Cooke Thomas Potter

Cooke, Thomas Potter (T. P.), the son of a surgeon in London, was born in 1786. Losing his father early, he went to sea and served in the Mediterranean until the Peace of Amiens. In 1804 he appeared on the stage of the Royalty theatre, and soon became a popular melodramatic actor. One of his most popular impersonations was William in Black-eyed Susan (1829), and he was greatly applauded as Long Tom Coffin in The Pilot, when he danced his famous hornpipe. For many years he was in high favour at Astley's and the Surrey, dying in 1864.