Top 50 Corrie Couples - Nos. 36 and 35

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?

Check out who was at 38 and 37.

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Favourite Corrie couples countdown - fourth poll

 

Hello all! Now, I hope you've voted in the second poll of ten because that is now officially closed. But you have until midnight next Monday to vote for two of your favourite couples in the third poll.

So, who's in our fourth poll?

 

Ernest Bishop and Emily Nugent/Bishop (1969-1978) – After spending the 1960s finding a man, Miss Nugent met photographer Ernest in 1969 and found they shared the same interests – religion, community involvement, music and literature. They married in 1972 and settled at 3 Coronation Street. Middle-aged, they’d missed the chance of parenthood but had the opportunity of fostering in 1974. Ernie’s financial woes in 1976 strained the marriage somewhat as he accepted to accompany strippers on the piano at the local nightclub, much to Emily’s annoyance. He did find employment at the factory as a wages clerk but was gunned down in a robbery in 1978. Emily was heartbroken.

 

Dev Alahan and Sunita Pareck/Alahan (2004-2006, 2010-2013) – Sunita was Dev’s assistant at the Corner Shop and she was smitten with him. But it wasn’t until she had a brain tumour that Dev realised he loved her. Dev dumped his girlfriend Maya for Sunita who didn’t take it too well. She framed Sunita for bigamy and blew all of Dev’s shop up and tried to kill the Alahans by gassing them but they escaped. The Alahans then settled into married life and twins Aadi and Asha were born in 2006. But the marriage collapsed when Sunita found out about that Dev had fathered many children with his shop assistants! In 2009, Sunita re-entered Dev’s life and they decided to give it another go. But, in 2012, a bored Sunita had an affair with Karl Munro and Dev moved out. But after a few months, Sunita realised that she’d made a mistake and she reunited with Dev. But the reunion didn’t last long as Sunita caught Karl starting a fire in the Rovers and he pushed her down the cellar steps into the flames. Although she’d survived the fire, Karl finished her off in the hospital by dislodging her life support tube.

Ashley and Claire Casey/Peacock (2003-2010) – Ashley and Claire met when she became a nanny for his son Joshua. They married in 2004 and in 2006 their son Thomas, who was re-named Freddie after Ashley’s dad Fred died later that year. During their six year marriage, the Peacocks had their fair share of drama, from Claire’s post natal depression to Freddie being kidnapped by disturbed Casey Carswell who also tried to kill Claire and manipulate Ashley by having an affair with him. As well as dramas, Ashley and Claire starred in comic storylines that include a house swap with the Websters in 2008 and Claire forcing Ashley to have a vasectomy in 2009. The marriage came to a tragic end when Ashley was crushed by a beam in the aftermath of the tram crash in 2010.

 

Alf Roberts and Renee Bradshaw/Roberts (1977-1980) – After chasing Maggie Clegg in the early 70s, it was no surprise when Alf started courting shopkeeper Renee and many accused him of being interested in her because of the shop. After two proposals, they married in 1978. When Alf announced his retirement from the GPO, Renee was worried as she didn’t want Alf with her day and night. She felt awful when he was injured in the Rovers lorry crash in 1979 and was happy for him to be with her behind the counter. In 1980, they decided to sell up and move to Grange-over-Sands to run a sub-post office there. But while on the way home from a visit, learner driver Renee stalled the car and a lorry crashed into them. Renee died and Alf decided to stay on at the corner shop.

 

Don Brennan and Ivy Tilsley/Brennan (1987-1994) – Ivy met cabby Don in 1987 when he drove her home. Don was a widower, and he and Ivy married in 1988. But when her son Brian was stabbed to death in 1989, Ivy turned more to religion than to Don and the couple grew apart. Don soon found out that he’d made a mistake in marrying Ivy as she became obsessed with Brian’s widow Gail’s relationship with Martin Platt and the effect it had on the children. Don had an affair with Julie Dewhurst in 1992 and when she dumped him, he attempted suicide but it only resulted in him having his leg amputated. Ivy, devastated, turned to drink as she and Don slept separately. Ivy later left the street for a convent, where she died of a stroke in 1995.

