When Did Deirdre First Work At The Corner Shop? And When Did Stan Die?

Deirdre began work at the Corner Shop in 1980 - when this very dinky exterior set was still in use!

Doreen is confused:

When did Deirdre first work at the Corner Shop? I'm sure it wasn't the 1970s as it says on-line. I don't recall her working with Maggie or Renee or Gail and Trisha - nor Blanche for that matter.

Quite right, Doreen - Deirdre Langton (Anne Kirbride) first worked at the Corner Shop in 1980. For her first few years in the show, the character's jobs were secretarial - both at Len and Ray's builder's yard and briefly in business with Emily Bishop (Eileen Derbyshire).

Renee Bradshaw/Roberts (Madge Hindle) only ever employed one assistant at the Corner Shop - and that was Betty Turpin (Betty Driver) for a short period whilst she was away. Deirdre never worked there until 1980, after Renee had died.

With Emily Bishop marrying Arnold Swain (George Waring) in 1980, Deirdre and Tracy (Christabel Finch) needed a new home, and newly-widowed Alf Roberts (Bryan Mosley) offered them the Corner Shop flat and Deirdre a job at the shop.

And that was how Deirdre's on-off Corner Shop career began!

Hilary asks:

When did lovely layabout Stan Ogden die in the plot?

21 November, 1984, Hilary.

Our screen caps show Jean Alexander as Hilda visiting Stan's grave in 1986 to tell him about a holiday she plans to take. She also tells him she would forgo any number of holidays to have him back, and asks him who she will have to talk to on her holiday, without him being there?