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Titles 1962

1963 was Coronation Street's fourth year.

Main characters[]

Ranking Character Played by Duration Number of Episodes Running total Previous year's ranking
1 Ena Sharples Violet Carson Full year 90 272 8
1 Harry Hewitt Ivan Beavis Full year 90 260 8
1 Valerie Barlow Anne Reid Full year 90 151 19
4 Martha Longhurst Lynne Carol Full year 89 261 8
5 Elsie Tanner Patricia Phoenix Full year 88 272 3
5 Concepta Hewitt Doreen Keogh Full year 88 258 7
5 Len Fairclough Peter Adamson Full year 88 241 1
8 Annie Walker Doris Speed Full year 87 270 3
8 Albert Tatlock Jack Howarth Full year 87 248 3
10 Minnie Caldwell Margot Bryant Full year 86 258 3
11 Jack Walker Arthur Leslie Full year 85 266 2
12 Ken Barlow William Roache Full year 84 231 12
13 Frank Barlow Frank Pemberton Full year 82 234 11
14 Florrie Lindley Betty Alberge Full year 81 225 13
15 Emily Nugent Eileen Derbyshire Full year 77 158 16
16 Jerry Booth Graham Haberfield Full year 67 100 20
17 Lucille Hewitt Jennifer Moss Full year 61 142 18
18 Dennis Tanner Philip Lowrie From April 59 155 22
19 Doreen Lostock Angela Crow Until October 57 145 15
20 Leonard Swindley Arthur Lowe Until June and from September to November 55 149 14
21 Sheila Birtles Eileen Mayers Until September 43 111 16
22 Christine Appleby Christine Hargreaves Until July 40 123 21
23 Jed Stone Kenneth Cope Until March 25 51 23
24 Myra Dickinson/Booth Susan Jameson From September 22 22 -
25 Alf Roberts Bryan Mosley January and February, August and September, November 11 36 28
26 Esther Hayes Daphne Oxenford February and March, May and June, December 10 61 26
27 David Barlow Alan Rothwell June only 2 30 -
28 Ivan Cheveski Ernst Walder Until January 1 64 24
29 Linda Cheveski Anne Cunningham Until January 1 74 24
29 Billy Walker Kenneth Farrington December only 1 40 27

Production[]

Sheila suicide

Eileen Mayers shoots her orginal ending to Episode 287, as Sheila Birtles attempts suicide

In May, Coronation Street 's former casting director Margaret Morris became its first female producer, replacing H.V. Kershaw. Kershaw continued to write for the programme and eventually committed to further stints as producer. Under Morris, Coronation Street adopted a darker tone, tackling a number of hard-hitting storylines.

Writers were faced with writing out Doreen Lostock after Angela Crow decided to leave. Her last scenes were aired in October, when Doreen left to join the Women's Royal Army Corps. The next question was what to do with Doreen's best friend and flatmate Sheila Birtles. Writers considered keeping her on and having her marry Jerry Booth, but eventually chose to have her depart at the end of Eileen Mayers's contract in September.

For Sheila's exit, Morris and the writers took Sheila to her lowest ebb, sacked from Elliston's Raincoat Factory and badly treated by her boyfriend Neil Crossley, with a tragic ending planned in which Sheila attempted suicide. Eileen Mayers recorded Sheila's suicide scene, in which the character was seen trying to take an overdose and then, after failing and vomiting into a wastebin, gassing herself. Before transmission, news of the storyline leaked and Granada was inundated with complaints, notably from the Deputy Manchester City Coroner Roderick Davies who accused the network of removing the stigma from suicide. Morris - who had issued a statement defending the storyline as being true-to-life - was ordered by Sidney and Cecil Bernstein not to transmit the ending of the episode to omit the suicide attempt (and to add insult to injury, Morris had to announce and explain the change, stating: "It was an idea of mine which did not come off.") In the eventually broadcast scene, Sheila only swallowed two aspirins before the episode was faded out and she became catatonic, remaining so until her rescue by Dennis Tanner, Len Fairclough and Walter Potts in the next episode. Sheila's re-written final appearance saw her leave Weatherfield to return to her parents in Rawtenstall.

