1980: Why Annie Walker Doesn't Like Pubs...

A nice little magazine article here from March 1980, featuring the wonderful Doris Speed, Mrs Walker of the Street.

Annie at that time, of course, was the landlady of the Rovers Return and held the place in great esteem - she regarded it as the hub of the local community, a place where customers could hopefully be taught better manners, and, of course, the building was also her home and housed many memories of her beloved late husband Jack.

Annie took great pride in the Rovers.

But the licensee's life was not one Doris Speed cared to contemplate in reality...

Back to 1980 for the facts...

Doris Speed - Coronation Street's Mrs Annie Walker, Britain's best-loved landlady - has a shocking confession: "I don't like pubs."

The sharp-tongued "boss" of the Rovers Return says: "I think I would have made a very bad landlady in real life. I've never drawn a pint. If I drink at all it's when I go out to dinner.

I NEVER go to pubs when I get off The Street's set in Manchester," says the real-life Doris.

"Arthur Leslie, who played my husband, and I were offered pubs by breweries who thought it would be a good idea.

"I think if he'd retired he'd have taken a pub - but this wouldn't appeal to me.

"If I do go to a restaurant I'd never perch on a bar stool, because somebody would either say 'Can I buy you a drink?' or would ask me to pull a pint.

"Mind you, very nice things do happen. I was having dinner with a woman friend and we had a sherry and a bottle of wine. I was the hostess and the time came for me to pay the bill.

"To my surprise, the waitress told us our drinks had already been paid for by a man who'd been eating elsewhere in the restaurant.

"He'd already left - without speaking to us - so we couldn't thank him. Now isn't that nice?"

To relax between recording the series, Doris plays bridge with other cast members.

She says: "I play with Johnny Briggs (The Street's factory boss, Mike Baldwin), Bill Roache (Ken Barlow) and Bernard Youens.

"Now, you'd never expect Stan Ogden to play bridge, would you?"

But some things must remain her private property, she says. She's unmarried and she lived with her mother until her death a few years ago.

Doris insists that the rest of her home life must not come under public scrutiny - and the same goes for her age.

She has been playing Annie now for almost twenty years [Andy's note: The Street would celebrate its twentieth anniversary in December 1980] and she's become fond of The Street's "Lady Muck".

"It's just the way Annie has developed - she's become a bit of a show-off. And possibly people believe that, if they talk to me, I'll be a bit like Annie - sharp.

"I like it, though, when Betty Turpin (played by Betty Driver) and Bet Lynch (that's Julie Goodyear) say things behind my back like 'Lady Muck'. They call me 'Barbara Cartland' too."

Her ambition is to be a successful stage actress.

"I'm quite good." she says, "but I don't get asked back. You have to give Granada six or eight weeks notice if you want to appear in something other than The Street - and most producers want you within a month.

"As for Annie, I think her ambition would still have been to be a landlady - but in a rather more exalted sphere. She'd love to have had a country pub, probably in Cheshire."

But that certainly isn't Doris' idea of the high life.

Speak Easy - July 2013

Got something to say? Well, spit it out, chuck! Here, your voice can be heard. Well, read really... 

Thanks for all communications received... here's a little round-up of recent goodies...

Firstly, thanks to Kevin, who e-mailed us about the late actor Paul Lowther, Colin Jackson in The Street in 1981. Kevin sent us a later publicity photograph of Paul, and recalls living in a shared house in Balham, "Gateway To The South", London, with him in the mid-1980s. He remembers having great fun acting jokingly about life up North with Paul. Thanks for that, Kevin! As we said before, we were very impressed with Paul's portrayal of Colin Jackson and wished the character had become a regular on the Weatherfield scene.

Pauline asks:

Why did Coronation Street employ a full-time archivist, but still messed about with the age of the Barlow twins in 1978?

It's a puzzle, Pauline! We do know that archivist Eric Rosser disagreed with the move. We can only imagine that Bill Podmore and co didn't want to wait until the character would have been old enough before launching the story-line about Peter Barlow wishing to join the Navy. As we say, the Barlow twins' age was righted in 1986, when they celebrated their twenty-first birthday and as far as we know further such tweakings of established facts (or retcons as they become known in the world of popular fiction during the 1980s) were resisted until the 1990s.

 Craig asks:

When did Annie Walker retire? I've read 1984, but I've also read that Doris Speed last appeared in 1983.

Easy one, this, Craig. Doris Speed last appeared on-screen in October 1983, when the actress disappeared from the show due to ill health. It was hoped that she would return, so Annie didn't actually retire from the Rovers until 1984.

Sara says:

I'm looking forward to your "Once Around Weatherfield" feature as I fancy trying my hand at writing a biography of a minor character. When do you think the first part will appear? Keep up the good work, by the way!

Cheers, Sara! The first "Once Around Weatherfield" challenge will appear next week, so please stay tuned.

