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Peterborough singing star Edmund Hockridge dies
THE star of a string of West End musicals has died at his Peterborough home after a long illness.
THE star of a string of West End musicals has died at his Peterborough home after a long illness.Canadian baritone Edmund "Ted" Hockridge (89) brought his family to Peterborough in the mid-'60s at the suggestion of the much-loved comic Ernie Wise, and the two became next-door neighbours.
At the time, Edmund was travelling all over the UK fulfilling singing engagements after he was rocketed to fame when chosen to play the lead in the London production of Carousel.
He leaves a widow, Jackie, musician sons Murray and Stephen, a son, Ian, from his first marriage, and Clifford, who was fostered with the family as a child and who is now teaching in the south of England.
Having been "discovered" in his home city of Vancouver in his youth, Edmund soon established himself as a singing star on Canadian radio, before serving in England in the Royal Canadian Air Force during the war.
He helped keep up morale with BBC broadcasts to the troops and built a reputation as a singer with an amazingly powerful voice.
After the war, he returned home for a time, but decided, aged 31, to build his career in Britain.
Soon after he arrived, the American star of the Drury Lane production of Carousel had to return to the States, and Edmund landed the part of Billy Bigelow, a role he was to play more than 1,100 times for audiences numbering more than two million in total.
Tall, handsome and with a flashing smile, he won an army of fans and became a national favourite on TV, radio shows and as a recording artist.
He was to make 11 albums and countless EPs, and had a big pop hit with Hey There.
Edmund also starred in the Pajama Game, Guys and Dolls and Can-Can.
He appeared at the Palladium, took part in Royal Command performances and topped the cabaret bill on the maiden voyage of the QE2, being invited back to sing when she made her 25th anniversary voyage.
It was while singing in musicals that he met his wife-to-be, Jackie Jefferson, a dancer and singer.
Late in his career, Edmund persuaded Jackie to resume her career as part of a family show and with Murray and Stephen, the Hockridges travelled thousands of miles appearing throughout the UK.
Edmund's biographer, Neil Patrick, said: "Edmund was a star from top to toe, a real professional and a gentleman.
"He worked with every big name you could mention in the '50s and '60s and was still pulling in audiences when he was in his seventies with that unique voice."
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