The Grand Order of Water Rats is an entertainment industry charity, and brotherhood, based in London. The Water Rats were founded in 1889 by comedian Joe Elvin. The first King Rat, as the head of the charity is termed, was music hall singer Harry Freeman. Comedian Dan Leno joined in 1890 and was an early King Rat in 1891, and again in 1892 and 1897. The post is usually for one year.
Read more about Grand Order Of Water Rats: Origin, Members, Past King Rats, Gallery
Famous quotes containing the words grand, order, water and/or rats:
“What is grand is necessarily obscure to weak men. That which can be made explicit to the idiot is not worth my care.”
—William Blake (1757–1827)
“and if the day
is no day for miracles, then the preparations
are an order one may rest in.
But one doesn’t want
rest, one wants miracles.”
—Denise Levertov (b. 1923)
“The woman ... turned her melancholy tone into a scolding one. She was not very young, and the wrinkles in her face were filled with drops of water which had fallen from her eyes, which, with the yellowness of her complexion, made a figure not unlike a field in the decline of the year, when the harvest is gathered in and a smart shower of rain has filled the furrows with water. Her voice was so shrill that they all jumped into the coach as fast as they could and drove from the door.”
—Sarah Fielding (1710–1768)
“Common hypocrites pass themselves off as doves; political and literary hypocrites pose as eagles. But don’t be fooled by their eagle-like appearance. These are not eagles, but rats or dogs.”
—Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860–1904)