In Memoriam

Like the stars may you shine

Be faithful and true

'Til death takes you from us

Or us from you

Water Rat Register Number: 773. Initiated into the Order on 16 September 1991

Proposer: Bert Weedon, OBE. Seconder: Len Lowe.

The comedian and producer, Jack Seaton, was once described by The Stage as a comic of rare ability, “demonstrating the borderline beyond which innuendo becomes mucky”. Born in Soho, he began his showbusiness career as an errand boy at the London Palladium.  He became a friend of the Palladium’s “resident” comedian, Tommy Trinder. In fact, after Trinder’s death in 1989, he inherited the comic’s mass of memorabilia, which formed the basis of the biography written by Patrick Newley in 2008.  Max Miller, another regular headliner at the Palladium, encouraged Seaton to become a comedian partly because he thought they looked like each other.  Seaton’s vision coincided with that of the British Music Hall Society: to keep alive the spirit of the music hall and its successor, the old-time variety theatre. To this extent, he had great success.  One reviewer of his work commended him for “doing more than anyone to prove that variety is alive and very much kicking.”   As a compere, presenter and producer, he really came into his own only when he was appointed Chairman of the Music Hall Society in 1984. The Society was then in the midst of celebrating its twenty-first anniversary for which Seaton arranged shows starring Roy Hudd and the last generation of music hall performers, including the Irish balladeer, Cavan O’Connor, and the great singer of nonsense songs, Leslie Sarony.  The Society’s industrious archivist and historian, Max Tyler, told The Stage: “Jack was an excellent Chairman and worked very hard for the Society. When he assumed the chairmanship, the Society was going through a rough patch and Jack succeeded in pulling it through.” Seaton branched out by producing lunchtime shows at the Palace Theatre in Cambridge Circus and others at the Hackney Empire, the Wimbledon Theatre and the West Cliff Theatre in Clacton. Jack Seaton, who was born on 12 July 1929, died on February 13 2011 at the age of 81.

Richard Anthony Baker

Water Rat Register Number: 824. Initiated into the Order on 22 April 2001

Proposer: Keith Simmons. Seconder: David Berglas.

Born and raised in Watford, Terry Seabrooke hasn't always been a world-class comedy magician! Graduating from Watford Grammar School for Boys, he excelled at track, captaining the Watford Harriers and became the County Champion in the quarter and half mile events. Having always been interested in magic and entertainment, the first magic book he owned was The Conjurer's Vade Mecum by J.F. Orrin.

Following his National Service, he began a career in banking and insurance. Whilst conducting an insurance inspection, he found the claimant to be Billy McComb, who was a major influence on his decision in his mid-thirties to permanently change careers. "There was more satisfaction performing on the nightclub and cabaret circuit", Terry says, then jokingly adds, "besides, they (his banking employers) didn't like me taking the samples home!"

Seabrooke has appeared three times at Buckingham Palace for H.R.H. Elizabeth II, twice performed at London's famous Palladium, toured Great Britain as support act with Linda Carter (Wonder Woman), brought his comedy to the first show in the Falklands after the war, and has made over 145 tours to the United States. He has worked all over Europe, Africa, the Orient, Australia and New Zealand ... in fact, it would be safe to say he's been around the world several times!

Seabrooke has shared the spotlight with Sir Elton John, Sir Cliff Richard, Sir Harry Secombe, Sir Norman Wisdom, Jim Davidson, Dame Vera Lyn, Barry Cryer, Burt Weedon, Roy Castle, Jethro, Roy Hudd, Cilla Black, Bruce Forsyth, Ken Dodd, Des O'Connor - to name but a few! He also had the pleasure to work a six week cruise with Victor Borge.

Terry has appeared on television for two series of For My Next Trick on BBC, and made guest appearances on The Ken Dodd Show, The Good Old Days, This Is Your Life, Comedy Magic Strip and Grumbleweeds among many others, totalling over 100 appearances in England and abroad.

He has written two popular books, Seabrooke's Book, and Beyond Compere the first and definitive book outlining the art of hosting the show and compering. His magical inventions, The Fire Wallet, Burnt Banknote, and Cigarette Through Coat are known and sold worldwide.

Terry is a Life Member of the Academy of Magical Arts, The Magic Castle, Member of the Inner Magic Circle with Gold Star, International Brotherhood of Magicians, Society of American Magicians, Grand Order Of Water Rats, and a long-standing member and President of the Watford Association of Magicians.

In 2004, Terry Seabrooke was awarded the Masters Fellowship, the highest honour in magic from the Academy of Magical Arts, The Magic Castle. He also has a Performing Fellowship from the AMA and has been twice nominated as Lecturer of the Year at the Magic Castle. He is one of only four Brits to be elected to the Society of American Magicians Hall of Fame and is their International Ambassador of Magic. He holds the Leslie Guest Award of Excellence for writing over 20 years for the pages of M.U.M. magazine. Closer to home, he has the Carlton Comedy Award from The Magic Circle, London, and the Murray Award from the Blackpool Magicians' Club.

Rat No. 693. Initiated on 29th March 1973

Proposer: PKR George Martin. Seconder: PKR George Elrick

Offices held: 1978 Test Rat; 1979 Prince Rat; 1980 King Rat

Henry Cooper was one of the Greats of British Boxing. He was also one of Britain’s best loved sportsmen; known affectionately as ‘Our ‘Enry’ . He was also a traditionalist in the best sense of the word. In his home there was a large photo of the late Queen Mother and he was always delighted when he was invited to Buckingham Palace by The Queen and Prince Phillip. He was a devoted family man and a real friend to those who had the pleasure of knowing him intimately.