As well as Eileen Mayers and Angela Crow, Christine Hargreaves departed, with her character Christine Appleby being transferred to another Miami Modes department shortly after breaking her engagement to Frank Barlow. Daphne Oxenford's occasional appearances as Esther Hayes since the end of the Equity actors' strike came to an end when the character moved to Glasgow for a new job; she would not be seen again until 1971. Lastly, Kenneth Cope left the show in March, returning to play Jed Stone again three years later.

Philip Lowrie returned as Dennis Tanner a year after the Equity strike forced his departure. Writer Jack Rosenthal, penning his return episode, was so fond of writing for the character that he shed a tear as he typed the words "ENTER DENNIS" into the script. Meanwhile, with Sheila having departed, Jerry Booth was given a new love interest in the form of pushy Myra Dickinson, played by Susan Jameson, and Christopher Sandford was cast as singing window cleaner Walter Potts, soon to be renamed "Brett Falcon" by Dennis and hit the big time. The character's signature song Not Too Little, Not Too Much, which closed Episode 307 on 20th November, was released as a single two days later and reached No.17 in the charts.

Australia became the first country to buy Coronation Street, specifically the Melbourne channel GTV-9 on 14th November. It quickly found a dedicated audience there which has remained ever since.

Viewing figures[]

1963 ratings

Ratings chart for the year

Coronation Street continued to outperform itself, gaining a yearly average of 17.79 million viewers and all months up on the same months in 1962. The biggest increases occurred in January and February, which were two million viewers above the figures the year before.

Episode 217 on 9th January gained the programme's highest viewing figures up to that point. This record was broken twice in November, reaching a peak with 9.1 million homes / 20.17 million viewers with Episode 306 on 18th November, which was the second highest viewing figure for any television broadcast in the United Kingdom in 1963 (behind the Royal Variety Performance).

Of the 104 episodes, 49 reached number one in the weekly viewing charts, eight less than in 1962.

Episodes[]