Say Happy Birthday With Annie Walker!

I was pleasantly surprised recently to find a whole range of Coronation Street greeting cards on sale on eBay and elsewhere on-line.

What a great idea. And to feature legendary Street characters of the early years is a stroke of genius. Characters like this may be long gone, but they live on in our affections.

My own personal favourite Street character EVER is the original Rovers landlady Annie Walker - played by the brilliant Doris Speed. Annie could infuriate me with her snobbish ways, make me laugh as grandiose scheme after grandiose scheme came unstuck, and move me to tears at times of unhappiness for the character.

Because of my love for Annie, I'll be sending Annie Walker "Happy Birthday Dear" cards next year.

So, if you're a friend of mine, you know what you're getting.

Dear.

1982: When Annie Walker Met The Queen...

Flamin' Emma! The Queen? Visiting Coronation Street? Best get your glad rags on, lovey...

I've just been reading Julie Goodyear's fabulous autobiography, Just Julie, and the lady behind our favourite buxom blonde pub barmaid and landlady reveals much about what went on behind the scenes during her years in Coronation Street within its pages.

It's a lovely, lovely read.

My favourite anecdote (it was hard to choose) concerns the wonderful Doris Speed and something that happened in 1982. The new Street exterior set, bigger, better and far more complete than it had ever been before ("At last we had a real street!" said HV Kershaw), was all set for a visit from the Queen...

Julie recalled...

I FIRST met the Queen and Prince Philip in May 1982 when they came to visit the set of Coronation Street. I was wearing Diana and Charles earrings which I'd had made specially. The Duke peered at my earrings and said: "I think I recognise those two."

As the Queen came towards us, Doris Speed turned to me and said in a very loud voice: "Oh dear, isn't her make-up dreadful?" I know the Queen heard and I just wanted to die. At times I wondered whether Doris just forgot herself or did such things on purpose.

Afterwards, I asked her why she had said that. "Don't be silly, dear," she replied. "You must be hearing things!"

Darling Doris - naughty, but nice!

Sadly, Mrs Walker never made it further than Lady Mayoress. But she didn't let that deter her in her endless quest for gracious living.

1966 - Coronation Street In Australia...

Arrival in Australia: Pat Phoenix, Arthur Leslie and Doris Speed.

Coronation Street had been seen on-screen in Australia for three years, to avid response, and on 17 March 1966, Doris Speed, Pat Phoenix and Arthur Leslie (better known as Annie Walker, Elsie Tanner and Jack Walker to Street fans), together with the show's executive producer, Harry Kershaw, set out for "Down Under" to meet the fans on a three week tour. Granada Press Officer Norman Frisby was already there - having departed from England on 12 March. The tour came about via an invitation from the three Channel 9 stations which screened the show in Aus. - TCN 9 Sydney, GRV 9 Melbourne and NSW 9 Adelaide.

A wonderful first hand account of the trip exists in HV Kershaw's excellent book The Street Where I Live. First published to celebrate the show's 21st anniversary in 1981, an updated version was published in 1985 to celebrate the 25th anniversary.

Here's a brief extract:

The cynic might rightfully argue that the happy-go-lucky Lancashire bonhomie was now second nature to all "Coronation Street" artists but anyone looking down, say, at twenty thousand upturned smiling faces at the new City of Elizabeth and listening to their cheers of welcome could well have been forgiven for becoming a little 'difficult'. But Pat, Doris and Arthur stayed on an even keel. Not only did they carry out a gruelling programme, they each had time for the spontaneous gesture. I remember one morning in Adelaide, standing outside the Hotel Australia waiting with the party to move off on another well-filled day when a thirty-year-old woman pushed her way through the watching fans and nervously approached Pat Phoenix. Her mother, she explained, a great "Street" fan, was bed-ridden and, sorely disappointed at having missed a sight of her favourites, had asked if she might have an autograph.

'Where do you live?' asked Pat. The woman told her. 'Where's that?' Pat asked Rob Carless, our South Australian host. Five minutes away by car, said Rob. 'Come on!' said Pat and the surprised woman found herself being bundled into a limousine and driven home. Not that her surprise was anything to her mother's when, sitting up in bed she watched as the door opened and a glamorous, smiling Elsie Tanner popped her head round, said 'Hello, love! They tell me you're poorly!' and stayed for a chat and a cup of tea.

The secret of the tour's success was perhaps best summed up by a sardonic member of the Australian Press corps. We had been warned that the Aussie journalist was the most murderous of the breed but the trip was going so well we took our courage in both hands and agreed to a full-scale Press reception. The junket was held at the Great Eastern Hotel in Littlehampton in the hills above Adelaide and, after a wary start, artists, assassins and associates began to enjoy the boar's heads and barons of beef, the Foster's lager and the native (and excellent) champagne. At two o'clock in the morning I was buttonholed by a gaunt Pressman who pressed a glass of something-or-other in my hand and plied me with a few searching questions. Then he paused and looked at me.

