{{short description|England international rugby union & league footballer}} {{for|the Ferranti executive|John Toothill (industrialist)}} {{EngvarB|date=August 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |first = RU |name = John Toothill |fullname = John Thomas Toothill |image = John Toothill - Bradford FC.jpeg |imagesize = 192 |caption = |birth_date = second ¼ 1866 |birth_place = Bradford, England |death_date = 29 June 1947 (aged 81) |death_place = Bradford, England |height = |weight = |ru_position = Forwards |position = Forwards |ru_club1 = Bradford FC |ru_year1start = ≤1890 |ru_year1end = 95 |ru_appearances1 = |ru_tries1 = |ru_goals1 = |ru_fieldgoals1 = |ru_points1 = |club1 = Bradford FC |year1start = 1895 |year1end = ≥98 |appearances1 = |tries1 = |goals1 = |fieldgoals1 = |points1 = |ru_teamA = Yorkshire |ru_yearAstart = ≤1893/94 |ru_yearAend = ≥93/94 |ru_appearancesA = 50 |ru_triesA = |ru_goalsA = |ru_fieldgoalsA = |ru_pointsA = |ru_teamB = England |ru_yearBstart = 1890 |ru_yearBend = 94 |ru_appearancesB = 12 |ru_triesB = 1 |ru_goalsB = 0 |ru_fieldgoalsB = 0 |ru_pointsB = 1 |retired = yes |updated = 5 March 2018 |source = <ref name="Statistics at en.espn.co.uk (RU)">{{cite web|url=http://en.espn.co.uk/england/rugby/player/939.html|title=Statistics at en.espn.co.uk (RU)|publisher=en.espn.co.uk|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018}}</ref> }}

'''John Thomas Toothill''' (birth registered second ¼ 1866<ref name="Birth details at freebmd.org.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=NCbQLnb0BaHTjVVuhZLhRw&scan=1|title=Birth details at freebmd.org.uk|publisher=freebmd.org.uk|date=31 December 2011|accessdate=1 January 2012}}</ref> – 29 June 1947<ref name="Death details at freebmd.org.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=X9l%2BWZUwtie4DCpDiTAvag&scan=1|title=Death details at freebmd.org.uk|publisher=freebmd.org.uk|date=31 December 2011|accessdate=1 January 2012}}</ref>) was an English rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1890s. He played representative level rugby union (RU) for England and Yorkshire,<ref>Philip Gaunt (1969). "Yorkshire Rugby Union – Centenary 1869-1969 (Page-28)". Chadwick Studios/[http://www.duffieldprinters.co.uk Frederick Duffield & Sons Ltd] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130906135655/http://www.duffieldprinters.co.uk/ |date= 6 September 2013}}. ISBN n/a</ref> and at club level for Bradford FC,<ref>{{cite book|first1= Graham|last1= Williams|first2= Peter|last2= Lush|first3= David|last3= Farrar|title= The British Rugby League Records Book|publisher= London League|isbn= 978-1-903659-49-6|year= 2009|page= 178}}</ref> as a forward, e.g. front row, lock, or back row, and club level rugby league (RL) for Bradford FC, as a forward. Prior to Tuesday 27 August 1895, Bradford FC was a rugby union club, it then became a rugby league club, and since 1907 it has been the association football (soccer) club Bradford Park Avenue.

==Background== Jack Toothill's birth was registered in Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, and he died aged 81 in Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire, England.<ref name="Statistics at en.espn.co.uk (RU)"/>

==Playing career==

===International honours=== Jack Toothill won caps for England (RU) while at Bradford FC in the 1890 Home Nations Championship against Scotland, and Ireland, in the 1891 Home Nations Championship against Wales, and Ireland, in the 1892 Home Nations Championship against Wales, Ireland, and Scotland, in the 1893 Home Nations Championship against Wales, Ireland, and Scotland, in the 1894 Home Nations Championship against Wales, and Ireland.<ref name="Statistics at en.espn.co.uk (RU)"/>

In the early years of rugby football the ''goal'' was to score goals, and a try had zero value, but it provided the opportunity to ''try'' at goal, and ''convert'' the try to a goal with an unopposed kick at the goal posts. The point values of both the try and goal have varied over time, and in the early years footballers could "score" a try, without scoring any points.

===County honours=== Jack Toothill won cap(s) for Yorkshire (RU) while at Bradford FC,<ref name="Roses match">{{cite web|url=http://www.rlhp.co.uk/archive/jpeg/RG-1895-12.jpg|title=Roses match|publisher=rlhp.co.uk|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018}}</ref> in William Barnes Wollen's painting of Yorkshire's 11–3 victory over Lancashire during the 1893/94 season, a painting that is now held at the Rugby Football Union headquarters in the Twickenham Stadium, Alfred "Alf" Barraclough can be seen being tackled, and passing the ball to Jack Toothill, with Tommy Dobson on the outside, although Tommy Dobson did not actually participate in this particular match.<ref name="The Ghost in the Painting – The Roses Match">{{cite web|url=http://www.englandrugby.com/twickenham/world-rugby-museum/rugby-history/the-ghost-in-the-painting|title=The Ghost in the Painting – The Roses Match|publisher=englandrugby.com|date=31 December 2016|accessdate=1 January 2017}}</ref>

===Challenge Cup Final appearances=== Jack Toothill played as a forward in Bradford FC's 0–7 defeat by Batley in the 1898 Challenge Cup Final during the 1897–98 season at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 23 April 1898, in front of a crowd of 27,941.

===Change of Code=== When Bradford FC converted from the rugby union code to the rugby league code on Tuesday 27 August 1895, Jack Toothill would have been approximately 29. Consequently, he was both a rugby union and rugby league footballer for Bradford FC.

==Genealogical information== Jack Toothill's marriage was registered during second ¼ 1892 in Bradford.<ref name="Marriage details at freebmd.org.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=T3TRD3Y6atWdXDfC4aWgSA&scan=1|title=Marriage details at freebmd.org.uk|publisher=freebmd.org.uk|date=31 December 2011|accessdate=1 January 2012}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/search/?q=Toothill Search for "Toothill" at rugbyleagueproject.org (RL)] *[http://www.rlhp.co.uk/imagedetail.asp?id=1426 Photograph "Bradford (F.C.) c.1888 – This team contained six England internationals. – 01/01/1888" at rlhp.co.uk] *[http://www.rlhp.co.uk/imagedetail.asp?id=1428 Photograph "Roses match – W.B. Wollen's 'Roses Match' of 1895. Manningham's Alf Barraclough is seen passing to Bradford's Jack Toothill with Bradford's Tommy Dobson on the outside. – 01/01/1895" at rlhp.co.uk] *[http://www.rlhp.co.uk/imagedetail.asp?id=1429 Photograph "John Thomas (Jack) Toothill – Jack Toothill played for Yorkshire and England at Rugby Union and continued to play for Bradford in the Northern Union. – 01/01/1894" at rlhp.co.uk]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Toothill, John}} Category:1866 births Category:1947 deaths Category:Bradford F.C. players Category:England international rugby union players Category:English rugby union players Category:English rugby league players Category:Rugby league forwards Category:Rugby league players from Bradford Category:Rugby union forwards Category:Rugby union players from Bradford Category:Yorkshire County RFU players