# Ep.
No.
Date Writer Director Viewing
Figures
(homes/
viewers)
Chart
Position
1 215 Wednesday 2nd January Jack Rosenthal Richard Everitt 8,740,000
19,228,000
1
2 216 Monday 7th January Jack Rosenthal Max Morgan-Witts 8,870,000
19,514,000
2
3 217 Wednesday 9th January John Finch Max Morgan-Witts 9,116,000
20,055,200
1
4 218 Monday 14th January Tony Warren Pauline Shaw 8,385,000
18,447,000
1
5 219 Wednesday 16th January Eddie Maguire Pauline Shaw 8,385,000
18,447,000
1
6 220 Monday 21st January Adele Rose Gerard Dynevor 8,636,000
18,999,200
1
7 221 Wednesday 23rd January Peter Eckersley Gerard Dynevor 8,389,000
18,455,800
2
8 222 Monday 28th January Jack Rosenthal Howard Baker 8,764,000
19,280,800
2
9 223 Wednesday 30th January John Finch Howard Baker 8,393,000
18,464,600
3
10 224 Monday 4th February Tony Warren Pauline Shaw 8,768,000
19,289,600
2
11 225 Wednesday 6th February Adele Rose Pauline Shaw 8,891,000
19,560,200
1
12 226 Monday 11th February Ray H. Dunbobbin Gerard Dynevor 8,918,000
19,619,600
1
13 227 Wednesday 13th February Peter Eckersley Gerard Dynevor 8,299,000
18,257,800
3
14 228 Monday 18th February Peter Eckersley Howard Baker 8,796,000
19,351,200
1
15 229 Wednesday 20th February John Finch Howard Baker 8,425,000
18,535,000
2
16 230 Monday 25th February Jack Rosenthal Pauline Shaw 8,677,000
19,089,400
2
17 231 Wednesday 27th February Adele Rose Pauline Shaw 8,553,000
18,816,600
1
18 232 Monday 4th March Jack Rosenthal Gerard Dynevor 8,432,000
18,550,400
1
19 233 Wednesday 6th March Tony Warren Gerard Dynevor 8,432,000
18,550,400
1
20 234 Monday 11th March John Finch Christopher McMaster 8,562,000
18,836,400
1
21 235 Wednesday 13th March Peter Eckersley Christopher McMaster 8,562,000
18,836,400
1
22 236 Monday 18th March Tony Warren Pauline Shaw 8,567,000
18,847,400
2
23 237 Wednesday 20th March Adele Rose Pauline Shaw 8,319,000
18,301,800
3
24 238 Monday 25th March Jack Rosenthal Howard Baker 8,698,000
19,135,600
1
25 239 Wednesday 27th March Jack Rosenthal Howard Baker 8,449,000
18,587,800
2
26 240 Monday 1st April Jack Rosenthal Max Morgan-Witts 8,455,000
18,601,000
3
27 241 Wednesday 3rd April Peter Eckersley Max Morgan-Witts 8,331,000
18,328,200
4
28 242 Monday 8th April John Finch Gerard Dynevor 8,459,000
18,609,800
1
29 243 Wednesday 10th April Adele Rose Gerard Dynevor 8,334,000
18,334,800
2
30 244 Monday 15th April Jack Rosenthal Howard Baker 6,224,000
13,692,800
4
31 245 Wednesday 17th April Peter Eckersley Howard Baker 8,339,000
18,345,800
1
32 246 Monday 22nd April Peter Eckersley Christopher McMaster 8,223,000
18,090,600
2
33 247 Wednesday 24th April Adele Rose Christopher McMaster 7,475,000
16,445,000
3
34 248 Monday 29th April Alec Travis Gerard Dynevor 7,978,000
17,551,600
3
35 249 Wednesday 1st May Jack Rosenthal Gerard Dynevor 8,228,000
18,101,600
1
36 250 Monday 6th May John Pennington Howard Baker 8,358,000
18,387,600
2
37 251 Wednesday 8th May John Finch Howard Baker 7,735,000
17,017,000
3
38 252 Monday 13th May Jack Rosenthal Christopher McMaster 8,114,000
17,850,800
2
39 253 Wednesday 15th May Peter Eckersley Christopher McMaster 7,864,000
17,300,800
3
40 254 Monday 20th May Adele Rose Vivian Milroy 8,119,000
17,861,800
2
41 255 Wednesday 22nd May John Finch Vivian Milroy 7,494,000
16,486,800
3
42 256 Monday 27th May Jack Rosenthal Howard Baker 7,749,000
17,047,800
1
43 257 Wednesday 29th May Adele Rose Howard Baker 7,499,000
16,497,800
2
44 258 Monday 3rd June Peter Eckersley Christopher McMaster 5,383,000
11,842,600
3
45 259 Wednesday 5th June John Finch Christopher McMaster 7,386,000
16,249,200
1
46 260 Monday 10th June John Pennington Vivian Milroy 6,956,000
15,303,200
1
47 261 Wednesday 12th June Adele Rose Vivian Milroy 6,956,000
15,303,200
1
48 262 Monday 17th June Jack Rosenthal Peter Plummer 7,847,000
17,263,400
2
49 263 Wednesday 19th June H.V. Kershaw Peter Plummer 7,594,000
16,706,800
3
50 264 Monday 24th June Peter Eckersley Christopher McMaster 7,851,000
17,272,200
1
51 265 Wednesday 26th June John Finch Christopher McMaster 7,345,000
16,159,000
2
52 266 Monday 1st July Tony Warren Howard Baker 7,736,000
17,019,200
1
