The Grand Order of Water Rats is a British entertainment industry

fraternity A fraternity (from Latin language, Latin ''wiktionary:frater, frater'': "brother (Christian), brother"; whence, "wiktionary:brotherhood, brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club (organization), club or fraternal ...

and

charitable organisation A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good). The legal definition of a ch ...

based in London. Founded in 1889 by the

music hall Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as variety. Perceptions of a distinction in Bri ...

comedians

Joe Elvin Joe Elvin (born Joseph Peter Keegan; 29 November 1862 – 3 March 1935) was an English comedian and music hall entertainer and a Founder of the Grand Order of Water Rats, a show business charity. With other leading performers he took part in the ...

and Jack Lotto, the order is known for its high-profile membership and benevolent works (primarily within the performing industries).

Origin

In 1889, two British music hall performers, Joe Elvin and Jack Lotto, owned a trotting pony called "Magpie". As the pony was a regular race winner, its owners decided that they would use the profits to help performers who were less fortunate than themselves.

Charlie Chester Charlie Chester MBE (26 April 1914 – 26 June 1997) was an English comedian, radio and television presenter and writer, broadcasting almost continuously from the 1940s to the 1990s. His style was similar to that of Max Miller. Life and ...

, ''The Grand Order of Water Rats: A Legend of Laughter'' – W.H. Allen, London (1984) pg 12 One day, as Elvin was driving the pony back to its stables in the pouring rain, a passing bus driver called out, "Wot yer got there, mate?" "Our trotting pony!" replied Elvin. Observing the bedraggled, soaked condition of the pony, the driver shouted back, "Trotting pony? Looks more like a bleedin' water rat!" As ''Rats'' spelled backwards is ''Star'', and ''vole'', another name for a water rat, is an anagram of ''love'', the name was deemed appropriate for the Order's agenda of Brotherly Love. Their motto was: Philanthropy, conviviality and social intercourse. The charity raises money by organising shows, lunches, dinners and other events. The objectives of the charity are "to assist members of the theatrical profession, or their dependents, who, due to illness or old age are in need." When possible additional funds raised go to a diverse range of charities and good causes including hospitals, health charities and benevolent funds. A member of the public can become a Friend of the Water Rats. The Water Rats originally held meetings in

Sunbury-on-Thames Sunbury-on-Thames (or commonly Sunbury) is a suburban town on the north bank of the River Thames in the Borough of Spelthorne, Surrey, centred southwest of central London. Historically part of the county of Middlesex, in 1965 Sunbury and other ...

in a public house called The Magpie. Their headquarters is now at

The Water Rats The Water Rats is a live music venue at 328 Grays Inn Road, Kings Cross, London, England. Until 1992, it was known as The Pindar of Wakefield and was famous for its regular old time music hall entertainment. Bob Dylan played his first UK gig ...

pub in

Gray's Inn Road Gray's Inn Road (or Grays Inn Road) is an important road in the Bloomsbury district of Central London, in the London Borough of Camden. The road begins at the City of London boundary, where it bisects High Holborn, and ends at King's Cross and ...

Kings Cross, London Kings Cross is a district on either side of Euston Road, in north London, England, north of Charing Cross. It is bordered by Barnsbury to the north, Clerkenwell and Islington to the east, Holborn to the south and Euston to the west. It is ...

Members

1991 Aug BabyRats Bob & Zachary Hope GOWR UK vT

Membership is limited to 180 male members of the entertainment industry plus 20 Companion Rats. Some Water Rats are household names but many are not, but all must be respected and trusted by their peers. Joining the Order is a complicated process that involves finding a proposer and seconder within the Order, consideration by the Order's Grand Council and finally a vote which needs a large majority for success. Members of the order wear a small gold emblem shaped as a water rat on the left lapel of their jackets, and if one Water Rat meets another who is not wearing his emblem he is fined, with the money going to charity. Magician David Nixon wore his while appearing on television, explaining that as current King Rat he could be fined by any other member who saw him on screen without it. There is also a small number of Companion Rats, distinguished men from various fields of business and influence who are not performers but who have achieved recognition for their support and friendship of the Order. These include Bob Potter OBE, the late

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, later Philip Mountbatten; 10 June 1921 – 9 April 2021) was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. As such, he served as the consort of the British monarch from El ...

King Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to a ...

and

Prince Michael of Kent Prince Michael of Kent, (Michael George Charles Franklin; born 4 July 1942) is a member of the British royal family, who is 51st in the line of succession to the British throne as of September 2022. Queen Elizabeth II and Michael were firs ...

King Rats

The first King Rat, who is the head of the charity, was the

singer Harry Freeman. The comedian

Dan Leno George Wild Galvin (20 December 1860 – 31 October 1904), better known by the stage name Dan Leno, was a leading English music hall comedian and musical theatre actor during the late Victorian era. He was best known, aside from his music hall ...

joined in 1890 and was King Rat in 1891, 1892 and 1897. The post is usually held for one year. Previous King Rats include: * 1890 Harry Freeman * 1891

* 1892 Dan Leno * 1893

Wal Pink Walter Augustus Pink (10 May 1862—27 October 1922) was an English music hall performer, writer and theatre producer. Wal Pink was born in Paddington, London, and started his career as a singer in smoking concerts, before appearing on the mus ...

* 1894

* 1895 J. W. Cragg * 1896

Eugene Stratton Eugene Augustus Rühlmann (May 8, 1861 – September 15, 1918) was an American-born dancer and singer. Born in Buffalo, New York, he adopted the stage name Eugene Stratton and spent most of his career in British music halls. Stratton was a ...

* 1897 Dan Leno * 1898

Joe O'Gorman (senior) Joseph O'Gorman (24 May 1863–1 August 1937) was an Irish-born comedian. He formed a popular and innovative double act in British music halls with Joe Tennyson, Tennyson and O'Gorman, in the 1880s and 1890s, before becoming a solo performer. ...

* 1899 Paul Martinetti * 1900 Eugene Stratton * 1901 Joe O'Gorman * 1902 Wal Pink * 1903

Fred Russell Fred Russell (August 27, 1906 – January 26, 2003) was an American sportswriter from Tennessee who served as sports editor for the ''Nashville Banner'' for 68 years (1930–1998). Beginning in the 1960s he served for nearly three decades as ...

* 1904 Tom McNaughton * 1905 Arthur Reece * 1906

Little Tich Harry Relph (21 July 186710 February 1928),Russell, Dav"Relph, Harry (1867–1928)" ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004, online edition, January 2011. Retrieved 1 August 2013 professionally known as Littl ...

* 1907 J. Allison * 1908 W.H. Clemart * 1909 Fred Ginnett * 1910 C. Warren * 1911

Harry Tate Ronald Macdonald Hutchison (4 July 1872 – 14 February 1940), professionally known as Harry Tate, was an English comedian, who performed in the music halls, in variety shows, and in films. Career Born in Lambeth, the son of a Scottish tea m ...

* 1912 Charles Austin * 1913 Charles Austin * 1914 Fred Russell * 1915

William Bankier William Bankier (10 December 1870 – 4 September 1949) billed as 'Apollo, the Scottish Hercules', was a strongman stage performer who in 1915 and 1919 was also 'King Rat' of the showbusiness charity the Grand Order of Water Rats. Early year ...

* 1916

Lew Lake Lew Lake (born Louis Charles Polack; 10 January 1875 – 5 November 1939) was an English comic actor, writer, producer, and theatre manager. Life and career He was born in Shoreditch, London, the son of a Dutch-born cigar maker. Around 1900, ...

* 1917 Lew Lake * 1918 Charles Austin * 1919 William Bankier * 1920 Deane Tribune * 1921 George D'Albert World Upheaval – Lodge suspended until 1927 * 1927 Charles Austin * 1928 Charles Austin * 1929 Fred Russell * 1930

Talbot O'Farrell Talbot O'Farrell (born William Parrot; 27 July 1878 – 2 September 1952) was an English music hall singer (a tenor, whose repertoire included both sentimental and comic songs) and film actor. Biography He was born in the north of England ...

