Obituary - Martin McEwan ‘Majorca's Mr Cellophane'

A long time resident of Majorca with his partner Graham Wesson his career spanned tourism, restaurants and a stint as everybody's favourite insurance man from Knight Insurance. His career in psychiatric nursing in the UK had seen him specialise in the treatment of adolescents in South Wales. He was an acknowledged expert in this field and the innovations he introduced have now been incorporated into standard practice. An intelligent, sympathetic, caring man who made us all laugh.

Martin was an entertainer, a song and dance man and the master of one liners. His party piece was his performance of Mr Cellophane from the hit show Chicago. Always requested at parties of the Georgie Insull Singers and the Bay Entertainers so much so that none of us will ever be able to hear this again without thinking of Martin. The Christmas concerts of the Georgie Insull Singers always had a duet with Martin and Georgie as a highlight. They sang a very risqué version of Baby its cold outside to rapturous applause every year.

Martin was a Bay Entertainer through and through – he used to say that you could cut him in half like a stick of rock and the words Bay Entertainer would be there. He acted, sang and encouraged the actors to give of their best – just like he did. He loved the stage and found his true persona under the glare of the spotlight. Thousands of people have seen the Bay Entertainers shows in the Auditorium and the theatre of Calvia. The English community love the annual pantomime and it plays to sell out audiences every year.

Everyone knew Martin, he touched the lives of so many. It was my pleasure and privilege to go on cruises with Martin and Graham. We sailed the Mediterranean and sang our way around some of the English Churches as part of the Georgie Insull Singers repertoire. We walked the streets of Naples together and sat over coffees in Corsica. He taught me how to play Black Jack and the delights of the casino. I have Martin stories to make me smile – just as so many of you do.

Martin may have been ‘Mr Cellophane' but the song describes a life of being ‘invisible and inconsequential'. Nothing could be further from the truth – this was a man with a big heart and a big gift. He was loved and will be sorely missed. Rest in peace my friend.

By Shirley Roberts