53 267 Wednesday 3rd July H.V. Kershaw Howard Baker 7,482,000
16,460,400
2
54 268 Monday 8th July Peter Eckersley Peter Plummer 7,489,000
16,475,800
1
55 269 Wednesday 10th July John Finch Peter Plummer 7,489,000
16,475,800
1
56 270 Monday 15th July Jack Rosenthal Pauline Shaw 7,748,000
17,045,600
1
57 271 Wednesday 17th July Jack Rosenthal Pauline Shaw 7,494,000
16,486,800
2
58 272 Monday 22nd July Adele Rose Richard Everitt 6,862,000
15,096,400
2
59 273 Wednesday 24th July H.V. Kershaw Richard Everitt 7,116,000
15,655,200
1
60 274 Monday 29th July John Finch Peter Plummer 6,482,000
14,260,400
2
61 275 Wednesday 31st July Jack Rosenthal Peter Plummer 6,609,000
14,539,800
1
62 276 Monday 5th August Tony Warren Christopher McMaster 4,958,000
10,907,600
9
63 277 Wednesday 7th August H.V. Kershaw Christopher McMaster 7,119,000
15,661,800
1
64 278 Monday 12th August Peter Eckersley Howard Baker 7,630,000
16,786,000
1
65 279 Wednesday 14th August Adele Rose Howard Baker 7,248,000
15,945,600
2
66 280 Monday 19th August John Pennington Peter Plummer 7,760,000
17,072,000
1
67 281 Wednesday 21st August John Pennington Peter Plummer 7,379,000
16,233,800
2
68 282 Monday 26th August Jack Rosenthal Christopher McMaster 8,147,000
17,923,400
1
69 283 Wednesday 28th August Peter Berry Christopher McMaster 7,637,000
16,801,400
2
70 284 Monday 2nd September Ray Butler Howard Baker 8,279,000
18,213,800
1
71 285 Wednesday 4th September Jack Rosenthal Howard Baker 7,642,000
16,812,400
2
72 286 Monday 9th September John Finch Peter Plummer 8,284,000
18,224,800
1
73 287 Wednesday 11th September Adele Rose Peter Plummer 8,284,000
18,224,800
1
74 288 Monday 16th September H.V. Kershaw Christopher McMaster 8,418,000
18,519,600
1
75 289 Wednesday 18th September Alan Hardman Christopher McMaster 8,290,000
18,238,000
2
76 290 Monday 23rd September Jack Rosenthal Howard Baker 8,806,000
19,373,200
1
77 291 Wednesday 25th September John Finch Howard Baker 7,785,000
17,127,000
2
78 292 Monday 30th September Adele Rose Michael Beckham 8,557,000
18,825,400
1
79 293 Wednesday 2nd October H.V. Kershaw Michael Beckham 8,301,000
18,262,200
2
80 294 Monday 7th October John Pennington Vivian Milroy 8,492,000
18,682,400
1
81 295 Wednesday 9th October Lynn Foster Vivian Milroy 8,363,000
18,398,600
2
82 296 Monday 14th October Tony Williamson Pauline Shaw 8,238,000
18,123,600
2
83 297 Wednesday 16th October Adele Rose
Alan Hardman
Pauline Shaw 8,367,000
18,407,400
1
84 298 Monday 21st October Jack Rosenthal Michael Beckham 9,015,000
19,833,000
1
85 299 Wednesday 23rd October H.V. Kershaw Michael Beckham 8,628,000
18,981,600
2
86 300 Monday 28th October John Finch Christopher McMaster 8,762,000
19,276,400
2
87 301 Wednesday 30th October Robert Holles Christopher McMaster 8,891,000
19,560,200
1
88 302 Monday 4th November Robert Holles Peter Plummer 9,027,000
19,859,400
3
89 303 Wednesday 6th November Peter Berry Peter Plummer 9,155,000
20,141,000
2
90 304 Monday 11th November John Pennington Michael Beckham 9,163,000
20,158,600
1
91 305 Wednesday 13th November Jack Rosenthal Michael Beckham 7,873,000
17,320,600
2
92 306 Monday 18th November John Finch Christopher McMaster 9,170,000
20,174,000
2
93 307 Wednesday 20th November Tony Warren Christopher McMaster 8,782,000
19,320,400
3
94 308 Monday 25th November Peter Eckersley Peter Plummer 8,400,000
18,480,000
1
95 309 Wednesday 27th November Tony Williamson Peter Plummer 8,271,000
18,196,200
2
96 310 Monday 2nd December Tony Warren Michael Beckham 8,925,000
19,635,000
1
97 311 Wednesday 4th December Adele Rose Michael Beckham 8,796,000
19,351,200
2
98 312 Monday 9th December George Maber Christopher McMaster 8,546,000
18,801,200
1
99 313 Wednesday 11th December H.V. Kershaw Christopher McMaster 8,417,000
18,517,400
2
100 314 Monday 16th December Adele Rose Vivian Milroy 8,941,000
19,670,200
1
101 315 Wednesday 18th December John Finch Vivian Milroy 8,423,000
18,530,600
2
102 316 Monday 23rd December Jack Rosenthal Michael Beckham 8,559,000
18,829,800
1
103 317 Wednesday 25th December H.V. Kershaw Michael Beckham 4,539,000
9,985,800
n/k
104 318 Monday 30th December Tony Warren Peter Plummer 8,954,000
19,698,800
1