Henry was born in Bellingham, South London. He, his identical twin brother, George, and elder brother Bern Henry went to the Athelney Road School in Lewisham. The Cooper brothers were particularly close growing up and, in his biography, Henry talks of how they came to each others aid when things turned nasty in the school playground. The only subject that seemed to interest Henry was history. However, during the War the brothers were evacuated to Lancing in Sussex. Their half-Irish grand-father sold horses in the Elephant & Castle area – which had been famous for many centuries for horse fairs and sales. Their father was also very keen on horses.

The great passion of the brothers was sport. “Golf balls were scarce so we’d nick them from the fairway, run round to the clubhouse and sell ‘em back to the grateful members for a tanner (6p). Henry was later to become the Chairman of the golf section of the Variety Club Children’s Charity. As an amateur with the Eltham Boxing Club Henry won 73 of 84 contests, including the ABA light-heavyweight championship in 1952. That year at the Olympic Games in Helsinki, he suffered a second-stage points defeat to the Soviet boxer Anatol Petrov. The French judge awarded Cooper the verdict, but the other two judges, both from communist counties, came down the other way. George and Henry became professional after completing their National Service – George boxed under the name Jim Cooper. Henry’s boxing career has been covered in great detail in many newspapers and on the internet so I do not need to repeat his successes here. The most famous match in his career was the fight in 1963 when Henry ‘floored’ Muhammad Ali. Sadly, one of the great drawbacks of Henry fighting career was his tendency to ‘cut’ easily; and many a fight was lost because of this weakness.

Overall, Henry’s record was unmatched by any British fighter of his or any other time – winner of 40 of his 55 contests, 27 by knock-out. In a 17-year career from 1954 to 1971, he was the winner of three Lonsdale Belts. Henry had a strong regard for the boxers of his generation but in his later years he became very saddened by what he saw as tawdry dealings in ‘overweight punch slingers’ with little of the skill that he had prized.

Henry married Albina Genepri in 1960. He adopted her Catholic faith. They had two sons, Henry Marco and Jonathan Pietro. In retirement Henry filled his time making numerous public appearances and playing a decent game of golf. He was a charming companion who was always prepared to give his time to young and old, especially on behalf of the many charities he supported. A particularly generous action, which was typical, was when he was offered £10,000 to make an after-dinner speech. He discovered that the date clashed with an unpaid appearance at a Boy’s Club which he had given his word that he would attend. He unhesitatingly refused the fat cheque. Henry was a good boxer, but an outstanding man.

He was awarded the O.B.E in 1969 and was knighted in 2000. In 1978 was also awarded a Papal Knighthood of the Order of St Gregory.

Rat No. 641. Initiated on 4 October 1964

Proposer: Arthur Scott. Seconder: Ben Warriss

Edmundo was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad; the son of William Hope-Ros, the owner of a multipurpose store and Luisa Urquart, a teacher. Both his parents were also born in Trinidad. Edmundo was the eldest of four children and an illegitimate son, Hugo, who’s birth caused his parents to separate. At 14 years old Edmundo joined the British Army as a bandsman. After three years as a drummer he left the army and moved to Venezuela where he stayed for a decade. He joined the Venezuela Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Vicente Emilio Sojo.

In 1937 he travelled to London where he enrolled in the Royal Academy of Music. Sadly his grant was insufficient for him to maintain a decent life style so he gigged with Don Marino Bareto and his Latin band. Following an overseas tour Bareto was not allowed back into Britain so Edmundo took charge of the Bareto Band at the Embassy Club. His next venue was at the St Regis Hotel Cork Street which had another band led by George Shearing. The Edmundo Ros Rumba Band then moved to the Coconut Grove. With his good looks and soft voice he attracted some of the high-flying ladies in the land. In fact when he moved to The Bagatelle, one of the finest restaurants in Britain, a high society divorce case named him as co-respondent. Happily, it was proved that he was not involved. During the 11days of the case Edmundo did not say a word. The late Queen Mother was heard to remark “No, of course he did not say a single word, he is a gentleman, he is one of us”. From that moment on Edmundo said “I became Senor Edmundo Ros”.

Edmundo married his first wife, Britt Johansen in 1950. They had two children Douglas and Luisa. In 1951 Edmundo bought the Coconut Grove. His house rules stated that no one whose name did not appear in Debrett’s could become a member. In fact his address book contained the names and phone numbers of the British Royal Family, nobility, counts, peers, dukes and those with power and influence. Ladies wearing large hats or trousers were also not admitted. By now Edmundo had become a household name with regular BBC broadcasts from the Coconut Grove and from The Golden Slipper Club, which in truth was a BBC studio, The Paris in Lower Regent Street. Edmundo then formed a partnership with the Arthur Murray School as an outlet for his Dance Academy in Leicester Square.

Certain Bandleaders who worked for the BBC were not allowed to present their own programmes because, either their accent was not good enough or they could not work unscripted. Edmundo was clear for both. He had taken great trouble from the day he arrived in England to cultivate a BBC accent. He was, in fact, a self-admitted snob and Royalist. Throughout his career Edmundo always ensured that his musicians were treated with the utmost respect but, like the clientele, they had to stick to the rules.

Edmundo married his second wife Susan Smith in 1971. In his illustrious career Edmundo has received countless awards and honorary fellowships including the Freedom of the City of London, and of Javea and Trinidad. He was also a member of the Chelsea Lodge of Freemasons

In 2000, at the age of 90 he was award an O.B.E. by the Queen.

Edmundo died peacefully in his home in Javea, with is wife and children around him