'I'll tell you something!' he said. 'When we heard that you Poms were coming over we got out the knives and we sharpened them good. We were really going to carve you up!" His eyes flickered to Pat and Doris, fresh as the morning dew, Pat regaling one group with some tale of home, Doris holding court with another. And, between them, Arthur Leslie demonstrating to a bleary band of reporters the gentle art of opening a champagne bottle. 'But these bastards...!' the Pressman went on, his voice full of wonder, '... these bastards'd charm the birds from the bleedin' trees!'

Doris Speed On Annie Walker

Here's Doris Speed as Annie Walker, photographed way back in the Street's early days in the 1960s. Note how the Corner Shop is next door to the Snug at The Rovers in the studio!

Doris Speed was not Annie really, she was possessed of a wonderful wit and often told stories against herself.

And she was clear sighted when it came to Annie.

Speaking about Mrs Walker in the late 1960s, Doris said:

"I don't think Annie is really horrid. She's a silly, pretentious woman, and her silliness is amusing. Her judgement is wrong on almost everything, but she is not an unkind person."

Annie is the Number One favourite Coronation Street character of all time for this blogger! Whenever she appeared, I always knew I was in for a treat - another crash course in bitchery, or comic complications as Madam was brought down a peg or two.

And occasionally the character could move me to tears.

I recall Mrs Walker being visited by her cousin Edwin Beaumont in 1977. A real, live Beaumont of Clitheroe in the Street! The residents, who had heard so much about Annie's wonderful family over the years, were agog.

As it turned out, Edwin lied to Annie about his financial circumstances and borrowed money from several of Annie's friends and customers, money he was unable to pay back.

Annie was devastated, but she hid the facts from the other residents, made sure that the money was repaid, then saw Edwin off from The Rovers, telling him that she had a name to keep up - a very good name.

And she didn't mean the Beaumont name, which she had so often bragged about.

She meant the Walker name.

The end credits rolled with Annie staring at photographs of her beloved husband Jack and son Billy on the mantelpiece in her living room.

And I wept.

Doris was a brilliant actress.

And, through Annie, she made us laugh, made us fume at the character's bitchery and snobbery, and made us care.

Remembering Margot Bryant

Margot Bryant, Minnie Caldwell in Coronation Street from 1960 to 1976, was a great real life character - and the complete opposite to Minnie, great fictional character though she was!

Here we feature some quotes about the lady from people who knew her, and a few from Margot herself.

Whilst Minnie stayed in her home town of Weatherfield and, over the years, looked after her mother, Jed Stone and Bobby the cat, Margot had a great spirit of adventure. And whilst Minnie was gentle and whimsical, if something displeased Margot, she didn't mince her words...

"I'm tough. Very tough." - Margot Bryant

"We flew from one place to another in old Dakotas made of cardboard. Often they'd say, 'This plane is unsafe, you'd better change to another plane.' It was great fun and terribly exciting."

- Margot on her experiences in World War II as an entertainer with ENSA. She travelled through Europe and the Middle and Far East.

"Of course cats understand me. Cats are super-intelligent animals. It depends on how you treat them. If you never spoke to a child, it would never learn anything. It's just the same with cats. If you speak to them all their lives, then they understand you."

- Margot Bryant. The one thing Margot had in common with Minnie was a tremendous love of cats.

"Margot was barmy about cats. A friend of mine once telephoned me and said, 'Now I've seen everything. I've seen your Minnie Caldwell, on holiday, in Venice, feeding stray cats from a huge pile of tins, wearing a mink coat.' So I said to Margot, 'I didn't know you had a mink coat,' and she said: 'Oh, that's nothing - I've got a tiger's whisker, and what's more I went in the cage to get it!' So, anything that had four legs and whiskers... Well, obviously, we couldn't give her a tiger, so we gave her Bobby."

- Tony Warren speaking on the 1988 tribute show Minnie Caldwell Remembered.

Margot has had a strange love for animals ever since she was a child and first heard the Bible story of Daniel in the lions' den. At Belle Vue Zoo, Manchester, she went to have some publicity pictures taken with a lion cub - and ended up the best of friends with a fierce Bengal tiger which flopped down beside her like a great fur coat at her feet when she stroked him tenderly on the neck and tickled him behind an ear. Nobody else but the zoo-keeper would go near the beast.

- Ken Irwin, author, The Real Coronation Street, 1970.

Her appearance can be deceptive. Behind that gentle, old lady look there lurks a dragon of a woman. And she chuckles quietly to herself at the thought of the deception she often portrays in the meek-and-mild role which has guaranteed her a comfortable retirement in her old age.

- Ken Irwin, The Real Coronation Street.

... and so Minnie Caldwell became the character who earned so much sympathy from the viewers. What they did not know was Margot's ability to forget key words in her dialogue and substitute others that frequently made no sense. "My father had a dog once," she said. "It was a ferret..."