Storylines[]

January[]

Episode217

Sunny Jim and Ma - a match made in heaven?

  • Jed Stone falls behind with his rent because he can't sell his stock of Cyprus sherry. A sympathetic Jack Walker buys it from him. Sheila Birtles works on the market with Jed which worries the residents of the Street. After Jed jokingly tells Florrie that he and Sheila are going to get married, she alerts her parents who arrive from Rawtenstall to look over Jed, much to his alarm.
  • Black bus conductor Johnny Alexander accuses Len of not paying his fare. Harry Hewitt takes Len's side and reports Johnny who is sacked. Len then admits that Johnny was telling the truth. Harry admits this to his bosses, who offer Johnny his job back but, bitter at his treatment, he refuses. Harry becomes disillusioned with working on the buses and wants to leave. Concepta Hewitt blames Len for Harry's attitude.
  • Gamma Garments' sales are down and under pressure from Mr Papagopolous, Leonard Swindley makes Emily Nugent redundant as she earns more than Doreen Lostock and drastic savings are needed.

February[]

  • Harry and Concepta worry about Lucille Hewitt's performance in school but are told by her teacher that they are the ones pushing her too hard. Lucille starts to do a study on Coronation Street in the 1930s.
  • Swindley threatens to resign unless Emily is reinstated and Mr Papagopolous agrees to a six week trial period during which sales must increase or her job doesn't last. During that period the sales increase when the residents flock to the shop in a show of sympathy.
Episode 228

Alf comes the heavy with Joe Makinson.

  • Frank proposes to Christine who delays answering but starts to see Joe Makinson again behind Frank's back. Christine falls out further with Ken and Val over her relationship with Frank but Alf Roberts takes his side and threatens Joe to put him off Christine. Eventually she tires of Joe herself but before she can take any action, he finishes with her. Christine then accepts Frank's proposal.
  • Annie Walker serves some of Jed's Cyprus sherry in the Rovers and is caught out by brewery rep Mr Henshaw. Jack is summoned to the brewery to explain himself but the residents have sent a shoal of letters ahead of him supporting the Walkers and Jack is let off.
  • The rents on the houses in Coronation Street and Mawdsley Street are substantially increased.
  • Sheila agrees to a date with Jerry Booth on the condition that he finds a date for Doreen Lostock. To Doreen's horror, he sets her up with Jed who takes the party to a strip night at the Orinoco Club.

March[]

  • On her birthday, Elsie finds out that her rent is going up by 10/- a week. Dennis sends her an expensive watch as a present which she later finds she has to pay for herself.
  • Lucille's researches uncover the fact that Annie once played Lady Godiva in a pageant. The news stays under wraps until a horrified Annie finds out that Lucille got the information from an old newspaper kept by Ena. Annie accuses her of blackmail and Ena gets back at her by telling everyone about Annie's "shameful" past.
  • Frank and Christine set their wedding day, despite further opposition from Ken and Val.
  • Martha becomes the Rovers' cleaner.
Episode234

Swindley passes on the news about Miss Nugent

  • Emily is told that her position at Gamma Garments is permanent again.
  • The residents start to campaign against the rent increase but the landlord retaliates by telling Elsie that it is against her tenancy agreement to rent out a room to Christine. Elsie blames Val for telling Mr Wormold about Christine's occupancy. Esther Hayes offers Christine a room and she takes up the suggestion, causing Elsie to argue with Esther as well. She then suspects Len of telling Wormold but Christine confesses to Concepta that she herself wrote the letter, wanting to get away from Frank and Elsie but not knowing how to tell them.
  • Ena hears that her sister Alice Raybould is seriously ill and dying in Sheffield. Ena goes to stay with her for a week during which time Jed runs a bingo session and dance for the over-sixties club in the Mission. After the event is over, Jed disturbs the neighbours with his records and the matter is reported to the police. They interview Ena on her return and she puts them onto Swindley. The matter is dropped when no more complaints are received.
  • Harry sells his car to Jed but doesn't receive all of the money for it. Jed wants to move on and, unable to face Minnie Caldwell with the news that he's leaving, does a moonlight flit.

