36. Alf Roberts and Renee Bradshaw/Roberts, 1977-1980 (34 votes)
After being married to Phyllis Plant for 26 years, wooing Maggie Clegg and dating Donna Parker, Alf Roberts met Renee Bradshaw in 1976. She was the new owner of the corner shop and a friendship developed between the lonely individuals. A drunken Alf proposed marriage in 1977 but he quickly hesitated when he sobered up. But after some soul searching, he proposed again and Renee accepted. They married in 1978, but the wedding didn’t go smoothly. Renee’s stepfather Joe Hibbert accused Alf of marrying her for her shop to which Alf punched him.
In 1979, Alf was injured in the Rovers lorry crash and suffered mood swings and was rude to shop customers. Alf soon retired from the GPO and helped Renee to run the shop full-time. In 1980, Alf and Renee were offered to run a shop and sub-post office in Grange-over-Sands. At the same time, Renee wished to learn to drive. On driving home after visiting Grange-over-Sands with Alf, Renee stalled while going through traffic lights and a lorry crashed into them. Alf survived. Renee sadly didn’t, thus ending a two year marriage.
Did you think Alf and Renee worked as a couple? Should they be at 36?
35. Ken Barlow and Valerie Tatlock/Barlow, 1961-1971 (36 votes)
At 35 are Ken Barlow and his first wife Valerie Tatlock. They first met in 1961 when Valerie was visiting her uncle Albert. They dated and although Val had doubts that Ken was way above her station, they married in 1962. The newlyweds moved into N°9 and Val converted the front room into a salon while Ken became a teacher. In 1965, Val gave birth to twins Peter and Susan. During their marriage, both Ken and Val had affairs: Val with Dave Robbins in 1963 and Ken with Jackie Marsh in 1966.
In 1968, the Barlows moved into the newly built maisonettes. Soon after they moved in, Val was held hostage by convict Frank Riley but was saved by Ena Sharples. The Barlows nearly split up when Ken didn’t believe Val wasn’t raped. In 1969, Val got a job in Alan Howard’s salon, later owned by Dave Smith. In 1971, Ken accepted a teaching job in Jamaica and while drying her hair for their leaving do, Val was electrocuted, knocked the electric fire that led the house to go ablaze. Ken was in the Rovers at the time and the twins were with Uncle Albert. Ken was left a widower and a single father.
Do you remember Ken and Val as a couple? Do you remember them getting married? Should they be at 35?
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