This website is dedicated
to the memory of the impresario
Robert Paterson

Robert Paterson was born on the 10th of March 1940 in Devon and was brought up in the family home on Dartmoor. His father, Kenneth Paterson, was a Colonel with the Gurkha Regiment and a member of the family haulage firm Carter Paterson.

After the end of the war, aged six, Robert and his mother moved to the more temperate climate of Cape Town, South Africa, partly because of his health problems which included severe asthma. Educated at Bishops Diocesan College in Cape Town, Robert fell in love with classical music thanks to his mother giving him an album by the classical pianist Julius Katchen. Robert had the good fortune to meet his hero in person at the Cape Town Concert Club in 1955.

Robert moved back to the UK in 1956 after the death of his father. He studied for A-levels at Prior Park College in Bath where he also played Hamlet in a school performance.

Although he was offered a place at Clare College Cambridge to study medicine, he followed his heart and opted instead for the Bristol Old Vic. Robert played the Cypriot chef in the world premiere of Arnold Wesker’s play The Kitchen. During his time at The Old Vic he was also particularly interested in learning direction and lighting. Robert left Bristol for a position as Assistant Stage Manager at the Arts Theatre in London, then worked as a lighting man at The Pigalle Club before answering an advertisement in The Stage newspaper to become assistant to impresario Harold Fielding. By 1963 Robert was employed by Victor Hochhauser, touring the Red Army Choir and the Bolshoi Ballet in the UK before a brief spell with United Music Publishers.

We moved from the one-room apartment in George Street to a lovely flat in Hans Place in Knightsbridge, then to Cornwall Gardens followed by the Boltons and finally we bought a beautiful apartment in Rutland Court, very close to the Royal Albert Hall. How convenient! We also moved our offices to a big suite in Wigmore Street which became our base for more great ideas to entertain the public with classical, popular, jazz, soul and folk music.

Robert had an unbelievable capacity to come up with new and exciting ideas and possibilities. In partnership with Jarvis Astaire (Viewsport Ltd), he transmitted important boxing matches live from American venues like Madison Square Gardens to cinemas in London in the early hours of the morning. These events were always a sell out. On one occasion, Shirley Bassey joined us to see the Mohammed Ali and George Frazier fight. She got so excited that she beat on the head of the gentleman sitting in front of her. He turned around rather crossly, but when he saw who had hit him he was extremely pleased.

Robert went from strength to strength. Bing Crosby came to perform, and Robert presented Bing on Broadway. Neil Diamond did sell-out shows at Earl’s Court and Woburn Abbey. He sold out five concerts at the London Palladium and Woburn Abbey was the setting for a unique concert under Robert’s auspices. The choice of Woburn, the stately home of the Marquis of Tavistock, was an inspired one. Robert had looked at Blenheim, Beaulieu and Knebworth before settling for Woburn’s landscaped lawns which slope into a perfect basin.

Sell out concerts in Australia followed. There was hardly any time off or time for holidays, except for one memorable one in Capri. Robert was exhausted from travelling around the world meeting managers, signing artists, organizing the concert tours and theatre productions with his crew and entertain the stars. I convinced him to take a break for a week. He agreed and we flew to Italy. Once there, on this beautiful island, staying at a superb hotel, the Quisisana, he started to relax and rested. In fact, he liked it so much that he flew his PA to Capri and we ended up staying for four weeks while Robert carried on with work.

When I went to Germany to see my elderly mother for a few days, I called Robert from Heathrow Airport to remind him of a doctor’s appointment. He didn’t reply and when I returned to London I learnt that he had died. His last girlfriend, Penny Burton and I organized a memorial service, which many of his heartbroken friends attended. It was all so unnecessary.

I have been lucky to have found a very kind, wonderful and understanding second husband, but unfortunately, he also passed away. On reflection, I feel lucky to have been part of such an interesting life, made friends with so many famous and irreplaceable people and have learned so much. That the love story ended so tragically for Robert was not my fault and I was very lucky to have had a very happy married life with my second husband and I am very grateful for what life has given me so far.

My ambition now is that Robert Paterson, who died at the tragically early age of fifty-one, will not be forgotten and that his achievements – giving millions of people pleasure with his concerts and productions all over the world – are documented.

He was neither depressed nor an alcoholic when we met or during the time we were together and I am convinced his downfall started with meeting ‘that woman’. This year marks the twentieth anniversary that he passed away and there is no record anywhere that he even existed and what he achieved. I believe this is wrong.