April[]

  • Albert Tatlock and Frank cave in and pay the rent increase but Elsie holds out, even when she is threatened by bailiffs. The residents support Elsie but matters reach a crisis when she is forced to barricade herself in No. 11 however Dennis returns unexpectedly from London and, unaware of developments, lets the bailiffs into the house. They start to evict Elsie and she is forced to give in.
Episode241

Christine tells Frank she can't marry him

  • At almost the last moment, Christine backs out her wedding to Frank. Saddened, he goes to Scarborough to recover from his disappointment. After a couple of weeks he returns, full of plans to leave the GPO and open a DIY Shop.
  • Dennis tells Elsie he's back for good and that Lenny Phillips plans to open another club in the area. A young girl, Mavis Fox appears on the Street, looking for Dennis's poor old gran who lives in No.11 and claiming that he lives in a large house and manages his father's mill. An amused Elsie pretends to be "gran"'s cleaner but insists that he tells Mavis the truth.
  • Teenage schoolgirl Rita Spears has a crush on Ken which amuses Val. When Sheila kids Jerry that she has another man, he picks up Rita on Dennis's advice to make Sheila jealous in turn. Ken tells Jerry Rita's true age when he sees the two of them in the Rovers.
  • Emily and Doreen are taken with two van drivers who arrive at Gamma to transfer some stock to another branch. They then realise that the drivers were bogus and that the stock has been stolen. The police investigate but Papagopolous is pleased because the old, unsalable stock was insured.

May[]

  • Under pressure from Elsie, Dennis tells Mavis the truth about his background. She returns to London to think things over. Elsie is horrified to find out how well off Mavis's family are.
  • The police recover the stolen Gamma stock. Swindley is promoted to Head Office and prepares to leave the Rosamund Street branch.
  • Ken opposes Frank's plans to open the shop, thinking that he's giving up too much security. Frank perseveres, signs the lease and prepares for the opening.
  • Martha loses Ena's pension book. It is found by schoolboy Michael Butterworth but less one week's entitlement. Ken stands by his pupil Michael but Ena gets the truth out of the boy – that he did cash in the pension and has spent the money. She reports him to the police but the residents turn against her for this act. Michael is put on probation.
  • Supervisor Mrs Dumbarton leaves Miami Modes. Elsie, Christine and Dot Greenhalgh are all in the frame for the position but Christine is the lucky candidate. She starts to annoy Elsie with her high-handed manner when she assumes the position.
  • Jerry and Sheila start to go steady.
Episode253

Elsie and Len - just friends?

  • Elsie is double-booked when Dennis books a table at a posh restaurant and Len gets her tickets to a Builders Federation dance. She goes with Len while Dennis takes Doreen out. Len and Elsie start to grow intimate but Elsie backs off because he is still married.
  • Concepta's father falls ill at home in Ireland and is forced to retire. Concepta goes to see him and sends Harry a telegram telling him to hand in his notice at the bus company in order that he can join her and run her father's garage permanently.
  • Arthur Forsyth-Jones, who Annie met on her holiday the previous July, writes to say he is coming to visit her. She sends Jack off on holiday to Scotland and awaits his arrival.

June[]

  • Concepta returns from Ireland. Harry resigns as requested however Lucille doesn't want to go. Harry takes Lucille's side in the dispute and Concepta walks out on him. Events reach a crisis between the Hewitts until Concepta sees the effect that it is having on Lucille and backs down. Harry though is now unemployed and finds it hard to find work.
  • Arthur Forsyth-Jones arrives at the Rovers and settles in. A jealous Jack returns early from his holiday when he rings and Arthur answers the phone. Arthur takes Annie to the theatre and the two don’t get back until very late but Arthur soon takes his leave of the Walkers and Annie admits that she went out with him only to make Jack jealous.
  • Swindley leaves the shop to work at Gamma's head office.
    DIY shop opening

    Tea and refreshments laid on for the opening of the Frank's DIY Shop

    .
  • Despite rent arrears problems from Ethel Tyson who occupies the flat above the shop premises, Frank Barlow's DIY shop has its grand opening and he is delighted when David Barlow makes a flying visit to Weatherfield to see him and the shop. Elsie takes time off work to go to the opening and give her support and is reprimanded by Christine for doing so. The two row and Elsie reports her to personnel.
  • Dennis discovers that Len and Elsie are together, seemingly on holiday, in Blackpool. He shows his disapproval when they return however Elsie calms him when she says they only spent one afternoon together.

