60 Years of Corrie: A wander down memory lane
Tonight Corrie celebrates 60 years on air so here at ATV Today we take a look back at its many eras and popular staff in a photo special.
It’s 1961 and Coronation Street is the latest show to arrive on ITV. Airing twice a week it soon became the nations favourite saga. Outside Minne Cadwell and Ena Sharples debate the latest.
In the fictional world of Weatherfield the history of the pub can be traced back to the 1600s. Originally called The White Mare it was demolished in 1900 to make way for the current building.
The pub was owned by brewery Newton & Ridley, the first on-screen tenants were Jack and Annie Walker.
60s OUTSIDE
1969: The first time the pub is seen in colour with its green wallpaper and orange bar.
1969 was also the year we first saw the legendary barmaid Betty Turpin. She would become the pub’s longest-serving staff member.
In 1970 Jack died suddenly from a heart attack, leaving Annie devastated. She, however, had the support of her senior barmaid Betty Turpin, the pair were joined by busty Bet Lynch as a junior barmaid.
There were many great regulars back in the 70s, including Eddie Yates.
Annie Walker’s little empire, in the 1970s.
In 1979 a major incident caused chaos at the Rovers Return when a lorry crashed into the front of the building.
The outside of the Rovers Return in 1982
The interior looking festive, in 1982.
In October 1983 it was the end of an era when Annie decided to finally say farewell to Weatherfield. Son Billy was not interested in taking on the tenancy of the Rovers Return Inn however Annie persuaded him that the pub must be kept in the Walker family by offering to pay off his gambling debts.
In 1984 the Rovers Return battled The Flying Horse in the Weatherfield Olympics. The Rovers’ lads attempt tug of war, while Rovers barmaid Bet Lynch with pub cleaner Hilda Ogden and future landlady Vera Duckworth take to the egg and spoon race.
Another two regulars were Stan and Hilda Ogden, with the latter also the pub’s mainstay cleaner. Sadly after Stan’s death Hilda’s time on the street would be for only a few more years. Another short stay was Billy Walker’s time in charge; as his lock-ins saw him turfed out of the boozer.
To fend off a horrid temp-manager Betty Turpin urged Bet Lynch to apply for the tenancy (Betty feeling she was too old). Successfully Bet got the pub, but not long after it burned down thanks to an electrical fault.
The new-look Rovers Return Inn of 1986, it would remain virtually unchanged until 2008.
It was the end of another era in 1995, when with a failed marriage to Alec Gilroy and lack of money saw Bet leave the boozer. She was forced out when Newton & Ridley decided to sell off the premises.
