Norma Irene Gee (née Wheatley) was employed by Len Fairclough for a few days as a housekeeper in January 1965. Two applicants had got in before her but one, Mrs Ainsworth, had been warned off by Ena Sharples who saw that she would make Len's life a misery while the second, April, scared her prospective employer but was seen off by Elsie Tanner when she was insulted by her.
Norma was the third candidate and on the face of things seemed far more suitable. She told Len that she was a widow and would make no unreasonable demands on him, stating that she always felt should be the master in his own home - and then promptly started to re-arrange all of the furniture and put up new curtains, refusing to take no for an answer when Len put up a feeble protest.
Len did think he'd landed on his feet when she cooked his first meal for him of a delicious Bean Cobbler. He was less pleased by a string of visitors who came in on the most frivolous of pretexts but were really there to weigh up Mrs Gee. Stan Ogden thought Len had landed on his feet whereas Annie Walker thought she was a woman of no breeding and suspected her motives, but conceded that she was good cook...in a plain sort of way.
The regulars in the Rovers were surprised when a man came looking for his absconding wife and gave his name as Harry Gee. Jack Walker refused Annie's order that he tell the man where Norma could be found, not wanting to get involved. Someone with less scruples was Elsie as the two women had taken a dislike to each other on sight. When Elsie heard of Harry's search she told him that his wife could be found at 15 Mawdsley Street and happily sent him on his way. Harry ordered his wife to get her coat on and come home with him, making it clear that this wasn't the first time she had left him. Len came in to hear accusations from Norma that Harry was a violent man and he was on the point of physically throwing him out when Harry dropped a bombshell - this had all happened before and Harry had once just been in time to stop Norma from entering into a bigamous marriage with the man she was housekeeping for at the time. Norma's previously gentle demeanour suddenly changed and she proved Annie's suspicions right on all counts by telling her husband - in a sightly-less than refined voice - what a louse he was. Harry asked her if she was coming back with him and she agreed, fetching her case while Harry told Len that the films gave her ideas and she always wanted better things, even though he had good job and they had a nice life. The two left bickering and Len was left to ruefully thank Elsie for saving him from "a fate worse than death".
- Credited as "Mrs Gee", the character's first name was given in dialogue
List of appearances[]
1965