- Jean Alexander (Hilda Ogden) in her 1989 autobiography, The Other Side Of The Street.

I had only been in the studio a couple of days when, opening the door of the Green Room, I heard a little Minnie Caldwell voice saying, "And the car was so filthy I wrote F**** on the bonnet with my finger!" I could hardly believe my ears. "Did Margot Bryant say that?" I asked somebody. "You haven't heard the half of it!" I was told.

- Jean Alexander, The Other Side Of The Street.

She [Margot Bryant] had a way with words which was at times distinctly unladylike, and what's more she couldn't have cared less who happened to be listening.

- Bill Podmore in his 1990 autobiography, Coronation Street - The Inside Story.

"I liked her. We had our rows. Oh, we had our ups and downs. I once told her she was ruder than Ena Sharples was ever meant to be - because she'd been rude to some people that had come to watch an episode. They said, 'Hello, Minnie, my flower," and she said, 'How dare you call me Minnie, you oaf!' I was livid when I got to the dressing room. I said: 'Margot Bryant, you're ruder than Ena Sharples was ever meant to be!' And, with that, I swept off!"

- Lynne Carol (Martha Longhurst) appearing on the 1988 tribute show Minnie Caldwell Remembered.

"And Minnie was meek and docile - rather sweet, easily squashed... Margot was very sophisticated, rather arrogant, and could be very provocative..."

- Doris Speed (Annie Walker), Minnie Caldwell Remembered.

"What a pity it isn't a kitten!" - Margot Bryant to Eileen Derbyshire (Emily Nugent/Bishop) when the actress brought her new baby into the studio.

- The Other Side Of The Street, Jean Alexander.

"Certainly, she did project a sort of female WC Fields attitude, you know: I do like children, yes - on toast. I was unbelievably touched when she arrived one day and almost in a sort of shamefaced way, said: 'I've made you this.' And she had made me this little shirt for him, you see, which nobody would ever believe... I've treasured it now for twenty years and shall always treasure it because it was one of the loveliest presents I was ever given. But nobody would believe that, because never in a million years would Margot make a shirt for a CHILD, you know, a CAT yes, but..."

- Eileen Derbyshire remembers an unexpected gift, Minnie Caldwell Remembered, 1988.

There was a time when she [Margot Bryant] was having a few problems with her bank manager and he took her to lunch to sort it out. They went to a restaurant in Brighton, near where she lived, and a funeral party happened to be eating at the other side of the room. The chief mourner came solemnly over for the inevitable autograph and said, "I've just buried my wife." Margot looked at him very firmly and said, "Did anybody see you do it?"

- Bill Waddington (Percy Sugden) in his autobiography, The Importance Of Being Percy (1992).

And finally, for Minnie Caldwell Remembered in 1988, Doris Speed recalled how Margot, at that point not playing Minnie as a permanent Street character, visited her dressing room in 1960:

"She came to my dressing room, and she said, 'I've come to say goodbye.' And she wasn't looking one little bit arrogant, she was looking very sad. So I said: 'Oh, Margot, what nonsense, you'll be coming again - you were very, very good - which she was. And she said: 'Was I really?' And she welled over with tears. So there was a little bit of Minnie there, wasn't there?"

E-Mails: Street Intrigue And Mayhem - Then And Now...

Mike has written to ask if I have a piccy of Doris Speed after she left The Street. Here she is in 1988, Mike!

Rachel writes:

I've been tracing Street history and I wonder if you can explain why there has been an upsurge in violence, intrigue and outlandish stories from the mid 90's onwards to the present day?

Hmmm... perhaps it's down to there being more episodes and/or changing tastes in soap, Rachel? I'm not very well qualified to answer or comment.

If anybody can help Rachel, please drop me a line!

1982: The New Exterior Set

The original exterior set of Coronation Street was dubbed by some of the cast and crew "the street where the sun never shines". Overshadowed by surrounding buildings, it was often a bitingly cold place to work. Regular visits by local vandals added to its bleak and inhospitable atmosphere.

In his 1990 book Coronation Street - The Inside Story, Bill Podmore, producer/executive producer of the show from 1976-1988 wrote:

The set had to be made a mite more comfortable, and one improvement I engineered was to erect a six-foot wall a few feet behind each front door, and have it roofed over. In effect, a tiny hallway was created, complete with staircase in case the camera glimpsed inside. Most important, portable heaters could be installed in the worst weather, to give some warmth.

The Coronation Street exterior set, which was established in the late 1960s, was much smaller than life size, had no chimneys, and the cobblestones ran in a different direction to the house frontages!

But never mind. Until 1968, the production team had made do with a studio-built exterior set and the open air was vastly preferable, adding greatly to the reality of the programme, despite the drawbacks of what was known as the Grape Street lot.

