Minnie Caldwell | Coronation Street Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Margot Bryant Minnie Caldwell (née Carlton) was a Coronation Street resident from 1962 to 1976 . A widow by the 1960s , Minnie lived at No.5 with her beloved cat Bobby . She was a fixture in the snug of the Rovers Return Inn along with her pensioner friends Ena Sharples and Martha Longhurst . A soft-spoken, simple-minded woman, Minnie appeared docile compared to her overbearing companions, and was frequently bossed around by them. She didn't share their obsession with complaining and criticising, preferring to enjoy life, even though she was not wealthy, continually struggling to live on her pension money. To help pay the bills, Minnie often took in lodgers at No.5, including Charlie Moffitt , Joe Donelli and her favourite, "Sunny Jim" Jed Stone , who became the son Minnie never had. Minnie's determination to follow her dreams occasionally led to disaster however as she battled a gambling addiction in 1969 .

In 1976 , Minnie moved to Whaley Bridge to live with her friend Handel Gartside . Contents Edit Minnie Carlton in 1925 . Minnie Carlton was born on 26th September 1900 to Bob and Amy Carlton , and lived at 15 Jubilee Terrace , around the corner from Coronation Street , until 1962 . During her schooling days at Hardcastle's Factory School in Silk Street , she met some of her lifelong friends including Handel Gartside , Ena Schofield and Martha Hartley . Her mother was a suffragette and she assisted her, they were moved on from Albert Square. She also worked as tram conductress and in the munitions factories in both World War I and World War II . She married Armistead Caldwell in 1925 after being bullied into it by Ena, but Minnie and Armistead never had any children and Armistead died in 1935 . By 1939 Minnie was living alone with her widowed mother. Amy Carlton could intimidate anyone, even Ena Sharples , but her health wound down and by war's end she rarely left bed.

In 1944 , Minnie began hearing noises in her home and became convinced the place was haunted, leading Leonard Swindley to conduct an exorcism. The noises continued, and Elsie Tanner discovered a young, very weak boy hidden in Minnie's attic. Young (around four years old) Ken Barlow helped convince him to leave the attic, and they learned he was Dieter Holliman, a young German boy who had emigrated to Britain with his mother as World War II beckoned; after his mother's death he'd been put in an orphanage and had run away due to abuse. He'd been hiding in the house, stealing food when Minnie wasn't around. Minnie nursed him back to health, and Ena convinced the authorities to let him stay with Minnie. Dieter stayed with her for nearly a year, but as the war wound down, his uncle arrived to take him back to Germany. By 1960 , she was taking care of her elderly mother after retiring from Earnshaw's Mill .

1960-1964: The quiet one Edit Minnie with Ena and Martha in the snug When Minnie started collecting her pension, most of her time was spent either looking after her mother in Jubilee Terrace or spending time with Ena and Martha, who by now were also both widows. Generally they could be found drinking milk stout in the Rovers Return snug, slyly but shamelessly passing judgement on their neighbours (as well as each other). Minnie was the quietest of the three, and being quite satisfied with her life, usually spent most conversations on the defensive from the criticisms of her aggressive friends. When Ena quit her job at the Mission Hall in 1961 , she moved in with Minnie and her mother, and quickly dominated the house. It wasn't for a few months that Ena was offered her job back, and she went home, tired of Minnie's bossy mother and her cat, Bobby . In the coming months, Minnie's mother's health declined, and she died in her bed a short time later, aged 94. Unwilling to go on living in the same house, Minnie moved to 5 Coronation Street with Bobby.

Facing a rent increase, Minnie's finances were strained until she took in Jed Stone as a lodger. Childless Minnie's life was brightened by Jed's presence, even though he had a criminal past (which gave Ena a reason to dislike him). Jed looked upon Minnie as a mother figure and called her "Ma", and when he returned home to Liverpool , he didn't know how to tell Minnie and did a midnight flit. Minnie was devastated that "Sunny Jim", as she called him, had left so suddenly and left her in financial difficulty again. In 1964 , Minnie briefly took over Martha's job at Viaduct Sporting Club while Martha was away. Owing to dodgy building work, Minnie fell through the bannister and tore a ligament. Minnie was fine, but the guilty party paid for a holiday for Minnie while her solicitors sued Len Fairclough . An out-of-court settlement was reached, but while Minnie was away at the seaside Martha died of a heart attack. Minnie returned in time for the funeral.

1964-1967: Money troubles Edit Shortly after Martha's death, Minnie took in comic Charlie Moffitt as a lodger. With him came his greyhound Little Titch , six rabbits, and eight pigeons. Minnie enjoyed mothering the accident-prone, unfunny comedian, but wasn't pleased when he and Stan Ogden started brewing beer in her front room, telling her it was tonic wine. She and Emily Nugent opened one of the bottles and proceeded to get drunk, but were more than startled when all the remaining bottles exploded. When Charlie left to pursue a career in show business, Minnie was adamant that she wasn't going to have any more lodgers, as it upset her too much when they left. Minnie is left without coal or money 1966 was a struggle for Minnie, who had spent her pension on a new coat instead of paying for enough coal for the fire to heat her home. She hid away from Ena, who would only disapprove of her spending habits, choosing instead to sit in a cold house. Ena found out and offered to pay the money she owed for the coat, but Minnie wouldn't let her.

Eventually Jed returned and paid the money back with Ena's help. Unfortunately, Jed didn't stay long this time, as the police had a warrant for his arrest for handling stolen blankets. With Minnie confined to bed for exhaustion, Jed stayed until she was better, planning to leave after her birthday party the next day, but the police caught up with him at Number 5. To avoid upsetting Minnie, Jed convinced the police officer to pretend to be a friend of his, and that he was leaving to visit a friend. Though she was devastated, Minnie pretended to be fooled so Jed wouldn't feel bad. Things started to improve for Minnie when she auctioned Jed's belongings, as Jed had requested, and a brooch turned out to be worth £15. Later that year, Minnie applied for a supplementary pension, allowing her to support herself without needing a lodger. However, in 1967 , when Minnie's insurance policy matured and she received £72, Minnie was conned by two men who posed as plumbers to fix her chimney before taking £52 of the money when she wasn't looking.

1968-1971: Gambling problems and Handel's return Edit Minnie places another bet at the betting shop In 1968 , the Mission and the vestry were demolished, leaving Ena homeless. Minnie took Ena in, but she got on Ena's nerves again, as Ena thought her mind was on Bobby the cat too much. Ena was frustrated because the demolition of the Mission Hall had forced her into retirement. Ena's stay was a brief one, and she moved into one of the maisonettes across the street. Bobby went missing later in the year, but Minnie took in a stray cat, calling it Sunny Jim (after Jed). Minnie was going through a phase where she was regularly going to the betting shop and betting on horses. Though she occasionally won, Ena made it clear how she felt about it, and was worried for Minnie. The local bookie Dave Smith encouraged Minnie, incurring Ena's wrath, but he put a stop to it when Minnie had run up a debt of £10 and was unable to pay it back.

