Violet Carson Ena Sharples , the role that Violet Helen Carson O . B . E . is best remembered for , came at the end of a long and eclectic career . Born in Manchester ( specifically German Street , Ancoats , which was renamed Radium Street in the World War I and which still exists ) on the 1st September 1898 , though she often claimed to have been born in 1905 , Violet was , along with her elder sister Nellie , part of the singing act " The Carson Sisters " . She was employed as a pianist at Manchester ' s Market Street cinema . She married George Peploe , who she had known from childhood , in Manchester Cathedral on 1st September 1926 on her twenty - eighth birthday . George died two years later and Violet never married again . Violet found work as a singer in early radio adverts and she was employed for her piano skills on the radio series " Have A Go " with Wilfred Pickles . Radio was the medium in which she first found widespread fame becoming known by the nation ' s children as " Aunti Vi " , the presenter of the World Service programme " Children ' s Hour " . She also presented the BBC North ' s " Women ' s Hour " . One of the child actors on " Children ' s Hour " was Tony Warren , then known by his real name of Tony Simpson , who was later to suggest her for the part of Ena in " Coronation Street " in 1960 . Carson was a late - minute casting as Ena Sharples and was the last actor to audition for the role . She made a memorable appearance in the second half of the first episode . She took over the role from Nita Valerie and Nan Marriott - Watson who played her in the dry runs . Ena ' s iconic hairnet was an addition of Violet ' s own , to protect the hair she was so proud of from the ministrations of Granada ' s make up girls . Violet was quickly established as a major success in the role and became both a household name and one of the best - known faces on television . She was named " ITV Personality of the Year " for 1962 and was awarded an O . B . E . in 1965 , the first member of the " Street " cast or production team to receive such an honour and one of the very first people associated with the television industry . Other honours and tributes followed such as two waxwork models , and an honorary degree of Master of Arts from Manchester University in 1973 . In 1963 a rose was named after her . In February 1968 she boarded the P & O passenger ship Oriana in Southampton and went on a three - month cruise and promotional tour to Australia . She was absent from the programme for this time , only reappearing in late May . During her time spent in the programme her musical talents continued to come in useful . She was often seen playing the piano ; she also found work elsewhere as a singer on the ITV programme " Stars on Sunday " where she was billed as " Miss Violet Carson " . Failing health meant Violet played a diminishing role in the programme throughout the 1970s . She was absent from the programme for most of 1974 , citing that she was tired and needed a rest . In December of that year she returned to the studios , two stone lighter and admitting to the press ( as quoted in the " Daily Express " of 5th December ) , that she had suffered a near - nervous breakdown . The following year she suffered a stroke and from hereon in her appearances reduced in number to some forty episodes a year at most . Towards the end of the decade there could be a gap of several months between appearances before she made the last of her 1148 appearances as Ena in 1980 . The character was not given a conclusive storyline as it was the intention of all involved that she would return from time to time . This was not to be and Ena ' s retirement to St . Anne ' s was permanent . One of Violet ' s last public appearances was to celebrate the 2000th episode of the programme where she attended a street party with local children for pictures for the " TV Times " special " Coronation Street 2000 " . Her final 1980 appearances totalled only five episodes : Episodes 1957 , 1966 , 1967 , 1982 and 1983 . Violet ' s last appearances as herself on TV was in a pre - taped telephone message for Julie Goodyear ' s " This Is Your Life " on 22nd October 1980 and finally an interview on the BBC ' s " Look North West " programme on 15th May 1981 to mark the closure of their Piccadilly studios where Violet had carried out so much of her early work . This was filmed at her house in Bispham , Blackpool where she had been a resident since the 1920s and where she lived in seclusion with her elder sister . She died on 26th December 1983 . She was cremated at the Carleton Crematorium , Blackpool , and there is a commemorative memorial at Bispham Parish Church in Blackpool . ITV screened Episode 742 from 24th January 1968 ( in which the Vestry and Mission of Glad Tidings are demolished ) as a tribute to her but her lasting memorial is that she is still remembered for her iconic performance . Indeed nearly three decades after she last appeared as the character , her waxwork model is still on display in Blackpool ' s Louis Tussauds Waxworks and her name is always associated with the phrase " television battleaxe " .