To begin with, back in 1968, the wood and lath studio exterior set was brought outside but, according to HV Kershaw in his excellent 1981 book The Street Where I Live, a severe English winter wreaked havoc with it and so the decision was made, and the money found, to build the exterior in brick in 1969.

Original designer Denis Parkin oversaw the operation, employing a couple of bricklayers to do the main work and joiners to transfer the original studio set windows onto the bricks. Half a roof was built and filming could begin.

He related the tale in the book The Coronation Street Story, by Daran Little (1995):

"I think it was probably about eighteen months later that Harry Kershaw found some more money and I built the backs in the back yard."

The Street itself was a total sham - but the massive viaduct looming over it was impressively real.

A small viewing hatch was cut into the site entrance gates so that fans could take a peep at the Street, but there were no formal arrangements for fan visits to the site. Apart from Granada staff, various associates and visiting dignitaries, the only people that got beyond the gates were the vandals and a few lucky viewers.

Roger Nightingale was pretty darned miffed to discover that his wife Wendy was committing adultery with Ken Barlow in 1976. He bopped Ken on the jaw and dragged Wendy out of No 11 and into his car. In their angst, the Nightingales failed to notice the glimpse of cold grey sky and what appeared to be scaffolding and a plank walkway in the Ogden's house. Just take a look at the glass panel above the door.

The Daily Mirror, November 13, 1981, brought news of work commencing which would mean big change for the Street's exterior:

Drop In At The Rover

The Rovers Return, television's most famous pub, may open for real business.

The pub and the rest of the Coronation Street site are to be rebuilt on a three-and-a-half acre site in Manchester.

Yesterday actress Doris Speed, who plays the pub's landlady Annie Walker, cut the first turf on the site.

Granada said it hopes to allow the public to see the set when it is not being used.

Visitors may be able to call at the Rovers Return for refreshments.

This is Doris Speed apparently laying the "foundation stone" for the new outdoor lot. Is it that single brick laid on top?

Daily Mirror, 22/2/1982 - Hilda (Jean Alexander) takes a look at Number 13 as work on the new exterior set progresses.

The old exterior set was demolished in 1982 when work on its replacement was completed. The new one even has fibre glass chimneys!

On 5 May 1982, Coronation Street's new exterior set was visited by the Queen and Prince Phillip. Here's how the Sun, May 6, 1982, reported the event:

Prince Phillip popped into the Rovers Return with the Queen yesterday... and was chatted up by saucy barmaid Bet Lynch.

Bet - actress Julie Goodyear - welcomed the royal couple to Coronation Street and told Prince Phillip: "I would pull a pint for you any time."

Television's most famous street was decked out from end to end with red, white and blue bunting.

And Bet boasted proudly that she was wearing red knickers, with white suspender belt and blue bra.

She also sported three-inch earrings with pictures of Prince Charles and Princess Diana.

When Prince Phillip asked: "Is it opening time?" she told him: "I'd even open the pub up specially."

The visit to the newly-built Coronation Street set near Granada TV's Manchester studios was a welcome break for the Queen.

She is being kept informed of events in the South Atlantic where her son, Prince Andrew, is serving on HMS Invincible.

Actor Peter Adamson, who plays Len Fairclough, passed on a message of sympathy.

He told her, quietly: "It must be a very worrying time for you and your family. Our hearts are with you."

The Queen smiled and said: "Thank you."

The Queen, who is said to be a big fan of the TV series, was greeted by Coronation Street's own version of royalty, Doris Speed. She plays "Queen" Annie Walker, landlady of the Rovers.

Then the royal couple walked the length of the street, built in a former railway yard to replace the old set which was not considered authentic enough.

At Number 16 [actually it was Number 13 - Andy's note], Hilda Ogden - actress Jean Alexander - had removed her hair curlers for the occasion.

The Queen made a few discreet inquiries about her relationship with lodger Eddie Yeats, played by heavy-weight actor Geoffrey Hughes.

Cheeky Stan Ogden, played by Bernard Youens, asked the Queen: "Can I have the contract to clean the Palace windows?"

But she told him: "I think it would take too long."

A surprise visitor at Number 5 was Brian Tilsley, actor Chris Quinten, who according to the scriptwriters is working in Saudi Arabia.

Chris said: "The Queen asked me what Saudi was like and I told her I had flown back specially to see her."

A few doors along, at Number 11. firebrand Elsie Tanner, alias Pat Phoenix, chatted with the Queen about their favourite subject... pet dogs.

The Queen went on to meet the rest of the cast, including Albert Tatlock - veteran actor Jack Howarth.

Woman magazine, July, 1982, had the interesting idea of mixing fact with fiction and reporting the event as though the royal visit had been to the street's residents, rather than the cast and behind the scenes staff of the programme.

Hilda’s eyes shone with joy as she breathed the words. “It was the greatest day of my life. I’ll never wash these gloves now she’s touched ’em. And thank God Stanley behaved himself.”