Elsie Tanner convinced Dave to cancel the debt, but when Ena rowed with him for picking on an old woman, he changed his mind and gave Minnie 24 hours to pay the money. Ashamed, Minnie fled Weatherfield . Ena found Minnie in hospital, suffering from pneumonia after sleeping rough. Dave arrived at her bedside, flowers in hand, telling her he was wiping the slate clean, but that he was limiting her betting to 2/- a week. Joe Donelli holds Minnie and Bobby hostage Minnie was thrilled in 1970 when her old flame Handel Gartside returned after 30 years living in Canada and briefly lodged with her. Ena had never been keen on Handel, but Minnie liked his company and was disappointed when he said he only wanted to be friends with her. Surprisingly, Albert Tatlock was jealous of Minnie's affection for Handel. When he left, Minnie took in Joe Donelli , who had been demobbed from the US army. Minnie didn't know that in 1968 Joe killed Steve Tanner , Elsie's husband, and wasn't of a sound mind.

After threatening Irma Barlow , Joe took refuge in No.5, holding Minnie hostage, scared of being prosecuted for Steve's murder. Minnie and Sunny Jim (now called Bobby) were freed when Stan Ogden offered to remain in her place. Rather than face arrest, Joe took his own life. Unwilling to live alone, Minnie stayed with Albert for a while. Albert's jealousy was brought back when Handel returned to check on Minnie after the ordeal, ultimately offering to move in with her. Again, he only stayed briefly, returning to Whaley Bridge when she was settled back into her house. 1971-1976: Later years in the Street Minnie with Albert Tatlock In 1971 , Minnie swore she'd never take another lodger again, but this, coupled with the confusion brought on by decimalisation, made this a difficult time for her. Ena started spending long periods away from the Street, so Minnie spent more time with Albert. In 1973 , Albert popped the question, hoping that if Minnie and he were married and living in the same house their money troubles would be sorted.

Minnie wanted to ask Ena first, but in a misunderstanding Ena thought Albert was proposing to her, and accepted! Minnie said yes to Albert, glad to have someone to spend her old age with. After three months of engagement, Minnie asked Albert to fix a date for the wedding, but Ena warned her that despite what they thought, they would be financially burdened, receiving less as a married couple than individually. Already growing annoyed by Albert's habits, Minnie told him she didn't want to marry him anymore. After hearing about the money situation, Albert was happy it was over. Late in 1974 , Minnie was expecting a visit from Sunny Jim himself, Jed Stone, but his cellmate Eddie Yeats , on parole, showed up instead and told her Jed couldn't make it. Remembering Jed fondly, Minnie took Eddie in. Well-meaning Eddie made extra money by burgling houses, but Minnie didn't know about it and inadvertently shopped Eddie to the police by handing over a suitcase containing stolen goods. 1976-2008: Post-Weatherfield life Edit Minnie Caldwell's final appearance in the show.

In the mid-1970s, Minnie visited Handel Gartside in Whaley Bridge more and more often. After one visit in 1976 , she never returned to Coronation Street - she decided to stay with Handel and sell No.5 , all without telling Ena, who was horrified to see a 'for sale' sign go up in the Street. Handel visited Weatherfield and told Ena that Minnie was afraid that if she came back, Ena would talk her out of going. As he took Minnie's belongings out of her old house, he told Ena he would take care of her. At some point later Minnie passed away. In 2008 her former lodger Jed Stone was seen with a photograph of Minnie on his mantelpiece, and a box containing photographs of them together in the 1960s . He spoke about her to Emily Bishop when the pair crossed paths in November that year, and Jed mentioned how he regretted being arrested on her birthday. Personality "I know folk think I'm simple.

What I say to them is that I'd rather be simple and 'ave my pleasures than know everything and be miserable, like Ena." - Minnie Caldwell Minnie always cried at weddings Minnie Caldwell appeared most of the time to be a quiet and simple old lady. Concerned mainly with her friends and her cat, Minnie tended to obsess with matters others thought trivial at best, especially if they were important to her. Despite her many hardships, what affected Minnie most was the loss of something that held fond memories for her. Much to her friend Ena’s frustration, Minnie had aspirations to improve her lifestyle that were perhaps foolhardy and weren’t practical, such as making major purchases even though she couldn't afford it. Her gambling phase started from her desire to live out her lifelong dreams. A vulnerable person, Minnie didn't like conflict or confrontations, but she wasn't afraid to speak her mind if she felt her words needed to be heard. Most of the time, she had a smile on her face and was a fixture in the community in Coronation Street , regularly helping her neighbours if they needed it. Relationships Minnie and Ena at Woburn Abbey "She bullies me. She always has...

in the name of Christianity." - Minnie, about Ena Minnie was a year below Ena Sharples at school, and their friendship dated from that time. As pensioners, Ena and Minnie had many disagreements, brought on by the fact that both were so different. Whereas Minnie had a rather simple view of the world and went out of her way to help people, Ena was a cynic and thought Minnie was naïve. Ena tended to boss Minnie around, mainly to talk her out of her daft ideas, but Minnie thought Ena was too closedminded and interfering. Despite this, Minnie and Ena were very close. Ena's intrusiveness was part of her nature, but with regards to Minnie it was also partially borne out of protectiveness, as she knew others would take advantage of the impulsive and overly trusting Minnie. While Minnie was also fond of Ena, looking upon her as her best friend, she generally coped well in Ena's absence, even when she was worried about her, such as when Ena was missing after a train crashed through the viaduct over the Street in 1967 .

However, on occasions where Minnie's wellbring was in doubt, Ena was beside herself with worry. Perhaps crucially, Minnie was one of the few Street residents who could silence Ena, usually with a cutting remark delivered with finesse worthy of Ena herself, once Ena had sounded off. Though their friendship was a constant battle, Minnie and Ena were always there for each other and whenever Ena was ill, or was unable or unwilling to live at the Mission, Minnie provided her with a bed, though always hoped it was temporary! Martha Longhurst Edit Until her death in 1964 , Martha Longhurst was also close to Minnie. Martha was a gossip, as Ena was, so conversations between the three women were usually dominated by Ena and Martha, with Minnie taking on a minimal role. However, Ena was very much the ringleader of the group, and could easily talk over Martha, and as such Martha usually opted to seek out Minnie for day-to-day chitchat rather than Ena, who would turn the conversation into something negative. When with Martha only, Minnie was more talkative than when Ena was around.

