Martha Longhurst

Martha Longhurst (née Hartley) was a close friend of Ena Sharples and Minnie Caldwell until she died of a heart attack in the snug of the Rovers Return on 19th May 1964.

Biography
In her youth Martha had enjoyed a flirtation with Handel Gartside cut short by his emigration to Canada as a result of the depression. She was also involved with Ted Ashley before he left to make his fortune in Australia.

Martha instead married Percy Longhurst on 18th May 1919 and went on to have a daughter, Lily and a son, Harold. Martha was proud of her daughter Lily and her son-in-law Wilf. Constantly referring to the conspicuous success of her son-in-law Martha was cut down to size when Ena said Wilf earned so much by working nights.

Martha was a fellow denizen of the snug along with Ena Sharples and Minnie Caldwell. She lived in Mawdsley Street and was employed as cleaner at the Rovers Return Inn, and also briefly as caretaker of the Mission of Glad Tidings. More likely to speak her mind openly to Ena than Minnie she was often criticised for her continuous references to Lily.

During the Blitz Martha's home was bombed. Percy and Ena feared she was dead. The panic was destroyed when Martha walked over and in her usual tone questioned.. "What, you cryin' bout..here, where's me house?". Martha and Percy moved into 13 Coronation Street until the house was rebuilt.

Martha fell out with her Ena when in late 1960 she was asked to temporarily take over Ena's job as care-taker at the Glad Tidings Mission Hall. Ena thought that Martha was taking the opportunity provided by Ena's hospitalisation to steal her job. Her friendship with Ena was often fractious, and when Ena moved in with Martha after being sacked from the mission and subsequently evicted from her home in the Vestry, Martha was driven to write to an Agony aunt seeking advice. Discussing the situation with Minnie she was shocked to find that Minnie had deliberately let Martha take Ena in so that she wouldn't have to cope with her twenty-four hours a day.

Martha was critical of the ways of the younger generation and was responsible for Len Fairclough getting the sack from his job at Birtwistles. She had complained about him spending too much time with Elsie Tanner despite being a married man.

Martha collected the pensions of Ena and Minnie for them on a regular basis and this was to lead to trouble when, in 1963, she lost Ena's pension book. In 1963 she became cleaner of the Rovers Return, and also worked in a similar capacity at the Viaduct Sporting Club.

In 1964 romance entered Martha's life when Ted Ashley returned from Australia for the first time in fifty years. Hoping to continue the romance of her youth Martha followed Ted to London, hoping that he would propose. She returned to Weatherfield disappointed.

Martha spent her last days daydreaming of a holiday in the sun. She had been invited to go on holiday abroad to help look after her grandchildren. She bought her first passport and was proudly showed it off to anyone who showed the slightest interest. It was during a singsong at a party in the Rovers thrown by Frank Barlow that she became ill, un-noticed by anyone else. Dying of a heart attack alone in the snug, she was eventually spotted by Myra Booth who thought she had fallen asleep.

In 1970 Handel Gartside returned to Weatherfield and was saddened to discover that Martha had passed away.

First Words
"Evening. Have you got a packet of crisps?" To Annie Walker

Final Words
"Can i have a large sherry ?" to Concepta Riley