Caroline Bates

Caroline Bates is the mother of Kathy and Nick Bates and the former secretary of Alan Turner at Home Farm.
==Biography==
===Backstory===
Born to Alice Wood and her husband, Caroline Wood was one of at least 3 children. She had a brother and a sister. Caroline later married Malcolm Bates sometime prior to 1967 when they had their first child Kathy Bates. In 1969, Malcolm and Caroline had another child, a son Nick Bates. Caroline worked as a secretary.
===1984-1989: Life in Beckindale===
In February 1984, Caroline was appointed the new secretary for Alan Turner at Home Farm in Beckindale. Home Farm was owned by NY Estates. Alan had been an inept, bullying and boozing manager of Home Farm and had been reprimanded by the NY Estates head boss Christopher Meadows. Caroline mellowed Alan and bought out his comic side. In April 1985, Alan made a drunken pass at Caroline but was highly apologetic the next day. Alan could on occasions be a grouch to Caroline as well as his wily, bothersome employee Seth Armstrong. In November 1985, Caroline and her 2 teenage children moved into Victoria Cottage.
Caroline and Alan had a great working relationship for the next few years. In 1988, NY Estates pulled out of Beckindale and Alan Turner and Joe Sugden bought Home Farm. They kept Caroline on as their secretary but struggled to make money. Caroline finished working for Home Farm after ruthless businessman Denis Rigg conned Alan and Joe out of Home Farm. In 1989, Alan and Caroline almost married but she then left the village that year for pastures new. Nick and Kathy were grown up so remained in the village.
===1990-1999: Occasional visits===
Caroline did occasionally pop back to the village from time to time, mostly to visit her granddaughter - Nick's daughter - Alice who was born in February 1991. In the custody battle that began in early 1994 between Nick and Alice's mother Elsa, Caroline played a major role. 
Caroline was last seen visiting the village in August 1999 for Kathy's wedding to Biff Fowler. However the marriage never went through and Biff left the village. Carline was there to comfort Kathy afterwards. 
Caroline did not attend Kathy's leaving party in 2001 nor did she attend Alan's funeral in 2013.
==See also==
*Full list of appearances
Category:Emmerdale Farm characters
Category:Emmerdale characters
Category:1984 debuts
Category:1999 departures
Category:Bates family
Category:Residents of Victoria Cottage
Category:Residents of The Woolpack
Category:NY Estates employees