It was quite some minutes before she was able to contain herself enough to put on her coat and head down to the Rovers Return with Stan for a celebratory port and lemon.

“Stanley did me proud for once,” she beamed, patting his shoulder. “I told him to ask her Royalty about cleaning all them windows at the Palace; we’d give her a special rate of course, and she said that they’d be in touch.”

Annie Walker stepped forward wearing her most gracious manner. “At any rate, I’m sure it was a wonderful opportunity for all of you to be in the presence of true royalty. I did mention to Her Majesty during the course of our conversation that I was delighted the sun had shone on her today. If I do say so myself, she seemed charmed.”

And the sun certainly had shone, doing justice to the Street, which had surpassed itself for spectacle and colour with flags and flowers.

It was the most important day the Street had ever seen. The Queen and Prince Phillip were actually going to pay a visit.

Best clothes were brought out, shoes were shined and sprays of flowers pinned on. Bet stuck red, white and blue flowers in her blonde beehive and donned a large pair of Charles and Di earrings, prompting a look of disapproval from Annie.

Fred Gee, red-faced with exertion after polishing the bar glasses all morning, had struggled into a new shirt and stood smartly to attention on the front step of the Rovers.

Hilda had been busy for weeks. With pride and joy, she pinned up her first new net curtains for fifteen years and then set about scrubbing the house from top to bottom. Stan caught her washing the best china. “What’s all the fuss about, woman, they’ll never come in here,” he grumbled. But Hilda retorted: “You never know, Stanley. Her Graciousness might be thirsty after all that talking, and I’m not having the place looking like a pig-sty if she does decide to drop in…”

The Queen and Prince Phillip stroll the famous cobbles.

It was reported back in 1982 in some quarters that the new exterior set had been built "normal size" but, as Jean Alexander pointed out, it was actually "more normal size". It was still rather a dinky Street, although via the magic of the TV cameras it looked fine.

And the production team decided to try and lay to rest the ongoing mystery of the toilet doors in the Rovers Return, which appeared to lead into Albert Tatlock's house at Number 1. A small entry was inserted between the pub and Albert's bay window, probably not really big enough to accommodate the ladies' and gents' conveniences, but better than nowt!

As for viewers being able to visit the set and have a drink in The Rovers, the Granada Studios Tour was open to the public from 1988-1999 and made many dreams come true. You could stroll down the Street, visit other attractions (anyone for Baker Street?) and a replica of The Rovers was built where real beer could be supped.

The 1980s exterior set is still used today. Big change came in 1989 when Baldwin's factory and the Community Centre were demolished and work began on the new houses, shops and industrial units. Further additions have been made in more recent years.

Annie Walker - Coated With Class...

1978: Annie discusses Billy's posh job in Jersey with Renee Roberts - although mother and son are both in the hospitality business, Annie feels that Billy, working in a hotel in Jersey, is far better situated than she is:

"It has one great advantage - it has a very good class of trade. Not like working with the rabble..."

Annie Walker, played by Doris Speed, was a Corrie favourite of mine since I was knee high to a grasshopper. Always grand, always pretentious, always being knocked down, Annie brought a great deal of character to The Street and much interest. She appeared to have more of a social life outside of The Street than most of her neighbours and her Lady Victualler friends were the source of several fun story lines. Remember when Nellie Harvey learned to drive? Or the horror of the Bingo Hall carpet in Annie's living room, which was revealed as such just before the Lady Vics were due to pay Annie a visit?

Or what about that dreadful time in 1980 when Mrs Olive Taylor-Brown visited and Fred Gee lost Annie's tickets to a grand local government function, causing Annie the humiliation of herself and Mrs T-B being refused admission? Until Hilda Ogden appeared on the grand staircase, clutching the lost tickets and screeching: "Mrs Walker! Mrs Walker!" Annie's joy at recovering the tickets was, of course, tempered by the horror of her turbaned char squawking up the stairs in front of the local dignitaries.

Annie was, and still is, a Coronation Street legend, and I was thrilled on a visit to the Granada Studios Tour in the late 1980s to see one of the coats she wore for many years on display, alongside one of Bet Lynch's old cast-offs. Of course, I had to take a photograph...

... and, as I walked by, I actually touched the garment!! It quite made my day! Although I'm sure I wasn't worthy...

"Now, I hate to sound snobbish and I am not being..."

1983: The Old Order Changes...

We'd lost long-established regulars Jack Walker, Minnie Caldwell and Jerry Booth from the Coronation Street cast in the '70s. Elsie Tanner had left for around three years and then returned. The Street's production team were well aware that the old order was subject to change. 1980 saw the final appearance of Ena Sharples. Violet Carson had appeared less and less frequently during the ten years leading up to her farewell. When Ena left The Street, bound for Mr Foster's, nobody knew it was for the last time. Indeed, sometime afterwards, the Daily Mirror carried an article entitled "I'll Be Back" - which told of Miss Carson's plans to return to the role.

