Ernest Bishop

Ernest Bishop

Full name: Ernest Gordon Bishop Parents: George and Caroline Bishop Born: 11th August, 1930 Married: Emily Nugent (3 April 1972), Mawdesley Street Congregational Church Died: 11th January, 1978

Played by: Stephen Hancock Appeared: 4 September 1967 - 11 January 1978

Ernie was educated at Weatherfield Grammar School after gaining a scholarship from Bessie Street Elementary School, and he then follwed in his fathers footsteps by becoming a photographer, and qualifying as a Fellow of the Institute of British Photography at Granston Tech.

We first saw Ernie taking the photos at Elsie Tanner's wedding, under his professional name of Gordon Bishop. His father had died in 1956, and when his mother died in 1969 at the age of 70, he met shy Emily Nugent at the funeral. He took Emily on as an assistant in his shop, and two years later they were engaged.

Their courtship was clouded when Ernie was arrested and jailed in Spain for taking 'pornographic' photos when an assignment involving some business men and some models got out of hand. And later, he was also embarrassed to be caught drinking after-hours, watching a strip-show at the Gatsby Club. All of which is rather suprising as Ernest was also a Congregational lay preacher, and played the piano in chapel - though as an accomplished pianist, he also played at The Gatsby and accompanied Rita Littlewood when she sang at nightclubs.

In 1976, the photographic shop went bankrupt, and Ernie became pay-clerk and right-hand man at Mike Baldwin's new clothing factory. In January 1978, two raiders burst into the office, armed with sawn-off shotguns and demanded cash. Ernie tried to reason with them, but in the end capitualted and handed over some money - just as Mike walked into the office and nudged a suprised gunman, who shot Ernie. He died on the operating table at Weatherfield General.