years. Jackie made the decision to partially retire, and longstanding friend of The Toaduffs stepped in to manage The Chantry. Michael decided to return to his catering and hospitality routes after retiring from working in social care. 

Coaldust to Stardust is the autobiography of Jackie Toaduff, who was the owner of the Chantry hotel, who passed away in March of 2023 and partner of Michael Elrick the current owner of the hotel. This detailed the story of a boy coalminer who went 'from black and white into glorious technicolour" and became a dancing sensation - he was the real-life Billy Elliot.

Jackie's humble beginnings in the pits of Durham begin the remarkable tale of his life, spanning from showbiz events to private memoirs. It is an intriguing read that will captivate all ages - and includes a photograph section of pictures that were hand-picked by Jackie himself from his achieves. Celebrities, dancers, actors and actresses, princesses, sultans, and even kings all feature alongside the man Jackie himself. 

Jackie's book is currently sold out, but can be found second-hand on online shopping sites, such as Amazon and Ebay. The book is also available as a digital download on Kindle.

To read more about Jackie's book, please see under the 'more' tab for synopsis and reviews.