Said In The '70s: Annie, Bet And Ena Discuss The Savage '70s

Introducing a new series of quotes from Corrie - direct from the decade of Disco, klackers and Punk!

In his 1981 book, The Street Where I Live, Coronation Street producer and writer HV Kershaw referred to the "swinging '60s and savage '70s". What did he mean? Let Annie, Bet and Ena shed some light on the subject...

It's early 1979, James Callaghan is Prime Minister, and times are hard. If, in retrospect, the most noteworthy thing about the 1960s is that decade's free loving liberal nature, it would seem that the '70s' claim to fame is a sudden rise in cynicism and savageness.

In this scene, Annie Walker is in full flight at The Rovers...

"Where's all the kindness gone? All the gentleness? All the consideration?"

Bet Lynch: "What consideration? It's never been owt different, it's always been dog eat dog!"

Annie: "Rubbish, Bet! You cannot pretend that the world has always been as horrible and violent as it is today. Did people bomb dance halls when you were a girl? Were innocent men and women afraid to walk the streets for fear of being mugged? Did young people jeer at the police and call them 'pigs'?"

Ena Sharples: "Harry Toft, 'im from't butcher's, won't let that lad of his go to the football match on his own any more. They broke his arm two or three weeks ago - just because he was wearing his team's scarf."

Bet: "Well, there's nowt for it, we'll all have to learn karate - a touch of the old kung fu's and not a yobbo'll come near us."

Annie: "It's no joking matter, Bet!"

Bet: "I know. But if you don't laugh you just might cry..."