During Martha and Ena's (frequent) disagreements, Minnie usually sided with Martha, as Ena was usually resentful of them both when either had let her down. Jed Stone Edit Minnie often lamented the fact that she had never had children. She took in Jed Stone as a lodger in 1961 in sympathy when his friend Dennis 's mum Elsie Tanner refused to put him up. Jed had a criminal background but he had turned over a new leaf, trying out a variety of get-rich-quick schemes in an effort to make money. Minnie was excited by his lifestyle and his antics were a frequent point of reference for her during her conversations with Ena and Martha, much to their chagrin. Minnie called Jed "Sunny Jim", and later gave her cat the same name in his honour. Although Jed left Weatherfield abruptly later in 1961, he returned several times and Minnie was always glad to have him back. She came to look upon him as the son she never had, and she had a constant smile on her face when he was around. Although Jed cared about Minnie and looked out for her, he was not above lying to her when his activities weren't legal.

He stored stolen goods at No.5 without Minnie's knowledge and was caught by the police. This didn't tarnish Minnie's opinion of him, and memories of Jed continued to bring delight to her in later years. Other information Edit In 1969 , the Street residents went on a coach trip to the Lake District , but the coach crashed on the way back. Minnie was one of the worst hit, still unconscious when most of the others had been discharged. Ena, who had only suffered bruising, prayed at her bedside until she came to. In 2008 when Tony Gordon attempted to throw Minnie's former lodger Jed Stone out of his home, Jed had a picture of him and Minnie in his house and also a box full of photos of Minnie. Background information Edit Minnie was one of the original characters of Coronation Street . Margot Bryant was a regular cast member from 1960 to 1976 , when she had to leave the programme due to ill health. Her final appearance came several months before Minnie's decision to live in Whaley Bridge was written into the storyline, and as such it was not a big event.

Additional information on Minnie from 1939-1945 was found in Coronation Street at War by Daran Little and The Way to Victory by Christine Green. How long Minnie lived after she left is not certain. But when Jed Stone returned in 2008 , he and Emily talked about Minnie and a conversation between the two confirmed Minnie died sometime between 1976 and 2008. Jed later visited her grave off-screen later that year. Quotes "If it's anything like that, don't tell me, I don't want to 'ear." (First line, to Martha Longhurst and Ena Sharples ) --- Coronation Street Blog: Corrie A-Z: P is for Pets Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Pinterest There have been many pets on Coronation Street. Here are some of the pets that have appeared over the years. Some are included in the collage above.

Barney – David Platt’s rabbit Beauty – Mavis Wilton’s budgie Bella – Maxine Peacock’s cat Betty’s Hotshot – racing horse owned by the menfolk of the street in the late 1990s Bobby – Minnie Caldwell’s cat Boomer – The Duckworths’ dog in the early 1990s Cleo – Baldwin’s Casuals’ cat Dolores – Tommy Deakin’s donkey Dougal – Sam Tindall’s dog Dolly, Dulcie, Fergie, Molly, Scarlett – Jack Duckworth’s pigeons Eccles – The Barlows’ dog Gilbert – Albert Tatlock’s pigeon Harry/Harriett – Mavis Riley’s budgie John – Jesse Chadwick’s parrot Leanne – Simon Barlow’s rabbit Little Hilda – Eddie Yeats’ chicken Lucky Lolita – Harry Hewitt’s greyhound Marmaduke – Betty Williams’ cat Mr Woo – Rita Sullivan’s dog Ozzy – Maria’s dog Randy – Percy Sugden’s budgie Rat Features – Sophie Webster’s hamster Rommel – Hilda Ogden’s cat Rover – The Gilroys’ dog Saracen – Vicky Arden’s horse Scamper – Joyce Smedley and the

 Malletts’ dog Schmeichel – Chesney Brown’s dog Shandy – Sean Tully’s dog Sunny Jim – Minnie Caldwell’s cat and Jed Stone’s And then there’s the wonderful Frisky who appeared on Corrie’s title credits for a decade.

Can you think of any others? Who’s your favourite pet? Vote below! Minnie Caldwell Minnie Caldwell Parents: Bob and Amy Carlton Born: 1900 Played by: Margot Bryant Appeared: 1960 - 1976 Minnie was quiet and timid and was always being bossed around by her friend Ena Sharples , who she was regularly to be found with in the Snug at the Rovers Return, drinking milk stout along with Martha Longhurst . Though Minnie once said of Ena "She bullies me. She always has... in the name of Christianity", they were always there for each other and whenever Ena was ill, or was unable or unwilling to live at the Mission, Minnie provided her with a bed. Minnie lived round the corner from Coronation Street at 15 Jubilee Terrace, but when her bed-ridden mother died in 1962 at the ripe old age of 94, she decided she could no longer live there and with the help of Leonard Swindley , who spoke to the landlord and agreed a fair rent, she moved in to No5 with her cat Bobby.

Having retired from Earnshaw's Mill in 1960, Minnie began to take in lodgers to help supplement her pension. Many came and went, some staying a few days, others years, but her favourites were petty crook Jed Stone and failed comic Charlie Moffitt. Minnie's husband died in 1935 after being married for 10 years and the couple never had any children, but Jed fast became the son she never had, with Jed calling her 'Ma' while she called him 'Sunny Jim'. He filled her front room with all sorts of dodgy gear which he sold on market stalls and Ena thought he was a bad influence on Minnie, but he brightened up her life no end. After 'borrowing' Harry Hewitt 's car, Jed left Minnie's and returned to his home town of Liverpool. His room was ultimately taken by Charlie 'Chuckles' Moffitt and his menagerie, which consisted of his greyhound 'Little Titch', six rabbits and eight pigeons. Minnie enjoyed mothering the accident-prone, unfunny comedian, but wasn't pleased when he and Stan Ogden started brewing beer in her front room, telling her it was tonic wine.

She and Emily Nugent opened one of the bottles and proceeded to get drunk, but were more than startled when all the remaining bottles exploded. Having failed to make a success of his new career as the local insurance representative, Charlie decided to have another go at showbusiness and moved away, only to be replaced my Minnie's old favourite, Jed. Jed's return was to be short-lived as his criminal activities finally caught up with him when he was arrested for handling stolen blankets. Whilst preparing for Minnie's birthday party, the police came to arrest him, but taking pity on him, they allowed him to finish the preparations and tell Minnie that he was going off to see a sick friend. After he left, Minnie burst into floods of tears, only too well aware of where he was actually going. Jed was sentenced to 18 months in Walton and asked Minnie to auction off his belongings, which due to his lovable character raised far more than they were actually worth. Despite never returning, Jed's place in Minnie's heart was reaffirmed when Bobby disappeared and was replaced by a stray found up on the viaduct, which Minnie called 'Sunny Jim' - though she later re-named him Bobby.

