Coronation Street in 1961



1961 was Coronation Street's second year of production and first full year on air. It contained the Street's first wedding and birth, as well as the first appearances of many characters who would be with the show for many years, including Len Fairclough, Valerie Tatlock, Billy Walker and Emily Nugent (later Bishop).

In February, the series moved from its Wednesday and Friday slots to Monday and Wednesday, and all episodes started being recorded as live a week before broadcast. By March, all UK ITV regions were showing Coronation Street, with ATV in the Midlands the last region to pick it up.

The series climbed steadily up the ratings in the year, first reaching the national top ten with Episode 25 on 6th March (9th place), the No.1 spot with Episode 73 on 23rd August and achieved its highest rating with Episode 101 on 29th November when 7,491,000 homes watched the programme.

102 new episodes were broadcast on ITV in 1961.

Main cast

 * Len Fairclough - Peter Adamson
 * Florrie Lindley - Betty Alberge
 * Harry Hewitt - Ivan Beavis
 * Minnie Caldwell - Margot Bryant
 * Martha Longhurst - Lynne Carol
 * Ena Sharples - Violet Carson
 * Jed Stone - Kenneth Cope (April to November)
 * Doreen Lostock - Angela Crow
 * Linda Cheveski - Anne Cunningham (until December)
 * Miss Nugent - Eileen Derbyshire
 * Ida Barlow - Noel Dyson (until September)
 * Billy Walker - Kenneth Farrington (January to August)
 * Christine Hardman - Christine Hargreaves
 * Albert Tatlock - Jack Howarth
 * Dennis Tanner - Philip Lowrie
 * Concepta Riley/Hewitt - Doreen Keogh
 * Jack Walker - Arthur Leslie
 * Leonard Swindley - Arthur Lowe
 * Sheila Birtles - Eileen Mayers
 * Lucille Hewitt - Jennifer Moss
 * Esther Hayes - Daphne Oxenford
 * Frank Barlow - Frank Pemberton
 * Elsie Tanner - Patricia Phoenix
 * Valerie Tatlock - Anne Reid (August to October)
 * Kenneth Barlow - William Roache
 * David Barlow - Alan Rothwell (until June)
 * Annie Walker - Doris Speed
 * Ivan Cheveski - Ernst Walder (until December)

January

 * Christine Hardman breaks off her relationship with boyfriend Malcolm Wilkinson for not supporting her after her mother's death. The insurance policy claim on May is invalid and Christine is short of money. Plumber Joe Makinson takes pity on her over an outstanding bill and ends up paying it himself. The two start going out together.
 * Elsie Tanner's estranged husband Arnold turns up after an absence of fifteen years to ask for a divorce so that he can marry girlfriend Norah Dawson. Elsie at first refuses until Arnold threatens to divorce her for a fling she had during the war. Seeing Arnold Ena Sharples jumps to the conclusion that Elsie has a new fellah and spreads gossip to this effect. A furious Elsie has a slanging match with her in the Rovers.
 * Despite his parent's protest, Ken Barlow goes on a "Ban the Bomb" march with Susan Cunningham.
 * Harry Hewitt, newly promoted to inspector on the buses, takes Concepta Riley out to a dance. He also dates clippie Eileen Hughes much to the chagrin of Florrie Lindley who fancies her own chances.
 * Albert Tatlock collapses in No.1. He refuses to move in with his daughter Beattie Pearson.
 * Billy Walker returns home to the Rovers after completing his National Service.
 * Burglars strike when they steal £6 from No.11.
 * A gas main explodes and the police tell the residents to evacuate to the Mission of Glad Tidings.

Who lives where
Coronation Street residents Others
 * Rovers Return Inn - Jack and Annie Walker. Concepta Riley (until October). Billy Walker (from January to August). Joan Davies (from February to March). Nona Willis (from September to October).
 * 1 Coronation Street - Albert Tatlock (until December). Valerie Tatlock (from August to October)
 * 3 Coronation Street - Frank, Ida (to September), Kenneth and David Barlow (to June). Nancy Leathers (June to September)
 * 5 Coronation Street - Esther Hayes. Tom Hayes (from May to July)
 * 7 Coronation Street - Harry Hewitt. Lucille Hewitt (from March). Alice Burgess (from March to May). Concepta Hewitt (from October)
 * 9 Coronation Street - Ivan and Linda Cheveski (from April) Paul Cheveski (from July)
 * 11 Coronation Street - Dennis and Dennis Tanner
 * 13 Coronation Street - Christine Hardman. Jean Stark (from May onwards but date of departure not known. Christine is living by herself by June 1962)
 * Corner Shop (No.15) - Florrie Lindley
 * Corner Shop Flat (No.15a) - (empty until October) Phil Braithwaite and Norman Dobson (from October onwards but date of departure not known. The flat is empty again by January 1962)
 * Vestry - Ena Sharples (Except April to May and November onwards). Emily Nugent (April to May). Albert Tatlock (from December).
 * Mawdsley Street - Martha Longhurst, Len Fairclough, Ena Sharples with Martha from April to May
 * 15 Jubilee Terrace - Minnie Caldwell and Amy Carlton. Ena Sharples joins them from November onwards
 * Warrington - Ivan and Linda Cheveski (until April)