Australian square dancing heritage and memorabilia

Square Dance BOOM Iron Lung Life Support

Australian 1950's Square Dance Archive

Square Dancing Heritage - Jim Vickers-Willis

On this page you can listen to, watch and reading some of Jim's unique square dance memorabilia from the 1950's BOOM years:

HERITAGE eBOOK

Read the Jim & Beth Vickers-Willis square dancing story. Compiled in 2008 from original documents including newspaper clippings, this 30 page eBook tells many interesting stories of the 1950s square dance entertainment Boom! that occurred in Australia in the early 1950s, and the central role played in it by Jim & Beth Vickers-Willis. The book is in Pdf format, and is titled:

An Australian Square Dancing Story -
The Epicentre of a 1950's Entertainment BOOM! (Pdf)

HERITAGE FILMS

Start the You Tube media player below to view a 5 minute heritage film clip about Jim's role in the 1950's Australian Square Dance BOOM!

Start the You Tube player below to view a 2 minute film of the 1952 visit to Australia of the great American 'Hall Of Fame' Square Dance Caller, Joe Lewis, on his arrival at Essendon airport, Melbourne.

HERITAGE AUDIO RECORDINGS

Over 60 square dances called by Jim are available for you to listen to here on the page titled Jim's Catalogue.

Also included below are some other heritage recordings, including the very moving radio broadcast on Jim's 'come back' square dance following his fight back from polio in 1955 - plus a pre-recorded 'thank you' speech which Jim prepared in case he collapsed.......fortunately he didn't need to use it.

Jim's Comeback Square Dance - Leggetts Ballroom (1954)

Jim's Last Square Dance Before Polio Was Diagnosed (Adelaide - March, 1954)

Jim's Pre-Recorded Come Back Square Dance "Speech""

A Round Up at Earls Court (1954)

Jim Receiving the Listener In "Star Caller" Award (July 1953)

Jim Calling on Bert Newton's Late Show on HSV Channel 7 (c 1954)

A Square Dance Advertisement (3KZ)

Jim's Square Dance Exhibition Set:

L to R - Peter Tidex, Moya Holden, Kevin Collins, Betty Tidex, Gerald Egan, Kathie Randle, Beth Vickers-Willis (front), Jim Vickers-Willis (back) , Peter Harrison, Teddy Preston.

Jim's Australian Square Dance Band:

The Australian Square Dance Band variously included the following musicians: Margaret Swan (piano); Bob Patey (piano); Teddy Preston (piano); Tom Potts (drums); Barry Brennan (drums); Ed Zavod (violin); Tommy Torrens (violin); Freddie Thomas (accord ian); Norm Berger (accordian); Denny Martin (trumpet); Peter Boyce (guitar); Col Leason (guitar); Frank Raleigh (bass).

Jim's
AUDIO RECORDINGS

Navigate to Jim's Catalogue to hear over 60 recordings of Jim calling square dances in the 1950s.

BACK to AUSTRALIAN SQUARE DANCING....with Jim Vickers-Willis