Minnie was a vulnerable old lady and if Ena wasn't around to protect her, people would take advantage of her kind, trusting nature. When a �50 insurance policy matured after thirty years, she immediately lost �20 of it to a con-man masquerading as a plumber. On more than one occasion she would blow her pension on a new coat or some fancy tidbits for Bobby, only to find that she was unable to pay the coalman and had to spend the rest of the week wrapped up in bed. Things finally came to a head when she fell foul of her worst vice and ended up owing bookie Dave Smith �10. Unable to pay when he pushed her for payment, she disapperaed, leaving a note for Ena asking her to look after Sunny Jim. Ena traipsed the streets looking for her old friend, while the residents turned on Smith for victimizing a poor old woman. After spending a couple of nights on a park bench, Minnie was admitted to hospital with pneumonia and tried unsuccessfully to keep the staff from telling anybody where she was. Bowing to pressure from his other customers, Smith took her flowers, wiped the slate clean and limited her betting to two shillings a week.

1969 was not a good year for Minnie. As well as spending time in hospital with pneumonia, she was injured in a coach crash when the residents of the Street took a trip to the Lake District. Her old friend Ena, who had escaped with only a few bruises, kept up an all-night bedside vigil as Minnie lay unconcious. Minnie recovered from her injuries and went on to recite "The Owl and the Pussycat" at the Street's Christmas Talent Night. The following year started out somewhat better as Minnie rekindled her friendship with old school flame, Handel Gartside , who had returned to Weatherfield having made his fortune in Quebec. She took him in as a part-time lodger and made Ena jealous by cooking his meals for him, though Handel had his nose put out of joint when Billy Walker came to stay while the Rovers was being decorated. But things were about to get worse for Minnie. Joe Donelli had turned up claiming to have been demobbed from the US Army, when in reality he was a deserter who had killed Steve Tanner over an unpaid debt.

Minnie took him in as a lodger and was held hostage at gunpoint by him after he confessed the truth to Irma Ogden . Unaware that Joe had a gun, Stan Ogden burst into the house to remonstrate with him over the way he had treated Stan's daughter. Stan managed to talk Joe into releasing Minnie, but then he turned his gun on Stan and forced him to sing carols. A single shot rang out as Joe turned the gun on himself and ended his life. Having stopped taking in lodgers, Minnie's biggest worry continued to be money, both the lack of it and decimalisation. Albert Tatlock thought that he had the answer to both their money problems and popped the question. Minnie was quite keen on the idea as long as Albert moved into No5, but insisted that he ask Ena's permission first, as is only right and proper. Ena got the wrong end of the stick and accepted Albert's proposal on her own behalf.

Minnie and Albert came to an understanding, but then Ena told them that they wouldn't be better off financially as they had thought and although Albert was still willing to go through with the marriage if Minnie was, his irritating habits, like drinking his tea from a saucer, had started to get on her nerves and so they called it off. Jed Stone's Walton cell-mate, Eddie Yeats , turned up on her doorstep and out of friendship for her old lodger, she took him in but Minnie's health was deteriorating and after meeting up again with Handel Gartside, she finally retired with Bobby to Whaley Bridge to keep house for him. "I know folk think I'm simple.

What I say to them is that I'd rather be simple and 'ave my pleasures than know everything and be miserable, like Ena." Ena Sharples | Coronation Street Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia 1899-1937: Early life Ena Schofield on her wedding day in 1920 Ena Schofield was born in Weatherfield on 24th November 1899 , the youngest of three siblings (the others being her sister Alice Schofield , and her brother Tom Schofield ) and in her youth lived at 14 Inkerman Street . In her schooling days, Ena met Martha Hartley and Minnie Carlton , establishing lifelong friendships. An attentive student with a strong Christian upbringing, Ena became devoted to her religion and developed a firm belief in the importance of rules and morals. She also quickly learned to be self-sufficient, taking on factory work when she was only 11. In 1915 , Ena became engaged to Phil Moss , nephew of her mentor at the Glad Tidings Mission Hall , Gladys Arkwright . However, he enlisted and was soon after killed in battle, devastating Ena.

At the start of the war in 1914 , Ena had developed a gradual friendship with Albert Tatlock after Dinky Low , a local boy Ena had a crush on, asked her to write to Albert. Ena and Albert became close enough that he would stay with her family while on leave, but when he asked her if she wanted to be more than friends, she declined, stating that she was still mourning Phil. Young Ena Sharples Around 1917 , Ena met Alfred Sharples , who had been sent home to heal a leg injury. There was an instant chemistry, but Ena was upset to learn he was already married and broke contact with him. When the war ended, Alfred and Ena ran into each other again and he told her that his marriage had been in name only - he'd had to marry the daughter of someone his father had owed money to. Alfred also informed Ena that his wife had recently passed away. Ena decided to give him another chance. In 1920 , Ena married Alfred. They had three children: Vera , Madge and Ian .

Ian died after only two days, and Alfred died in 1937 during the Depression, leaving Ena a widow with two children. As Vera and Madge grew up, they were alienated against Ena due to her judgemental and frequently interfering nature, a point of much contention for Ena who only had herself to blame. 1937-1964: Caretaker of the Mission Ena in 1960 The Sharples' had continued to live in Inkerman Street, but after Alfred's death Ena needed a change and eagerly accepted the position of caretaker at the Glad Tidings Mission Hall in Victoria Street when it was offered to her. The previous caretaker, Gladys Arkwright, had been Ena's mentor. The community the Mission served - a working class backstreet with a factory close by - gave Ena plenty of ammunition for gossip, and a reason to voice her disapproval, under pretension of upholding the Lord's work. The caretaker's accommodation was the vestry, a single room with an entrance onto Coronation Street . Ena lived there with her daughter Vera until Vera moved out in 1946 .

Ena's best friends from her youth, now Minnie Caldwell and Martha Longhurst, were both also widows by 1960 , and frequently sat with Ena in the snug of the local Rovers Return Inn , criticising the lives of the other street residents (as well as each other), while drinking milk stout. For the duration of World War II , Ena was an Air Raid warden, lording it over the other residents when they had to seek refuge in the Mission cellar. In 1960, Ena battled new Mission lay preacher Leonard Swindley , who objected to her frequenting the Rovers. Ena collapsed due to the stress, but walked out of the hospital to return to her post so that Martha, who had taken on her responsibilities while she recovered, couldn't steal her job. In 1961 Ena was sacked for spreading a rumour that Coronation Street Ena holds her own during a run-in with Leonard Swindley was to be demolished when it turned out to be untrue, but Swindley was forced to re-hire her when a suitable replacement could not be found (Ena had bribed the other candidates to turn the job down).

