In an historic pub in Kings Cross, London, called The Water Rats, known for hosting musical acts such as Bob Dylan and Oasis, you will find a group of charitable comedians, musicians and TV personalities who make up the Grand Order of Water Rats, one of the UK’s most high-profile charities.
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Starting in 1889, the Grand Order of Water Rats uses the talent and caregiving nature of its members to organise events that raise money for those less fortunate, mainly within the entertainment industry.
Previous members include comedy legends such as Charlie Chaplin and Tommy Cooper, with King Charles – an honorary Rotarian – being a known supporter of the group.
Among the esteemed entertainers in the pub’s lodge room where the group meets, now sits a recent addition to this esteemed gathering – comedian and Rotarian Graham Lovegrove, better known by his stage name Tank Sherman.
We’ve never had bad news like this before and it’s my job to take people into a fantasy world of laughter.”
A dedicated member of the Liskeard and Looe Rotary Club in Cornwall, Graham is relishing the opportunity to be part of this charitable group of which several of his comedy heroes are previous and current members.
He said: “When you walk into the actual lodge room there’s photos everywhere and you can just feel their presence. It’s an absolute honour to be in there.
“You do look at some of those people and think ‘Why me?’ but it’s all the same goal of working together to benefit people that can’t afford much.
“What they do is amazing and if I can be a little part of it that’s great.”
It’s hard to believe that Graham’s decades-long Tank Sherman character was never meant to last more than one performance at a holiday park talent show in Weymouth nearly 30 years ago.
Graham, 65, remembers: “I decided to go into the main entertainment hall as they were having the auditions for a talent contest. I was sat at the back and, I must admit I’d had a bit to drink, but I found it hilarious.
“One of the team members came up to me, asked what I do, asked what caravan I was in, and then said, ‘Well you can’t come in here and laugh at people so you’re on third tonight.’”
Rotarian Graham Lovegrove (left) is one of a long line of entertainers to be inducted into the Grand Order of Water Rats.
A hurried trip with his wife to the costume shop later and soon he was onstage with a soldier’s helmet, sequined shirt, and a dustbin hung around his torso. This look also brought about the first time he was introduced with his now iconic name… almost.
Graham recalls: “I got myself together and dressed up as a stupid soldier. As I came onstage the girl said, ‘Ladies and gentlemen we’ve got a Sherman Tank coming onstage’ and I said, ‘No no no, tell them my name is Tank Sherman!’”
After winning the talent contest and surprising friends and family when his picture was published in the local paper, a friend of Graham’s decided to put him forward for another competition.
Graham continues: “I won that and there was an agent in the crowd who came up to me and said, ‘Here’s my card, would you like to work?’ that was it really.”
What followed was an eventful career in comedy which saw Graham bringing joy to people up and down the country, whether it was from the stages of clubhouses or theatres to prime-time television.
Despite his busy schedule, Graham has always had a place in his heart for Rotary since he joined the organisation back in the mid-2000s.
You do look at some of those people and think ‘Why me?’ but it’s all the same goal of working together to benefit people that can’t afford much.”
He still vividly remembers the moment he was officially invited into the organisation by his friend John O’Driscoll after a performance at the Babbacombe Theatre in Torquay.
He recalls: “I went out and got a big round of applause.
“Nobody had left and John O’Driscoll was there who came up onstage, told them all about me, and then presented me with my honorary membership.
“It was a fabulous night – I think my eyes teared up a little bit!
“Being a part of Rotary is special and I don’t think people realise just how much Rotary does.”
Whether it’s with his Rotary club, with the Grand Order of Water Rats, or if he’s putting on a charity performance to benefit a local organisation, Graham has always prioritised giving back through his comedy.
“I think because the world is in such a state and with everything on TV now, there’s not much good news.
“We’ve never had bad news like this before and it’s my job to take people into a fantasy world of laughter.
“I’ve always said to the audience that if we could bottle laughter, people would come off antidepressants. If we could have a swig of laughter in the morning, the world would be a better place.”