* 1931

Will Hay William Thomson Hay (6 December 1888 – 18 April 1949) was an English comedian who wrote and acted in a schoolmaster sketch that later transferred to the screen, where he also played other authority figures with comic failings. His film ''Oh ...

* 1932 Charles Austin * 1933 Joe Morrison * 1934 Will Fyffe * 1935

Marriott Edgar Marriott Edgar (5 October 1880 – 5 May 1951), born George Marriott Edgar in Kirkcudbright, Scotland, was a British poet, scriptwriter and comedian, best known for writing many of the monologues performed by Stanley Holloway, particularly the ...

* 1936 George Wood * 1937 Stanley Damerell * 1938 Fred Miller * 1939 Fred Russell * 1940 Will Hay * 1941 John Sharman * 1942 George Jackley * 1943 Tom Moss * 1944 George Doonan * 1945

Bud Flanagan Bud Flanagan, (born Chaim Reuben Weintrop, 14 October 1896 – 20 October 1968) was a British music hall and vaudeville entertainer and comedian, and later a television and film actor. He was best known as a double act with Chesney Allen. Fla ...

* 1946

Teddy Brown Teddy is an English language given name, usually a hypocorism of Edward or Theodore. It may refer to: People Nickname * Teddy Atlas (born 1956), boxing trainer and fight commentator * Teddy Bourne (born 1948), British Olympic epee fencer * Ted ...

(died) / Bud Flanagan * 1947

Robb Wilton Robert Wilton Smith (28 August 1881 – 1 May 1957), better known as Robb Wilton, was an English comedian and actor. He was best known for his filmed monologues during the 1930s and 1940s, in which he played incompetent authority figures. His tr ...

* 1948 Albert Whelan * 1949 Ted Ray * 1950 Ted Ray * 1951 Bud Flanagan * 1952

* 1953

Ben Warriss Ben Holden Driver Warriss (29 May 1909 – 14 January 1993) was an English comedian and the first cousin of fellow comedy actor Jimmy Jewel. Allegedly the two cousins were born in the same bed (at different times) and brought up in the same hou ...

* 1954

George Elrick George Elrick (29 December 1903 – 15 December 1999), 'The Smiling Voice of Radio', was a British musician, impresario and radio presenter, probably best known for presenting the popular record request show ''Housewives' Choice'' during the 1950 ...

* 1955

Tommy Trinder Thomas Edward Trinder CBE (24 March 1909 – 10 July 1989) was an English stage, screen and radio comedian whose catchphrase was "You lucky people!". Described by cultural historian Matthew Sweet as "a cocky, front-of-cloth variety turn", he was ...

* 1956 Dave O'Gorman * 1957 Cyril Dowler * 1958 Clarkson Rose * 1959 Johnny Riscoe * 1960 Arthur Scott * 1961 Ben Warriss * 1962 Ben Warriss * 1963 Tommy Trinder * 1964 Ted Ray * 1965 Tommy Trinder * 1966 Arthur Haynes * 1967 Terry Cantor * 1968

Frankie Vaughan Frankie Vaughan (born Frank Fruim Abelson; 3 February 1928 – 17 September 1999) was an English singer and actor who recorded more than 80 easy listening and traditional pop singles in his lifetime. He was known as "Mr. Moonlight" after his ...

* 1969 Harry Seltzer * 1970 Phil Hindin * 1971

George Martin Sir George Henry Martin (3 January 1926 – 8 March 2016) was an English record producer, arranger, composer, conductor, and musician. He was commonly referred to as the "Fifth Beatle" because of his extensive involvement in each of the B ...

* 1972 Albert Stevenson * 1973 George Elrick * 1974 Cyril Dowler * 1975 Joe Church * 1976 David Nixon * 1977 David Nixon * 1978 Donald Ross * 1979

David Berglas David Berglas (born 30 July 1926) is a British magician and mentalist of German-Jewish descent. His secret technique of locating a particular card within a pack has been described as the Holy Grail of card magic. He was one of the first magicia ...