Still unhappy with the working conditions, however, Ena walked out of the job later in the year and moved in with Minnie, with Albert Tatlock briefly taking on the caretaker position. She was eventually offered her job back. Ena had a health scare in 1962 when she suffered a minor stroke, brought on by hypostatic pneumonia. She quickly regained her speech and mobility but the following year was diagnosed with arterioschlerosis. Despite her willingness to gossip about the sordid details of her residents, Ena was very guarded about her own private life and resented Martha for discussing her health problems with Vera. In 1963 , Ena reported youth Michael Butterworth to the police for stealing and cashing her pension. In March of 1963 her sister Alice Raynould died aged 80. Later in the year, while Ena and most of the street residents were attending the wedding of Jerry Booth and Myra Dickinson , Michael broke into the vestry and robbed it, taking or trashing most of Ena's most treasured possessions. Ena broke down, to the shock of the other residents.

1964-1968: Decline of the Mission As congregations at the Mission Hall's services dwindled, the Hall became more often the domain of clubs and meetings. Ena didn't approve, seeing it as the misuse of a holy building and an invasion of her home. The Weatherfield Mission committee decided to close one of their halls in 1965 due to the lack of interest, with the choice falling between the Coronation Street Mission and the Bold Street Mission. Ena feared for her home until she discovered she had been left No. 11 Coronation Street in the will of the recently deceased owner. As Ena barely got along with its current resident, Elsie Tanner , she had no compunctions about evicting Elsie and her son Dennis so that she could live there herself when the Mission was closed. After serving Elsie her notice, Ena argued with Elsie in the Rovers - Elsie was not going to give up without a fight. The fight spilled out into the Street and Ena ended up accidentally smashing one of No.11's windows with her handbag.

The clash was broken up by Swindley, who informed Ena that the Mission would stay open - the Bold Street Mission had been selected for closure. With her home safe for the time being, Ena sold No. 11 to Edward Wormold . Later that year, Ena's nephew Tom Schofield visited her and invited her to her brother's home in the USA for an extended stay. Ena jumped at the chance to go abroad for the first time and meet the family she never knew she had. Upon her return, Ena was horrified to see the Mission converted into a Community Centre, with social worker Ruth Winter employed there full-time. She quit upon hearing the news and moved in with Minnie at No. 5 . Despite being out of work, Ena was soon caught up with other problems as Vera came to stay having separated from her husband Bob Lomax . Vera had debts to pay but hadn't the money to pay them, so Ena gave her the money, despite it being all her savings. A disoriented Ena was later caught accidentally stealing from a supermarket. In court, Ena pleaded not guilty, but refused to give her age when questioned, saying only that she was over 21.

Ena struggles to cope when Vera has weeks to live She was fined 40/-. To offset her money problems, Ena took on the job of live-in housekeeper at No. 9 for Len Fairclough , although when the Community Centre at the Mission closed down, Ena moved back into the vestry. Vera came to stay again later in 1966 , saying she was ill. Ena didn't believe her until she spoke to Vera's doctor, who said that Vera had a brain tumour and had a month to live. Vera hadn't yet been told her condition was terminal. Ena watched her daughter wind down over several weeks until she died in Ena's bed in January 1967 . The Mission was closed for good a year later, when it was demolished along with the factory to make way for a block of two-storey maisonettes . Ena was offered a place at an old folk's home but she unsurprisingly declined, choosing to lodge with old friend Henry Foster in St. Anne's after briefly living with Minnie, although when the maisonettes were built Ena moved into No. 6 , a purpose-built OAP ground floor flat.

Ena was pleased as it occupied the exact spot where the vestry had been. 1968-1973: Back to work As she no longer had the luxury of rent-free accommodation, Ena took on a job at the Corner Shop . She was furious to be replaced by Valerie Barlow while on holiday. Ena found it disconcerting to have neighbours after so many years of having one side of the street to herself. However, her place next door to the Barlows was crucial in saving Valerie when she was held hostage by Frank Riley , as Val was able to tap on the pipes in her kitchen, overheard by Ena in her flat. Ena alerted the other residents about it and Val was rescued. In 1969 , Ena got bored with the maisonette and moved into a flat above Ernest Bishop 's camera shop. With Glad Tidings gone, the closest place of worship was the Victoria Street Mission , and Ena kept close tabs on the comings and goings there. She was delighted in 1970 to meet young Tony Parsons , who shared her passion for the harmonium.

Recognising his talent, Ena made him her protégé and gave him lessons, setting about arranging a scholarship for him. The maisonettes were demolished in 1971 , and one of the buildings that replaced them was a Community Centre . Despite her age, Ena was determined to secure the position of caretaker, and scared off her competitor Hetty Thorpe by warning her about the violence in the area. With no one else to take the job, Ena was selected as caretaker, and she moved into the adjacent Centre flat . However, Ena's age and ability to do the work was a constant concern to the Council . Albert Tatlock was foisted on her as "co-caretaker", though she insisted on being called "senior caretaker". In 1973 , Ena suffered two heart attacks, but refused to move away as she wanted to die in the street. She disappeared with the Centre keys at Christmas , preventing local children from getting their presents. Ena assumed she'd be sacked and left to stay with Henry Foster at St. Anne's.

1973-1980: Later years Handel tells Ena that Minnie is never returning Ena spent much of 1974 living in St. Anne's, making occasional visits to Minnie at No. 5. In 1975, Ena began to make much more frequent visits to the street but often found that Minnie was away in Whaley Bridge , visiting their old friend Handel Gartside . Eventually, councillor Alf Roberts decided to reinstall Ena at the Centre later in the year. Ena was grateful for the offer and moved back into the Street. However, her health remained a point of contention. In 1977 , Councillor Tattersall was aghast at the management of the Centre, run as it was by two elderly pensioners. Matters were made worse after Ena fell over and was knocked unconscious while looking after Tracy Langton . Upon her return to the Centre flat , Tattersall made Ena feel vulnerable by telling her she was too old for the job, and that he was going to have her put in a home. After he verbally attacked her in the Rovers, the Street's residents united to oust him.