In 1983, The Street entered stormy waters indeed - the year saw the final appearances of Len Fairclough and the newly-wed Eddie and Marion Yeats, who had met so romantically over the CB airwaves in 1982, and short-stayer Chalkie Whiteley. Actually, it wasn't quite Eddie's final appearance as he popped back to see Mrs O in 1987.

Before the end of '83, we knew that 1984 would see us bidding farewell to Elsie Tanner again. And, as it turned out, '84 would see the deaths of Albert Tatlock, Bert Tilsley and Stan Ogden.

1983 did have its up-side: the Duckworths moved into No 9. Vera Duckworth had been a character in the show for years, although never a resident of The Street. In November 1979, we first met her husband Jack, who was developed into a fully fledged character during various short stints in the show in the early 1980s.

In 1977, Vera had entered a glamorous granny contest at the community centre. But in 1983, as she at last moved into The Street, the writers gave some attention to her family background, did away with the granny concept, and introduced a crafty, cynical son, Terry, born in the mid-1960s.

One of the people most horrified to see the Duck Eggs move into Coronation Street was Annie Walker, of The Rovers Return. But sadly she wouldn't have to put up with them for long. Doris Speed fell ill in late 1983 and was never well enough to appear in the show again.

From the Sun, 1/10/1983:

Crisis-torn Coronation Street has been rocked yet again - by the collapse of actress Doris Speed in the TV studios.

Last night, as she recovered at home after three days treatment, she said: "I was very brave. I battled right through to the end and managed to get all my lines out."
 
It was hoped that Doris would be well enough to return to the show, but by early 1984 it was evident she probably wouldn't. So, Annie's retirement was announced on-screen, and son Billy returned to run his mother's old empire. Billy's short tenure at the pub was stormy, and soon the Walker era at The Rovers was history.

But not quite. It was never part of an episode, but Doris/Annie did appear behind the bar at The Rovers again. In 1987/88, a large cheque was offered for charity if Doris would step back behind the bar as part of an ITV Telethon. She agreed.

This was a very different Rovers to her old domain - burnt down in 1986. But there was no doubt that the new bar suited her and there was also no doubt that Annie was in charge - I seem to remember Bet and Alec Gilroy standing respectfully behind her as she accepted the cheque for charity from the benefactor ("That should buy you a very large drink!") and operated the new beer pump, commenting with typical Doris Speed wit that the old pumps had required more effort and were better at developing the cleavage!

Does anybody have a copy of this Telethon footage? I would love to see it again!

The tabloids made much of the Street "Crisis"! Inside the Sun carrying the news of Doris Speed's sudden departure from the studios was the article pictured above:

Coronation Street, Britain's best-loved soap opera, has been rocked by crisis after crisis in the last few weeks.

The star cast has been drastically slashed as one after another of the big names have been axed or decided to move out of The Street.

In the next two months we will say goodbye to Elsie Tanner, Len Fairclough, Eddie Yeats and Marion Willis. Bert Tilsley has already been written out.

And the future for Stan Ogden, Annie Walker and Albert Tatlock must mean smaller and smaller parts as they battle ill health and old age.

For Coronation Street addicts, it will be almost like moving house, with a whole new set of neighbours to get used to.

Characters who have had little more to do than lean on the bar at The Rovers will find themselves on The Street to stardom as scriptwriters expand their stories to fill the gaps.

Who will be the second generation of Coronation Street stars?

The Sun has been looking at the young characters now in the series, and working out how their parts could be developed.Most of the characters listed are long forgotten! Do you remember Pamela Mitchell or Don Watkins? I do remember Roy Valentine, who seemed set to become The Street's first regular black character:

From the Sun:

Roy Valentine, Len Fairclough's odd-job boy, played by Tony Marshall.

DEBUT: March, 1983.

A cheeky charmer out to better himself. He isn't going to let his colour stop him getting on in life or getting off with the girls.

STAR POTENTIAL:

Six out of ten. He'll be teaching the regulars how to reggae down at the new disco. And he could set the lace curtains twitching when he walks down the street with his first girlfriend.Sadly, the departure of Len Fairclough meant the end of Roy Valentine.

Then there was:

Curly Watts, Eddie Yeats' new partner on the bins, played by Kevin Kennedy.

Debut: August, 1983.

He's single but goofy, yucky and downright plain. Still he's got the sort of cheeky Northern wit that goes down well with a pint.

STAR POTENTIAL:

Four out of ten. This spindly lad with the John Lennon specs certainly doesn't look like a heart-throb but neither did Eddie. Maybe he'll be able to laugh his way into the arms of some girl.
Of course, for the more discerning viewer, there was Victor Pendlebury:

Mavis' one and only love, played by Christopher Coll.

