Constable Wilcox

Constable Wilcox was on duty outside Weatherfield Town Hall when it was besieged by a group of protesting pensioners, led by Ena Sharples, in April 1969.

Prior to their arrival, Wilcox had been bored and was caught yawning by his Police Inspector but they were both soon wide awake when the group of some twenty OAP's arrived singing We Shall Overcome appeared from nowhere. The Inspector took fright and scarpered, telling a disbelieving Wilcox to get in touch with him should things get out of control. The object of the protest was the planned closure of an OAP Clubhouse to make way for a car park. Ena delivered a petition opposing the plan to "the town clerk's junior clerk" but she was told it was too late for the council's deliberation and the demolition would be taking place the next day. Ena directed her cohorts to sit down in the middle of the road as the next stage of their protest. A nervous Wilcox approaching a derisory Ena and told her she was in breach of by-laws and faced arrest but, pointing out that their cells didn't have enough room for all of them, she told him that the best thing he could do was to go back to the station for a nice cup of tea.

Wilcox returned with the Inspector who told her of the traffic jams she was causing and he threatened to remove her forcibly but she refused to listen. After some four hours of protest, Ena was bodily lifted from the ground by Wilcox and a colleague and the Inspector ordered them to take her to the station where she was duly cautioned.


 * The role of Constable Wilcox marked the television debut of actor Richard Beckinsale. He went on to become a household name in the 1970s with a string of sitcom hits.