Both Alf Roberts and Len Fairclough saw Tattersall off by threatening him with violence if he dared to move Ena out of the flat. In the latter part of the 1970s, Ena flitted regularly between Weatherfield and St. Anne's. Her friends had gradually left her life - Martha had died in 1964, and Minnie left in 1976 to live with Handel in Whaley Bridge. Ena spent much of early 1978 with the Lomaxes in Hartlepool, who offered to house her permanently but she refused. In February 1980 , Ena was moved out of her flat while necessary refurbishments Ena in 1980 were made to both the flat and Centre. Elsie offered to take in Ena, who was very grateful. Although the living arrangements at No. 11 were more than satisfactory, Ena learnt from hindsight and decided to move to St. Anne's - it would only be a matter of time before the two got into an argument. She returned at the end of March to find the flat still unfinished, dumping herself on Albert. Ena decided to once again move back to St.

Anne's, telling committee man Ken Barlow that she'd be the one to decide when she'd come back. However, she never returned. Personality "That woman's tongue. If it was a bit longer she could shave with it." - Elsie Tanner Ena had a domininating personality. Large in stature and almost always dressed in a large doublebreasted coat and hairnet, Ena was strong-minded and argumentative, with opinions on everyone and everything and she wasn't afraid to voice any of them. She cared for her family and friends but her tough exterior, hardened by a tragic life, many years of widowhood, and living through two world wars and a Depression, was difficult for anyone to crack, and Ena preferred it that way. Consequently, she found it difficult to express affection and felt more at ease arguing with her friends (or telling them what to do) than taking an interest in them. Ena was formidable in an argument, usually putting her view across quickly and bluntly, barely giving anyone else a chance to speak. Although motivated by self-interest more often than she would care to admit, Ena's usual justification was that she was acting in the name of Christianity.

Unfortunately, she often jumped to conclusions, assuming the worst of people, or exaggerated the truth. Occasionally Ena was innocent, but when false rumours spread through the street, fingers always pointed at Ena first. Towards the 1970s, Ena mellowed as she spent more time away from Weatherfield , her friends and family leaving her life one-by-one. The residents of the street began to protect and defend her more, seeing her as a vulnerable old woman. Relationships Family Ena grew up in a warm and loving home, and hoped to have the same for herself. Her sister Alice, a few years older, often resented Ena's attempts at perfection. Ena's older brother Tom emigrated to America in 1912 , seeing no job opportunities in Weatherfield. Ena did not have much contact with the surviving Schofields until her great nephew Tom Schofield contacted her in 1965 and invited her to stay in America . Ena's brother Tom died in 1973 . Ena clashed with many members of her family, especially her children.

Ena's tendency to boss her children around had led to daughter Madge not speaking to her, and upon receiving feedback from nephew Colin Lomax about what Madge had been saying about Ena behind her back, Ena cut Madge out of her will without a second's thought. Vera stood by Ena and lived with her in the Mission vestry from 1937 to 1946, during which time they slept in the same bed in the cramped accommodation. Far from showing gratitude that Vera was the only daughter to stand by her, Ena was particularly hard on her as Vera had been dropped as a child and Ena was never convinced that she was right in the head. Ena preferred to control Vera's life and was disturbed when in 1942 , while she had gone to a concert, Vera had gone to the American military base with Elsie Tanner and Elsie's friends, where she'd gotten drunk and lost her virginity. Elsie helped Ena understand to stop trying to stifle Vera, because then she would end up having no control over Vera at all.

Ena then allowed Vera to go out on her own, and encouraged her to date Bob Lomax , who worked with them at the welding factory. Vera and Bob got engaged, and by 1945 Vera and Ena became estranged, as Bob's parents wanted them to marry in a more upscale church, not what they saw as Ena's backstreet chapel. Ena refused to attend Vera's wedding, although she sent her daughter a Christmas card. Ena later became close to the Lomax family and was often called upon to watch Colin. Ena occasionally went to stay with Colin and his family after Vera's death. Vera died in 1967 , in Ena's home, of a brain tumor. Vera's doctor had kept the news from her and convinced Ena to do the same. Ena also had a son, Ian, but due to her poor nutrition during the years she and Alfred struggled for work, Ian died soon after birth. Martha Longhurst Along with Minnie Caldwell , Martha Longhurst was Ena's closest friend and unlike Minnie, Martha shared Ena's penchant for gossiping.

Despite their lifelong friendship (Ena knew Martha when they were ten years old), Ena sometimes felt threatened by Martha, especially when she proved just as capable as doing Ena's job at the Mission as Ena herself. The trio's discussions Ena with Minnie and Martha in the snug in the snug often consisted of Ena and Martha trying to score points off each other, with Ena baiting Martha into arguing with her. They briefly lived together in 1961 when Ena was fired from the Mission. Ena made herself at home, making the best of a bad situation, but unbeknown to her Martha couldn't wait to get rid of her and in the meantime had considered writing to an agony aunt to ask how to deal with her overbearing houseguest. Martha died in the snug in the Rovers in 1964 , while Ena conducted a singalong on the piano in the public bar. Ena berated Martha's daughter Lily for never caring about her mother unless she needed a babysitter. Minnie Caldwell After Martha's death, Minnie was perhaps Ena's only close friend left.

Minnie's part in the trio's conversations in the snug were usually limited to the occasional (frequently inappropriate or out-of-place) comment. Minnie was usually content to let Ena do the talking while she only partially listened. Minnie, who could be quite timid and indecisive, was often dominated by Ena, who did not appear to trust Minnie's own initiative or decisions. In 1969 , Ena's capacity to interfere almost ended in tragedy when she told off bookie Dave Smith for hassling Minnie, who had been gambling and owed Dave money. Unbeknown to Ena, Dave had decided to forgive the debt but a telling off by Ena convinced him to change his mind. Minnie was embarrassed at Ena trying to fight her battles and disappeared. Sick with guilt and worry, Ena scoured Weatherfield for anywhere Minnie might be. Minnie soon turned up, and Ena was able to turn the tables on Dave Smith by blackmailing him over his tax fraud. Minnie continued to be fond of gambling, but Ena strongly disapproved and in 1972 Ena is distressed when Minnie goes missing tried to have her barred from the Betting Shop for her own good.

Minnie was furious and told Ena their friendship was over, though she later relented. In 1973 , Minnie first sought Ena's opinion before getting engaged to Albert Tatlock . At first Ena approved, but she later advised Minnie to call it off as she would be in a better position financially as a single person. Minnie obliged. Ena and Minnie lived with each other at No.5 several times, usually when no one else was willing to house Ena, who was reputedly difficult to live with. Ena's biggest gripe with Minnie was her cat, Bobby , who was something of an obsession of Minnie's; much to her chagrin, Ena would talk to Minnie at length only to discover that Minnie hadn't been listening to her, being preoccupied with Bobby. Minnie even once accused Ena of being jealous of the cat. Despite their difficult moments, they were always there for each other. When Minnie eventually decided to move to Whaley Bridge to live with Handel Gartside , she left without telling Ena as she feared Ena would talk her out of it.