* 1980

Henry Cooper Sir Henry Cooper (3 May 19341 May 2011) was a British heavyweight boxer, best remembered internationally for a 1963 fight in which he knocked down a young Cassius Clay before the fight was stopped because of a cut eye from Clay's punches. Coo ...

* 1981 Declan Cluskey * 1982 Charlie Smithers * 1983 Len Lowe * 1984

Davy Kaye Davy Kaye MBE (born David Kodeish, 25 March 1916 – 3 February 1998) was a British comedy actor and entertainer. Early life Born in Mile End Road in the East End of London to Jewish parents Koppel and Dora Kodeish, Kaye was so small at birth t ...

* 1985

Les Dawson Leslie Dawson Jr. (2 February 1931 – 10 June 1993) was an English comedian, actor, writer, and presenter, who is best remembered for his deadpan style, curmudgeonly persona and Mother-in-law joke, jokes about his mother-in-law and wife. Earl ...

* 1986

Alan Freeman Alan Leslie Freeman, MBE (6 July 1927 – 27 November 2006), nicknamed "Fluff", was an Australian-born British disc jockey and radio personality in the United Kingdom for 40 years, best known for presenting '' Pick of the Pops'' from 1961 to ...

* 1987

Danny La Rue Danny La Rue, (born Daniel Patrick Carroll, 26 July 1927 – 31 May 2009) was an Irish singer and entertainer, best known for his on-stage drag queen, drag persona. He performed in drag and also as himself in theatrical productions, television ...

* 1988 Bernard Bresslaw * 1989

Roy Hudd Roy Hudd, OBE (16 May 1936 – 15 March 2020) was an English comedian, actor, presenter, radio host, author and authority on the history of music hall entertainment. Early life Hudd was born in Croydon on 16 May 1936 to Evalina "Evie" (née ...

* 1990 David Lodge * 1991

Wyn Calvin Wyn Calvin MBE OStJ (born Joseph Wyndham Calvin-Thomas; 28 August 1925 – 25 January 2022), known affectionately as "The Clown Prince of Wales" and "The Welsh Prince of Laughter", was a Welsh comedian, pantomime dame, television and theatre ac ...

* 1992

Bert Weedon Herbert Maurice William Weedon, OBE (10 May 1920 – 20 April 2012) was an English guitarist whose style of playing was popular and influential during the 1950s and 1960s. He was the first British guitarist to have a hit record in the UK ...

* 1993

John Inman Frederick John Inman (28 June 1935 – 8 March 2007) was an English actor and singer best known for his role as Mr. Humphries in '' Are You Being Served?'', a British sitcom between 1972 and 1985, and was the only actor from that series to featu ...

* 1994

Roger De Courcey Roger De Courcey (born 10 December 1944 in London, England) is a British ventriloquist, best known for performing with Nookie Bear. He was the winner of the 1976 ''New Faces'' televised talent competition grand final. Biography De Courcey has ...

* 1995

Paul Daniels Newton Edward Daniels (6 April 1938 – 17 March 2016), known professionally as Paul Daniels, was an English magician and television presenter. He achieved international fame through his television series '' The Paul Daniels Magic Show'', whic ...

* 1996 Paul Daniels * 1997

Alf Pearson Bob and Alf Pearson were an English musical variety double act, consisting of brothers Robert Alexander Pearson (15 August 1907 – 30 December 1985) and Alfred Vernon Pearson (15 June 1910 – 7 July 2012), who were mainly known for their singi ...

* 1998 Frankie Vaughan * 1999

Gorden Kaye Gordon Irving Kaye(7 April 194123 January 2017), known professionally as Gorden Kaye, was an English actor, best known for playing womanising café owner René Artois in the television comedy series Allo 'Allo!''. Early life Kaye was born o ...