July[]

  • The Hewitts find themselves in financial difficulties as a result of Harry being unemployed. He grows depressed on the dole but refuses to allow Concepta to restart work at the Rovers. He also refuses Dave Smith's job offer as a Bookie's clerk. After having to refuse Lucille's request for money for a school trip he gains employment as a driver for local firm Marshalls.
  • Miami Modes' personnel officer sympathises with Christine over her dispute with Elsie but ends up transferring Christine to another branch. Christine leaves the area.
  • Marian Lund has married and tries to arrange a dinner with her husband, Val and Ken. Val can't make the date and as Marion's husband falls ill just before the get-together, Ken sees her on his own – much to Val's anger. They are brought together again when Ken convinces Val that he loves her.
Episode 271

Dennis thinks he's struck gold with singing windowcleaner Walter Potts.

  • Dennis sets up Tanner Enterprises and auditions showbiz acts in No.11. He thinks he's hit the big time when he hears young window cleaner Walter Potts singing and signs him up, renaming him "Brett Falcon". Walter is thrown out of his lodgings and Dennis puts him up at No. 11 behind Elsie's back.
  • Gamma Garments' takings improve significantly with Emily in charge of the branch but she is disappointed to be told that Neil Crossley will be made the new manager. He arrives and seems a charmer but this conceals his true nature which is that of a workshy, uncaring conman, blaming Emily for his errors and raiding the petty cash. Oblivious to his faults, Sheila starts to see him behind Jerry's back and Elsie tries to warn him off but she won't listen. Jerry, smitten and thinking of proposing to Sheila, sees her and Neil together.

August[]

  • Ena finds out that Walter is lodging at the Tanners', as does Elsie who lets him stay permanently for £1, 10/- a week.
  • Jerry hears that Sheila has been seeing Neil for some time and the two men fight. Jerry bests his opponent who swears revenge but Neil himself grows tired of Sheila and starts to avoid her, then slaps her when they row. Emily loses her patience with him over his activities at the bookies which interferes with his work and demands his removal from the shop. Emily is duly made manageress and Neil is fired. He leaves, still owing the petty cash.
  • Len gets his divorce from Nellie and asks Elsie to marry him. Elsie is reluctant, scared after her marriage failure with Arnold Tanner but Dennis and Ena tell her to accept. After several week's considering, Elsie turns down the proposal on the basis that she gets on too well with him and doesn't want to spoil their friendship.
Episode282

The men get drunk on their outing

  • The menfolk go on a darts team annual outing to New Brighton. They get drunk and when the police intervene, Alf and Albert fight with them and are arrested. As driver of the coach, Harry is nervous that it will affect his job application with Amalgamated Steel.
  • Walter gets his first gig but the police are called when he sings in the Rovers.

September[]

  • Alf, Walter and Albert are all fined in court for their various misdemeanours. The regulars have a whip-round to help Albert pay his £5 fine.
Episode288

Sheila has a breakdown

  • Cheques that Neil gave to Frank for money cashed bounce and Ken decides to track him down. They trace him to Walkden and get some of their money back. Lucille gives Sheila his address and, still smitten, she goes after him but he rejects her. Distraught, she attempts to take her own life in the Corner Shop flat but is saved by Dennis. She leaves the Street for Rawtenstall and to live with her parents.
  • Jerry, Doreen and Lucille go to see Walter's debut concert which is a huge success and Jerry meets the concert organiser’s daughter, Myra Dickenson who falls for him. As Sheila has rejected Jerry, he starts to date Myra. She moves the relationship on several stages at once and assumes that they are engaged to be married. As Jerry’s apprenticeship ends and his wages increase they decide to buy the empty No. 13 and set their wedding date.
  • Swindley is unhappy at Gamma’s Head Office and misses the Rosamund Street shop. Emily resigns in order that he can take up his old position.
  • Frank puts up Ethel Tyson’s rent and she refuses to pay it. She brings in her brother and nephew – George and Jim Pickup to intimidate Frank but ends up paying the arrears after Frank has served her notice to quit.
  • Doreen decides she wants to do more with her life and applies to join the Women's Royal Army Corps.

