Ray Hopper wrote in Wick’s Newsletter February 2018
” Pat was born in London, and started a career in banking with the Clapham High Street branch of the National Provincial Bank (which later became Nat West). After a two-year break for National Service with the RAF he was posted to the South Kensington branch of the bank.
The bank sent him to New York to open a stock/bond office, and he spent four years in Wall Street before
returning to Bristol as manager of Nat West’s international securities business.
But Pat wasn’t only a successful banker. He was a card-carrying member of Equity (the actors’ trade union) and had many roles in show business, often as a stand-up comic. His wife was a professional dancer, clairvoyant and entertainer, and the two of them played the London clubs, hotels and ballrooms alongside his job at the bank.
Pat’s wife accompanied him to New York and at one point commuted from there to Brighton to produce the annual concert and Remembrance Day service at the Dome Theatre for the Royal British Legion.
His wife died suddenly, and Pat eventually came to Southwick and the Community Centre to take part in
productions at thre Barn Theatre. He had business interests in the area, too; a hair and beauty salon
in Seaford run by his daughter and two grand-daughters.
Tony Brownings has known Pat in connection with drama for many years. He writes: “l first met Pat when
I was 16 and doing my first play outside of school. It was Harlequinade by Terence Rattigan and he was
playing the leading role of an aging juvenile lead; he had such natural comic timing.
“l also appeared with him in my first and only musical (l soon found out musical theatre was not for me
and I suspect the audience realised this also!) He loved playing the banjo and was cast in the lead role of
Zip Goes a Million, apart originally played by George Formby.
“He was also in the cast of my directorial debut Arsenic and Old Lace as Dr Einstein. Many years passed
by and our paths crossed again when he moved to Southwick and joined the Wick. I was fortunate to have him in the cast of my production of Dads Army (2006). He was a hilarious Corporal Jones. Good old Pat, he was a lovely man and a wonderful comic actor”.
In the same programme Pat had the part of Young Mr. Grace in Are You Being Served.
Pat was a supportive and wonderfully generous member of Wick Theatre Company, and we have a great
deal to thank him for. He will be much missed.