Linda Cheveski

Linda Cheveski (née Tanner) was the daughter of Elsie Tanner. She grew up in Coronation Street, but after marrying Ivan Cheveski in 1958 and moving to Canada, she only made fleeting appearances in the Street.

1940-1961: Early life in Weatherfield
Linda Tanner was born at 11 Coronation Street on the 8th January 1940 and grew up in the Street, presumably attending Bessie Street School.

Like her mother Elsie, Linda was interested in men and eager to marry. At thirteen, she fought off her mother's boyfriend Chuck Nelson when he tried to rape her. She took a job at Elliston's Raincoat Factory and briefly dated David Barlow before falling for Roy Newman, an American GI stationed at Burtonwood. The pair became engaged but the whirlwind romance didn't last.

In 1957, she met Ivan Cheveski, a Polish immigrant, and they married in 1958. Their lives together began happily with a move to Warrington, but Linda quickly grew dissatisfied with the marriage as Ivan wouldn't let her go off to work. When she fell pregnant in 1960, she fled to Weatherfield and moved back in with Elsie and younger brother Dennis. Ivan tracked her down but she was surprised when he liked the idea of having a baby, so they reconciled.

Deciding to stay in Weatherfield for the time being, the Cheveskis bought 9 Coronation Street and moved in. Linda gave birth to a baby boy on 14th June 1961 after two days in labour. Although Linda settled into motherhood well in Weatherfield, Ivan became interested in a job at his friend's firm in Canada. Linda was less keen on emigrating and ripped up the forms. Eventually she agreed, but didn't tell Elsie - eventually Ena Sharples told her. The Cheveskis left the country as planned a week later.

1962 onwards: Later years
Linda, Ivan and Paul returned to the UK for Christmas 1962, and Linda admitted to Elsie she wasn't happy in Canada. Although Ivan was offered his old job back, they returned to Montreal. During her brief visit, Linda became suspicious that Elsie was having an affair with Len Fairclough.

The family returned again in 1966, but although Linda wanted to stay in Weatherfield, Ivan had his heart set on Birmingham. Linda had been having an affair with a Canadian called Mike, and didn't know whether or not to return to Ivan.



As Linda was about to follow her husband to Birmingham, Paul went missing - he later turned up, having been rescued from the canal by a mystery man. The incident brought Ivan back to Weatherfield, and the Cheveskis reconciled again, and moved to Birmingham.

Aside from a brief return for Elsie's wedding to Steve Tanner in 1967, Christmas that year and Dennis's wedding the folloiwng year, Linda was not seen on the Street again until 1984, when she was entrusted by Elsie to take care of the sale of No.11. By this time, Linda had divorced Ivan and hoped to stay in Weatherfield, but Elsie was adament the house be sold. Linda sold up to Bill Webster for £11,500 and left the Street again.

Linda and Ivan also had a second son, Martin Cheveski, born in 1964.

Background information

 * Linda was one of the original characters of Coronation Street. She appeared in the first scene in Episode 1. Although she did not appear continuously between 1960 and 1984, in terms of time between first and last appearances in the programme Anne Cunningham was the longest serving actress of the original cast.
 * Linda and Ivan's emigration to Canada in 1961 came about because the Equity actors' strike prevented Anne Cunningham from renewing her contract.

Quotes
"I brought you some empties. Oh, and I want a quarter of boiled ham" (First line)