I refer to your “Picture from the Past” of the old Empire Theatre (January 4). The person in the photograph was a dear friend of mine, a Mr Alan French, who lived in the Broadway, Dudley.

Now sadly deceased, he was a director of an engineering company called Lathe Trays of Halesowen and Blackheath, now closed.

But his claim to fame was the fact that he was a professional entertainer and a member of the exclusive Grand Order of Water Rats, hence the gold rat badge in his lapel in the picture.

He was a member of their grand council and held the title of Scribe Rat.

Alan did a tremendous amount of work for charity and was sadly missed by all. Hence his interest in the plaque.

His wife is now deceased, but his son, Van, is a barrister with the CPS on the Sandwell Justice Circuit.

Thank you for reading this letter and I hope it has been of interest.

The picture brought back a lot of happy memories of times we spent together.

Walter E Wincott, Woodrow, Chaddesley Corbett.