Fred Hamilton

Fred Hamilton was a manager at Newton & Ridley who in February 1963 summoned Jack Walker to the head office to explain why he had gone against the tenancy agreement by buying in stock from elsewhere, specifically six bottles of sweet sherry from Jed Stone, as discovered by rep Mr Henshaw.

Fred was an old friend of Jack's from prior to his time as a manager and he therefore expected an easy ride from him. He was therefore perturbed when he came into Fred's office and received the age-old treatment of having to wait while he finished writing a document, with the intention of making him feel small. Fred then launched into a stern lecture, saying that things had got slack recently in the firm and he intended to tighten things up, even if it meant making an example of someone, and that included Jack for buying in the sherry. Jack wasn't to be railroaded though and gave as good as he got, accusing Fred of turning into a dictator.

At that moment, Fred burst out laughing, say Jack had fallen hook, line and sinker for his deception, and leading Jack to realise that his old friend hadn't lost the practical joking side of his character after many years. Fred immediately told Jack to forget the matter of the sherry and assured him that he had put Mr Henshaw in his place over his report. For good measure, he also showed him a batch of letters he had received that day from his customers, including Elsie Tanner, Len Fairclough and Ena Sharples, all supporting Jack as the ideal landlord. Pleased and delighted, Jack hurried back home to break the good news to Annie.

Typically, she wouldn't let Jack get in a word in about the visit, having jumped to her own conclusions and thinking they had been thrown out of their jobs. Jack couldn't bothered trying to interrupt to put her right and in a frenzy of anger, she told Concepta Hewitt that she intended to give Fred a piece of her mind and stormed off to the brewery. Jack rang Fred and forewarned him but Fred looked forward to crossing swords with her again after such a long time. Annie entered Fred's office in a cold and imperious manner and told him what she thought of his actions. He laughingly put her at her ease and told her it was a little joke on Jack's part. Annie wasn't amused at first but, charmed by Fred, had recovered her mood by the time that she had returned to the pub.