Members of the Water Rats

MIKE MARTIN - SCRIBE RAT - NO.###

BIOGRAPHY

Mike’s connection with the GOWR is very much a family affair, following in the footsteps of his father PKR George Martin (The Casual Comedian), his uncle PScR Bill Martin, and being joined by his brother Poet Laureate Rat Ray Martin.
As PKR Roy Hudd once said, “There are more Martins in this Order than in the eaves of my country house!”
Initiated as Water Rat number 784 in January 1994 by PKR Roger De Courcey, Mike has now spent over 3 decades as a very active member and officer of the Water Rat’s fraternity. He holds the record of longest serving Scribe Rat, having held the office over 25 times, mostly consecutive years.
He is also a long standing member of the Grand Council and, in 2013, became the Secretary to the GOWR Trustees, which means he is the front line to collate all charity applications.
In 2015, he was awarded the Rat of the Year trophy by KR Rick Wakeman and in 2019 he was the recipient of that year’s King Rat’s award by KR Nicholas Parsons.
He began his career as a student of film & TV production at art college in 1971, before working several summer and Christmas seasons at Butlins Holiday Centres as a Redcoat where he was enthusiastically involved in shows and stunts. Prior to that, he had grown up heavily influenced by his father’s showbiz career and hero worship of The Beatles and George Formby! Forming his first band, The Creatures, he performed his first paid solo gig in the bar of his parent’s pub receiving a whip round from the customers of 12 shillings and sixpence. Aged 12, he had his first professional contract from the BBC when he sang and played ukulele on his father’s radio show SOUVENIR. The fee? One guinea!
Over the years, his career has followed a diverse course through many facets of the entertainment business via panto, summer seasons, television acting engagements, commercials and numerous concert and cabaret performances. In various bands, duos and solo, Mike worked virtually every conceivable venue, specialising in themed events from cowboy shindigs to mediaeval banquets. As a founding member of the comedy showband The London Philharmonic Skiffle Orchestra, he spent nearly 20 years touring Northern Europe’s festivals and theatres, proving particularly popular in Scandinavia and Germany. (His instrumental prowess includes guitar, banjo, uke, mandolin and harmonica.)
He has also worked regularly as a London tour guide, his Jack the Ripper tours being notably well received, and at one time he had his own show on a Wiltshire based radio station.
As a freelance writer he has penned articles for numerous publications, especially the Stage newspaper, a publication which employed him full time between 1976-79. He specialised in reviewing panto, concerts, plays and showcases. In addition, to date he has had 4 books published, including his father’s biography, BE LUCKY. His latest release, WILD BILLY EARP, reflects his deep interest in the Old Wild West, a subject which has gained him recognition as a leading authority on the subject.
In 2017 he took part in the first ever GOWR lodge to be staged overseas from the UK; in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
As a keen charity fund raiser, Mike involves himself in various events including (in 1999), riding a pushbike hundreds of miles off roading in the American South West, and, in 2019, hurling himself from an aeroplane at 12,000’, skydiving to raise over £4,000 for the Order’s charities fund.

PHOTO GALLERY

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