Elsie Tanner A neighbour of Ena's, Elsie Tanner lived at No.11 . Ena and Elsie initially clashed through Ena's hostility towards Elsie's husband Arnold Tanner ; when the newly married couple arrived in the Street, Ena recognised Arnold as having thrown a widow out of her home because she had not been able to pay the rent for two weeks. After Arnold left for war service, the hostilities continued between Elsie and Ena. Elsie represented the antithesis of Ena's lifestyle: during World War II , Elsie had separated from Arnold and raised two children by herself. Ena had been aware of the many men Elsie had entertained at No.11 over the years, and strongly disapproved considering she was still married and opined that she was putting her own needs above those of her children. Elsie saw Ena as an interfering battleaxe, and didn't see why her life should be any of Ena's business.

The war years involved many highs and lows between Ena and Elsie - Ena helped deliver Elsie's first child, Linda, in Annie Walker 's living room, but later wrote a letter to Arnold about Elsie's affairs with soldiers, which led Arnold to return home and rape Elsie. A few years later, Ena helped Elsie and her friend Sally Todd see off the American soldiers they loved, Steve Tanner and Oliver Hart, hiding them in the Mission after they had gone AWOL to say goodbye to the ladies. At this time Ena thought to herself that in some way Elsie reminded her of her younger self. The relationship turned downward yet again towards the end of the war when Elsie began letting soldiers stay in her home for room and board - Ena saw this as a brothel and wrote Arnold another letter, leading Ena and Elsie to have a vicious brawl in the Mission before Leonard Swindley pulled them apart. Living in the same street for many years had led them to at least understand each other. They almost always thought the worst of each other; Elsie accused Ena of writing a poison pen letter in 1961 , even though Ena was innocent.

When Ena believed the Mission Hall was going to be closed, she decided to throw Elsie and son Dennis out of their flat so she could move in (she owned the property). The two women rowed in the street, having to be pulled apart; Ena even broke a window with her purse. The argument only stopped when Ena learned it was to be a mission on another street which was to be closed. Although generally dismissive of each other in public, they did occasionally put their differences aside in a crunch - in 1962 , when no one else would, Ena let Elsie know that her boyfriend Bill Gregory was married. In 1965 , Ena discovered Hilda Ogden was the culprit behind some threatening phone calls Elsie had received, and exposed her. She also stopped Elsie from taking an overdose in 1973 . In 1980 , Ena had to move out of the community centre while repairs were being made, and with nowhere else to go, accepted Elsie's offer of a bed. After a week, she moved to St. Anne's, as she realised she could not stay at Elsie's for much longer without getting into an argument.

Role in the community Coronation Street - Back On The Street: The Death Of Martha Longhurst Wednesday, 26 May 2010 The Death Of Martha Longhurst Regular readers of this blog will know that my favourite Coronation Street era is the 1960s. Many modern day Street fans can't understand this, some declare that the crackling old black and white episodes and occasional rough edges are interesting, even enjoyable, but find it hard to cope with the sometimes naff sound quality and the fact it was in black and white until 1969. "Black and white? Well really!! How... how... archaic..." Others feel, as I do, that the Street lost some of its grittiness when it went into colour, and that the golden era was definitely, beyond any shadow of a doubt, its first decade.

Watching Ena Sharples (Violet Carson) confronting Elsie Tanner (Pat Phoenix) in the street whilst the Salvation Army band played, Mr Swindley (Arthur Lowe) and Miss Nugent (Eileen Derbyshire) struggling along at Gamma Garments, or Valerie Barlow (Anne Reid) being confronted by an escaped convict in her own home, absorbs me far more than anything that came later. And yet I'm too young to actually remember the '60s era in the show! Thank goodness for VCRs (the Street's very first video release, which contained early 1960s episodes, dates back to 1982) and DVDs, which have both given us wonderful opportunities to witness the Street as it was in the black and white days. Thanks also to the three Coronation Street novels written by HV Kershaw in the 1970s - all set in the 1960s, which, along with a special clips episode of the show, featuring Annie Walker (Doris Speed) and Betty Turpin (Betty Driver) reminiscing, first aroused my interest in the mighty first decade.

The '60s had great comedy (contrary to Wikipedian myth, the Ogdens had wonderful comic story-lines from their very early days onwards), and brilliant drama. The acting was usually top-notch and still makes a tremendous impact on viewing the episodes all these years later. Wondrous days. A grotty backstreet with a nice publican and his snobbish wife, a grumpy old First World War veteran, a cheeky scouse rascal with a flat cap, a pompous lay preacher, a gossipy little shrew in curlers, and a dress shop employee who was "no better than she ought to be"! What a setting! As Mary Malone of the Daily Mirror once wrote: The Street is either a place you would like to live in or be glad you got out of. It is intimate, nosey, brutally sharp-spoken, and no-one gets away with a thing.

And in the middle of all the action, often desperately craning their necks to find out the exact details, sat three old ladies in the Snug of The Rovers Return - one, the leader, a hair-netted battle axe, one a cat-loving whimsical sweety, and the third a vinegary feeder on the misfortunes of others. The three old ladies were, of course, the aforementioned Ena Sharples, Minnie Caldwell (Margot Bryant) and Martha Longhurst (Lynne Carol). They provided the Street with some of its funniest scenes ever, and were a tremendously popular ingredient in the show's already rich brew. They reigned supreme from 1960 to 1964. Illustration from a Coronation Street jigsaw puzzle - c. 1963: the scene is Rosamund Street. Gamma Garments can be seen in the background (was Mr Papagopolous visiting that day, we wonder?!) and outside Minnie Caldwell helps her beloved Bobby across the road, with Albert Tatlock officiating as lollipop man. Martha Longhurst and Ena Sharples look on. Eee, the old Snug days... Gossip and milk stout.

Fierce arguments and milk stout. Ramblings about Bobby the cat and milk stout. It was bliss. And then, in May 1964, Martha Longhurst died of a heart attack all alone at the table the three ladies usually shared in the Snug bar. An absolutely stunning tragedy for the show and its viewers. And with the actress Lynne Carol, who played Martha, in good health and happy to continue in the role at the time, it's a puzzle to work out why it happened. What was going on? During the reign of producer Tim Aspinall, a decision was taken to shake-up the show. Coronation Street had taken a slight tumble in the ratings, and several established characters, including Florrie Lindley (Betty Alberge), Frank Barlow (Frank Pemberton) and Concepta and Harry Hewitt (Doreen Keogh and Ivan Beavis) were to be written out. And Martha. Some who faced the axe - including Albert Tatlock (Jack Howarth) and Ken Barlow (William Roache) - were reprieved, but Martha was not so lucky. Lynne Carol came from a family containing six generations of actors.