October[]

  • Doreen leaves the Street after a farewell party at which Walter provides the entertainment.
  • Jim Pickup starts a fire in Frank's shop, using Lucille as an alibi for his movements, but she later confesses that she saw him going into the premises before the fire started. Frank threatens Ethel with the police and she agrees to vacate the flat permanently.
Episode299

Jerry and Myra marry

  • Myra asks Dennis to be Jerry's best man, not knowing Jerry has already asked a cycling friend of his called Vincent. Myra meets Vincent and talks him out of fulfilling his obligation.
  • The Booths are married and go on honeymoon to Torquay.
  • Swindley tries to organise a children's party in the Mission but Ena refuses to let him. The residents turn on her for her lack of charity although Minnie finds it difficult sending her old friend to Coventry. Ena is even snubbed at the Booth's wedding and returns to find the Vestry wrecked and her harmonium smashed. She breaks down and the residents feel guilty for their stance towards her. As she moves in with Minnie to recover, the police investigate and suspicion falls on Len who has a key to the building but admits he was too drunk after the reception to remember his actions. When the police find one of Jerry's hammers was used in the vandalism, Len is taken to the police station.

November[]

  • Len's key to the Mission is missing. Elsie provides him with an alibi which is quickly proven to be false. Ena and Ken remember the incident with Michael Butterworth back in May and alert the police to their suspicions. The police find the key in Michael's possession and Len is declared innocent.
  • Despite Swindley finding her replacement furniture and a new harmonium, Ena at first doesn't feel she wants to return to the Vestry but she eventually relents.
  • Walter is depressed that his career is not going as well as expected however his luck turns when he goes to London and records a record: Not Too Little, Not Too Much.
Episode 305

Elsie is introduced to the next man in her life - Laurie Frazer.

  • Lenny Phillips sends up his partner Laurie Frazer from London to handle his Northern office. Dennis is nervous as to what this means for him and his fears are realised when it becomes clear that he never signed up Walter to a proper agreement and a London manager has got in first. Dennis's bacon is saved though as Laurie has started a fling with Elsie and this saves him being sacked.
  • Frank considers opening a second shop with Alf as manager. Alf hands in his resignation at the Post Office only to find that it was a pipe dream on Frank's part.
  • The Booths return from honeymoon and after a couple of weeks lodging with Jerry's parents move into No. 13. They receive a load of new furniture which is all on Hire Purchase.
  • Ken takes over director duties on the school production of Julius Caesar.

December[]

  • Walter goes to London for a personal appearance and asks Lucille to go with him. Despite the fact that she has exams she sneaks out of the house and hitches a lift on lorry. When he discovers that she is missing, Harry calls the police and she is returned. After playing truant from school, she is banned from going to the school party.
  • Florrie has a win at bingo but is mugged on her way home however Jerry saves her bag for her.
  • Ken's involvement in the play takes up more and more of his time to Val's annoyance. He and fellow teacher Dave Robbins take over No.9 for rehearsals, use their furniture for stage furniture and Ken uses Val's Christmas money for money for the play. Dave Robbins is even invited by Ken to stay at their house over Christmas when his landlady is unable to put him up for the season.
Episode317

Annie is reunited with old friends at her This is Your Life on Christmas Day

  • Walter plans a "thank you" party for the residents as his sales and fame start to increase. Myra makes a suggestion for a This Is Your Life to be sprung on one of the residents and the arrangements are made. Dennis stages the show and his "victim" is Annie. Billy Walker and Joan Davies are two of the surprise guests and another is Esther who announces she is leaving the area to move to Glasgow. Annie is mortified when one of the stories which comes out is her appearance as Lady Godiva from thirty years before.
  • Joan stays for Christmas and seems irritable about going back to Derby.
  • Dennis is stunned when Laurie's nephew Norman Phillips arrives to take over his job and he is sacked.

Who lives where[]

Coronation Street

Mawdsley Street

Others

Awards and Nominations[]

Variety Club of Great Britain
Ceremony held on 12th March 1963

Coronation Street in the 1960s
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