 

Have you got favourites in this five? Well vote for two of them and we'll see where they'll be in the countdown! Voting closes at midnight on Monday, 2nd December.
 

 

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Corrie A-Z: C is for the Corner Shop (Part 1: 1960-1980)

With thanks to Daran Little’s Coronation Street: Around the Houses for all the info on the history of the Corner Shop prior to 1960.

 

For many years, the Corner Shop was a staple in every Corrie episode, where characters were seen talking and gossiping about goings-on in the street. And the shopkeeper had an integral part in the community: be it Florrie Lindley back in the early 1960s or Alf Roberts in the 1980s. But in recent years, the Corner Shop has lost its status and has dwindled into extinction, apart from the odd scene here and there.

 

At one time, the Corner Shop played a vital role in many episodes. Indeed, it played the central role in the very first episode back in December 1960 when Elsie Lappin handed the business over to Florrie Lindley after 30 years. It was through Florrie’s eyes that we met the characters as they came to the shop to introduce themselves to the new shopkeeper.

 

Prior to Coronation Street’s on-screen debut in 1960, the corner shop had proprietors since 1902. The first owners were Cedric and Lottie Thwaite who ran the shop until 1915. The Foyle family (including Tommy, Amelia, Lil, Elsie, Hilda and Shelagh) ran the shop from 1930 to 1947. Elsie, and her husband Les Lappin, bought the shop in 1947. Les died in 1952 and Elsie continued behind the counter until she sold the shop to Florrie Lindley in 1960.

 

Let’s take a closer look at who was behind the counter between 1960 and 1980:

 

Florrie Lindley 1960-1965

 

Florrie was a typical shopkeeper: a kind, caring and compassionate soul. During her stint behind the counter she installed a new window and doorway and opened a sub-post office. Irma Ogden became her assistant in 1964. But loneliness ate away at Florrie and led her to have a nervous breakdown and she wrecked the shop. In 1965, estranged hubby Norman re-entered her life and persuaded Florrie to join him in Canada. She agreed and sold the shop to Lionel Petty.

 

Lionel Petty 1965-1966

 

Petty was an ex-Army officer and ran the shop in an efficient but military way and his approach towards the customers was a stark contrast to Florrie. Even assistant Irma stayed off work to avoid him and when he was short towards Ena Sharples many of the residents boycotted the shop. As well as Irma, his daughter Sandra worked behind the counter as did Dennis Tanner. After only a few months, Lionel sold up the shop and returned to his native Wales.

 

David and Irma Barlow 1966-1968

 

Petty sold the shop to young married couple David and Irma. The first thing the Barlows did was close the sub-post office that had been in the shop since 1964 but in recent months had become unprofitable. They settled into shop life and were popular with residents. But within a few months Irma had grown bored and left the shop to work as a machinist at the PVC factory while mother Hilda took up the job of shop assistant, to David’s chagrin. Irma soon returned the shop and life was good until 1968 when David craved for a return to his football career. And when he was offered a place in an Australian team, he persuaded Irma that they should immigrate and sold the shop.

 

Les Clegg 1968-1970, Maggie Clegg 1968-1974, Irma Barlow 1970-1972 and Gordon Clegg 1974-1976

 

The Cleggs bought the shop as a new start due to Les’ alcoholism and a chance for him to stay sober. They arrived on the street with their ‘son’ Gordon. They were happy for two months before Les fell off the wagon and assaulted Maggie and thus ended their marriage. Needing help, Maggie took on Ena Sharples and Valerie Barlow as her assistants. Maggie’s overbearing sister Betty Turpin arrived on the street in 1969 to help her sister out but Maggie persuaded her to get a job as a barmaid at the Rovers. Valerie left her post as assistant at the end of 1969 when she got a job at Alan Howard’s hair salon. In 1970, Les and Maggie divorced and Maggie was given the shop in the settlement. Soon after, a widowed Irma returned from Australia and entered into a partnership with Maggie. As a result, Ena left her post as shop assistant. Hilda helped out now and again; Janet Reid was briefly an assistant in 1971 and Lucille Hewitt from late 1971 to early 1972. Irma sold her share to Maggie and moved to Llandudno in 1972.