She was born in Usk, Monmonthshire, where her parents were on tour in a stage play. Miss Carol auditioned for the role of outgoing Corner Shop keeper Elsie Lappin in November 1960. She didn't get it, but instead was awarded a week's work as a temporary character called Martha Longhurst. Upon leaving the Granada TV studios after completing her week's stint, Lynne Carol was stopped by Margot Bryant, who remarked that Martha had a lot to say in next week's scripts. This came as news to Miss Carol, who was not even aware that Martha was in the following week's episodes! Had the part been recast? She returned to her dressing room to find the script for the following week awaiting her. Martha was vinegary and not the kindest of souls. But she was also quite a sad character. She doted on her daughter Lily and Lily's husband Wilf, and boasted of their achievements to her friends, but truth to tell Lily and Wilf simply saw Martha as a free babysitter - when they saw her at all. One had the feeling that, given a bit of care and attention, Martha might have been very different. But it was not forthcoming.

And so there she was, taking on a cleaning job at The Rovers to eke out her meagre pension, and living alone in misery at Mawdsley Street. Martha: "You know, the more I think about the way Ena's behaving, the madder I get. I wouldn't care, but I know for a fact that in her own mind she thinks she's beautiful." Lynne Carol said of her character: "She is such a pathetic old thing, you can't help feeling sorry for her. She is crusty and very disappointed with life. She has a daughter she idolises, but who is clearly not interested in her. But underneath, Martha is quite a sweet old soul, though the sweetness doesn't get much chance to come out." In early 1964, the Corrie cast read newspapers rumours of cast changes to come, but were told by Granada to ignore them. Lynne Carol recalled a few years later: "At one time there were about ten of us supposed to be due for the axe. We read rumours about it in some of the newspapers, but we were told by Granada not to take any notice of the Press because they didn't know what they were talking about.

But it turned out the Press were right. The artists themselves knew nothing about it until quite suddenly one day when a number of us were told, 'You, you, you and you... are all going out!' " Violet Carson protested strongly to Granada against Martha's proposed demise: "You cannot take one of Ena's cronies away from her. Martha is essential to Ena." In the story-line, Martha's death tied-in with the farewell story-line of another of the Street's original characters: Frank Barlow had come up on the Premium Bonds and was celebrating his good fortune and planned move to Bramhall with a party at The Rovers. Martha had gone along to the party, clutching her brand new passport. Lily and Wilf had invited her to go with them and their kids on holiday to Spain. It was a moment of glory for poor Martha, despite Ena's taunts that she was only wanted as a babysitter and wouldn't be seeing much of Spain outside of the hotel room. At Frank's party, nobody seemed that interested in Martha's passport. And she didn't feel well. No, she didn't feel well at all.

As Ena led the regulars in a sing song round piano, Martha retreated to the Snug and sat down at the old familiar table. Eileen Derbyshire, the Street's Emily Nugent/Bishop, recalled many years later: "Even at the filming, everybody was having that outside hope that there would be a reprieve for Lynne Carol the actress and Martha the character. There was this terrible double bind of having to be singing and laughing whilst your throat was being constricted by the tears. It was a really horrible emotional experience." Despite the hopes still flickering at that late point, there was to be no reprieve. In the little Snug bar, Martha was overcome by a heart attack. Knocking her best hat from her head, revealing her hair net, she slumped down on to the table, all her dignity gone. And her life. Peter Adamson, the Street's Len Fairclough, bet five pounds that Granada would not go through with Martha's death story-line. It was Len who pronounced Martha dead in the Snug at The Rovers, and he deliberately paused before delivering the fatal line, so that it could be cut and Martha rushed to recovery in hospital.

Said Lynne Carol a few years later: "It seemed like an eternity waiting for Peter to say that last, awful line. I can remember lying there thinking, 'Well, say something, mate, if it's only goodbye!' " The episode complete and in a state of some distress, Lynne Carol joined her husband, the actor Bert Palmer, who was also working at Granada at that point. He retrieved Martha's hat and glasses from the Coronation Street set (they belonged to Lynne) and made a cine film of Martha's death from the television screen the night the episode was broadcast, 13 May, 1964. Miss Carol said of Martha's death and funeral episodes: "It's a funny thing to watch yourself dying on the screen. I don't think the death was morbid, but the way they did the funeral was outrageously morbid. They took the body through all the rubble of the back streets. It was depressing." Interviewed about her ousting from the Street later in the 1960s, Lynne Carol said: "I didn't blame Tim [Aspinall] particularly. Everyone passed the buck.

Nobody would really admit who was responsible for the sweeping changes they made in 1964. It was, as far as I'm concerned, Mr Nobody who ordered the big reshuffle." In 1981, HV Kershaw's book, The Street Where I Live, stated that the decision had been Mr Aspinall's, and Mr Kershaw lamented the decision, pointing out that the famous trio had been reduced to "a rather sad duet" because of it - and that many future stories had been denied the writers. But, balancing out this negative aspect of Mr Aspinall's reign, Mr Kershaw also pointed out that Stan, Hilda and Irma Ogden - "the best dramatic inventions since the original characters were conceived by Tony Warren" - had been introduced during that time. And Mr Aspinall had been largely responsible for their casting and characterisations. Corrie Producer Bill Podmore appeared with Lynne Carol on the BBC's Open Air programme in 1988, to pay tribute to the recently deceased Margot Bryant. Ironically, Miss Carol could still have been appearing in the Street as Martha at that point, preserving a link to the original trio of the early years.

Mr Podmore and Miss Carol discussed the idea of her reappearing in the show as Martha's twin sister, who had been living in Australia. The idea never came to fruition. For many years, the killing of Martha has been seen by many as the greatest mistake ever made in Corrie's history. And watching Ena Sharples and Minnie Caldwell together in the Rovers in later years, it was evident that something rather wonderful had been lost. They really were, as HV Kershaw stated, "a sad duet". On one occasion, in the early 1970s, Ena asked Minnie if she was looking after herself. Minnie assured her that she was. "Good!" replied Ena. "Because there aren't that many of us left!" After leaving the Street, Lynne Carol bought a house near Blackpool's South Shore. She named it "Longhurst".

Question: In ‘Coronation Street’, what was the name of Minnie Caldwell’s cat?
Answer: BOBBY