* 2000 Roy Hudd * 2001

Don Smoothey Donald Ralph Smoothey (11 April 1919 – 17 May 2015) was a British stage actor, variety entertainer and comic. Career Theatre At the age of twelve, Smoothey attended the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts where his brother Len Lowe w ...

* 2002 Keith Simmons * 2003

Chas McDevitt Charles James McDevitt (born 4 December 1934) is a Scottish musician, one of the leading lights of the skiffle genre which was highly influential and popular in the United Kingdom in the mid-to-late 1950s. Biography McDevitt was born in Eagles ...

* 2004 Chas McDevitt * 2005

Melvyn Hayes Melvyn Hayes ('' né'' Hyams; 11 January 1935) is an English actor and voice over performer. He is best known for playing the effeminate Gunner (later Bombardier) "Gloria" Beaumont in the 1970s BBC sitcom ''It Ain't Half Hot Mum'', for appea ...

* 2006

Kaplan Kaye Kaplan Eric Kaye (born 1949) is an English stage and screen actor, songwriter and musician, as well as a Past King Rat of the show-business charity the Grand Order of Water Rats. Biography Born in Watford, Hertfordshire, the son of actor and ...

* 2007 Kaplan Kaye * 2008 Kaplan Kaye * 2009

Graham Cole Graham Cole OBE (born Graham Coleman-Smith on 16 March 1952) is an English actor. Early life Cole was born in Willesden in 1952 to Victor and Freda Coleman-Smith (née Coleman), the youngest of three children. He was part of the film crew of ...

* 2010

Derek Martin Derek Martin (born Derek William Rapp; 11 April 1933) is an English former actor. Beginning his career as a stuntman, he moved into acting and played many roles on UK television. One of his most widely known roles is Charlie Slater on the BBC ...

* 2011 Keith Simmons * 2012

Joe Pasquale Joseph Ellis Pasquale (born 20 August 1961) is an English comedian, actor and television presenter. He won the fourth series of '' I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!'' in 2004 and participated in the eighth series of ''Dancing on Ice'' ...

* 2013

Jess Conrad Jess Conrad (born Gerald Arthur James; 24 February 1936) is an English stage and screen actor and singer. As a boy he was nicknamed "Jesse" after American outlaw Jesse James; as there was already an actor named "Gerald James" in Actors' Equity, a ...

* 2014 Rick Wakeman * 2015 Rick Wakeman * 2016 Ian Richards * 2017 Ian Richards * 2018 Adger Brown * 2019

Nicholas Parsons Christopher Nicholas Parsons (10 October 1923 – 28 January 2020) was an English actor, straight man and radio and television presenter. He was the long-running presenter of the comedy radio show '' Just a Minute'' and hosted the game show '' ...

* 2020

Duggie Brown Duggie Brown (born Barry Douglas Dudley; 7 August 1940 – 16 August 2022) was an English comedian and actor. He was the younger brother of actress and singer Lynne Perrie. Stage work During the early 1960s, Brown was a guitarist/vocalist in ...

* 2021 Duggie Brown

Grand Order of Lady Ratlings

The Grand Order of Lady Ratlings (GOLR), a sister organisation for female performers and for wives, sisters and daughters of male performers, was established in 1929, when

was King Rat of the GOWR. His wife, Lillian Russell, was installed as the first Queen Ratling. From 1965, membership was restricted to "recognised performers, those directly connected with the theatrical profession, wives of Water Rats and Companion Rats." In 1931, Minnie O'Farrell, the wife of

, initiated the 'Cup of Kindness', which subsequently became a recognised charity.The Grand Order of Lady Ratlings: Our History
Retrieved 24 February 2021

Publication

''The Trap'' was the official publication of the Grand Order of Water Rats.

References

External links

Grand Order of Water Rats website
*
Rick Wakeman elected King Rat by Grand Order of Water Rats
at Freemasonry Today {{DEFAULTSORT:Grand Order Of Water Rats Charities based in London Fraternal orders 1889 establishments in the United Kingdom Organizations established in 1889 Secret societies in the United Kingdom