BIOGRAPHY
Water Rat No. 002
Speciality: Trick Cyclist, Music Hall Performer Act: “Lotto, Lilo & Otto” – a family trick-cycling troupe featuring his children
Quick Summary
Jack Lotto, born John Egington in 1856 in Kinver, Staffordshire, made his name in the late-Victorian music-hall scene as a trick cyclist. He wasn’t just a solo act—he turned performance into a family operation, eventually managing his children in the cycling troupe “Lotto, Lilo & Otto.” His contributions went even further: in 1889, he co-founded the Grand Order of Water Rats, a charity and social club for show-business performers, together with Joe Elvin, which is still active today.
What Makes Him Notable
- Rooted performer: At heart, Jack was a stage pro—from trick cycling to coordinating his children’s talents into a hit act.
- Family first: The act “Lotto, Lilo & Otto” became known across big venues in London, winning audiences at places like the Shoreditch Empire (1899), Charing Cross Music Hall (1894), and Tivoli on The Strand (1895). They even made it into early cinema with a silent film, Clever and Comic Cycle Act (1900).
- Philanthropist at heart: The Grand Order of Water Rats started when Jack and Joe Elvin decided to use winnings from their trotting pony, Magpie, to help fellow performers in need. Inspired by a quip about their soggy pony looking like a “water rat,” the name stuck—and the organisation still raises funds and community support today.
Jack Lotto holds Water Rat No. 002 on the Grand Order of Water Rats’ Roll of Honour—cementing his place as one of the organisation’s earliest and most significant founding members.
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MEDIA
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Wikipedia
Biography taken from "Rats in the Spotlight" - Written by Brother Tommy J
