Billy Pickles

Billy Pickles was one of two brothers who broke into the Corner Shop one night in July 1968, forcing open the storeroom window to gain entry. Maggie and Gordon Clegg had gone away to Llandudno for a few days and Ena Sharples was in residence at the time. The sound of the break-in woke her up and she came down to the shop with a poker in her hand for protection. Billy and his younger brother Frank came out of hiding, surprising Ena when she saw how young the burglars were. They told her their mother was out and the nervous Frank gave her their names and address while Frank was more sanguine, having had dealings with the police before. Frank begged Ena not to call the police and she ripped into Billy for getting his brother into trouble. She let them go but told them to return the next day as she had jobs for them to do.

Maggie and Gordon returned from their trip away in the morning and heard the news. Maggie didn't expect the boys to return but was surprised when they did so, however Billy admitted that it had been at Frank's prompting.

Ena put them to work, Frank out delivering orders and Billy cleaning the shop and winding up Gordon in the process. Ena told Billy that Frank had been sent out with the orders because she trusted him more but nevertheless complimented him on his cleaning. He admitted that he could do a good job of anything if he put his mind to it but refused to admit that there was any vocation or interest that appealed to him and admitted that his life was going to be a complete waste but he came back at Ena, asking what she had done with her life that was so good. Before she could answer, Frank returned from his errands and she sent the boys on their way, telling Frank to knock some sense into his older brother when he was big enough. Her final act was to put some money into the till for a stolen chocolate bar that she had spotted in Billy's back pocket, admitting to Maggie that she had failed with him but she hoped that she had put Frank on the right track.