 

Maggie was now the sole owner of the shop and took on Norma Ford as her assistant who stayed until the end of 1973. In 1974, Maggie appreciated the help of Alf Roberts. When he proposed, she rejected stating she only saw him as a good friend. But within a few weeks she married Ron Cooke and they immigrated to Zaire. Maggie passed the shop on to Gordon but when he clashed with Betty, he left for London and rented the shop to Welsh couple Idris and Vera Hopkins who moved to the shop with their daughter Tricia and Idris’ mother Megan. But they had a short stay when Megan found out that Betty was Gordon’s real mother and tried to blackmail Gordon into selling the shop to them at a lower price. Gordon had been told that Betty was his mother by Maggie when she visited in early 1975. As a result, the Hopkins were evicted and left in a midnight flit. Gordon did let Tricia stay in the shop flat with her best mate Gail Potter and they ran the shop until mid-1975 when Blanche Hunt took the reins with the young girls her assistants. When Blanche left the street in early 1976, Tricia and Gail took care of the shop. As Gordon was in London, it was Betty who looked after the shop’s financial side and reported to Gordon of any problems. In mid-1976, Gordon sold the shop to Renee Bradshaw.

 

Renee Bradshaw/Roberts 1976-1980

 

Renee took over the shop to be closer to her brother Terry. She soon sacked Tricia and Gail for being terrible assistants and Tricia left the area. Renee soon applied for an off-licence and waged a war against publican Annie Walker and won. Bet Lynch moves in as a flat tenant and Renee becomes her confidante. Alf Roberts romances Renee and they marry in 1978. When Alf is injured when a lorry ploughs into the Rovers, he retires from the GPO to help Renee at the shop. In 1980, the Roberts decided to sell the shop and move to run a sub-post office in Grange-over-Sands. But on the way from Grange, Renee is killed in a lorry-crash collision. Alf decides to stay put on the street and continue behind the counter.

 

To be continued...

 

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50 Years Of Corrie In 50 Days – 1980

Day 20 of our 50 day countdown of Coronation Street - written by blogger Sunny Jim.

In order to cater for Deirdre Langton’s childcare needs, she and Emily Bishop decided to set up the Coronation Street Secretarial Bureau. One of their first clients was Arnold Swain who owned a pet-shop and needed help with his bookkeeping. He took an interest in Emily but scared her off by asking questions about her finances. Deirdre truned private investigator to look into Arnold’s background and found that he was no gold-digger as he had plenty of money himself.

He proposed to Emily twice before she accepted and they were married in Weatherfield register office before honeymooning in Shanklin on the Isle of Wight. After the wedding Emily was shocked when Arnold started making plans to sell up and move to Derbyshire. But before the move could be finalised, Emily received a visit from an insurance man searching for a Mrs Margaret Swain. She was stunned to discover that Arnold had another wife to whom he was still legally married. She confronted him and he admitted it but said that the marriage had only lasted three weeks and he had told everyone that she had died to avoid the humiliation. Emily threw him out and she went to report the matter to the police but they refused to believe her, thinking that she was just a lonely old soul who had made it all up.

Despite having just recently signed a new contract, in 1980 Madge Hindle found out that her character Renee Roberts was to be killed off as the producers didn’t think that her marriage to Alf Roberts was working. Renee was learning to drive and she and Alf had gone out into the country for a meal. Alf had had too much to drink and so Renee got behind the wheel for the return trip to Weatherfield. Whilst going through some roadworks, Renee stalled the car and an agitated Alf got out of the car and made her change places. Before Alf could get back in to take control, a lorry appeared and smashed into the car. Renee was rushed to hospital and underwent surgery for her burst spleen but died on the operating table.

Also in 1980: Nicky Tilsley is born; Ena Sharples moves to St. Anne’s; Hilda wins a night out with Mike Baldwin; Bet wears Annie’s dress the wrong way round; Martin Cheveski comes to stay with Elsie; Eddie Yeats starts work on the bins.