Debut: October, 1982.

He may have a boring job at the local council, but at heart he is a passionate poet.

He nurtured more than just Mavis' writing skills when they penned a racy short story together. Then Mavis refused to live in sin.

STAR POTENTIAL:

Six out of ten. The Street needs another married couple and Victor could be the man to save Mavis from becoming an old maid.
And what about Des Foster?

Councillor played by Neil Phillips.

Debut: July, 1983.

He's a married man with an eye for busty barmaids. Bet Lynch's earrings started quivering the moment he walked into the Rovers and fixed her with his big blue eyes. She pulled his pint and he pulled her.

But his wife in the wings made even Bet lose her bottle and she gave him the heave-ho.

STAR POTENTIAL:

Nine out of ten. He could be the cad every woman loves to hate, a natural rival for rogue romeo Mike Baldwin.

If he ditches his wife, his return to the Rovers would give Bet's big heart a flutter - and he would be fair game for any other footloose and fancy free regulars.
This young lady got ten out of ten from the Sun...

Sharon Gaskell, Len Fairclough's wayward foster daughter, played by Tracie Bennett.

Debut: March, 1982.

The best news to hit The Street for years, a real naughty girl.

Sexy Sharon had her own fan club within a month of moving into The Street.

STAR POTENTIAL:

Ten out of ten. She's only young but she's the only female around with enough sex appeal to step into Elsie Tanner's stilettos. She'll leave a lot of broken hearts - and even broken marriages - behind her before she settles down.
Of course, The Street weathered its losses. And things didn't turn out quite as the Sun envisaged!

The Rovers Return In The 1970s - The Lady In Charge

Signed photograph showing Doris Speed as Annie Walker, Mayoress of Weatherfield.

Inscription on the back of the photograph.

The Rovers Return Inn, Coronation Street, underwent several changes in the 1970s, not to mention copping its fair share of everyday comedy and drama.

In 1970, Arthur Leslie, who played landlord Jack Walker, died. Much loved as the kindly and long suffering husband of snobbish Annie, there was no chance of the role being recast. And so Jack died too - on a visit to his daughter Joan.

Annie remained and the decade contained a mixed bag of fortunes for her.

She disapproved when son Billy appointed “common” Bet Lynch as barmaid in 1970.

She became mayoress of Weatherfield to Alf Roberts’ mayor, and took elocution lessons in 1973.

She was terrorised by two hooligans who hid in the Rovers loos at closing time and emerged after the rest of the staff had gone home in 1975.

She fought against Renee Bradshaw’s plans to open an off-licence at the Corner Shop, and lost in 1976.

She learned to drive and bought a Rover 2000 car - also in 1976. Of course, having learned to drive, being Annie, she rarely did. She much preferred being chauffeured by Rovers potman Fred Gee!

She suffered a terrible trauma when a lorry crashed into the front of the Rovers in March 1979 after the driver had a heart attack at the wheel.

Doris Speed was a true original, basing her characterisation of Mrs Walker on her Aunt Bessie, who used to lead the family at charades at Christmas and had a withering look to bestow on those who mocked.

Unlike Mrs Walker, Doris was a staunch socialist and possessed of a splendid sense of humour, telling endless hilarious anecdotes, often against herself.

Annie, the snob supreme of the Street, could have been hated by viewers, but the excellent acting of Doris Speed, and some terrific scripts, prevented it. There were times when we could have cheerfully throttled her, but other times when we were deeply concerned for the character.

I remember me and my family, all sitting around the telly with lumps in our throats, feeling terribly sorry for Mrs Walker after her son Billy had laid into her over her interference in his relationship with Deirdre Hunt. Annie had interfered because she truly believed that Dierdre was not good enough for her son. Once she had been found out, nobody could fail to be affected by Doris Speed’s performance as Billy told Annie that he never wanted to see her again.

What was clear about Annie was that she never acted out of “cartoon baddie” motives. She sincerely believed that what she was doing was for the best.

When Bet upbraided Annie for opposing Renee Bradshaw’s application for an off-licence, accusing her of doing so out of grandiose pretentiousness and a selfish determination to keep the Rovers as top dog for drinkers in the neighbourhood, Annie was shocked and hurt that Bet and many of her regulars believed this to be true. She explained, with obvious sincerity, that she had simply acted out of love for the Rovers.

I don’t watch Coronation Street now, but I recall episodes some years ago when Maureen Lipman played an Annie Walker-style bar manageress. Rita Sullivan commented that the Rovers was no place for a snob like her.

Oh, Rita, I thought, what a short memory you have!

It was a snob that gave the Rovers its highly distinctive atmosphere and many of its finest storylines, from December 1960 to October 1983.

Cheers, Annie!

-

Two sides of a Rovers Return Newton and Ridley beermat, sent to me by Granada Televsion, c. 1978. These were in use in the programme in the late 1970s and early 1980s.