Coronation Street in 1969



1969 was Coronation Street's tenth year. In November, the programme made its transition to colour, beginning with Episode 924 on 3rd November which was recorded using colour videotape, but with black and white location inserts and title sequence, and transmitted in black and white. Episode 928 was the first to be shown in colour and a new title sequence, the programme's third, made its debut a week later in Episode 930, transmitted on 24th November. (see also: Colour Television)

With the advent of Coronation Street's colour era, several of the interior sets were redecorated, and the outdoor Grape Street set was rebuilt in brick, although it was still only a frontage and contained no back yards or ginnel. Within the programme's storylines, the changeover to colour coincided with the Street residents ending up in casualty in the Lake District after their tour coach crashes. The last black and white episode was made entirely on location. Coronation Street would remain in colour until the ITV colour strike the following year.

104 episodes were transmitted in 1969. The highest rated episode of the year was Episode 854 on 26th February, which was watched in 8,350,000 homes, while sixteen episodes reached No.1 in the viewing charts - half the previous year's total. John Finch was the producer until Episode 856, whereupon H.V. Kershaw, previously Executive Producer, effectively became the programme's producer although he remained credited as EP.

The year saw several cast changes, notably Betty Driver who joined the cast as Betty Turpin. Also arriving were Cyril Turpin, Alan Howard, Bernard and Sandra Butler, and lay preacher and camera shop owner Ernest Bishop, who returned on a more regular basis after making a sole appearance in Episode 702 in 1967. Meanwhile, Bill Kenwright left the cast as Gordon Clegg, deciding not to renew his contract, while Anne Dyson as Effie Spicer departed the series in March. Additionally, Lucille Hewitt was absent for seven months beginning in August as Jennifer Moss took maternity leave, and Peter Adamson was suspended for two months late in the year, and Len Fairclough was thus absent for that period. The year also saw the brief returns of Billy Walker and Irma Barlow, both of whom would return full-time the following year.

Storylines included Minnie Caldwell going missing due to gambling debts, Gordon Clegg calling off his wedding to Lucille Hewitt, Annie Walker objecting to son Billy's girlfriend due to her race, Albert Tatlock and Alice Pickins's courtship and wedding (which is called off when the vicar doesn't show up), Elsie Tanner's dalliance with Dave Smith, Len Fairclough's engagement to Janet Reid, Dave Robbins moving squatters into the maisonettes, Ray Langton vying for Audrey Fleming's attentions, and the after-effects of the coach crash.

January

 * Len Fairclough pulls out all the stops to put his "fiancée" Marj Griffin off him. Ray Langton lends his friend a hand by passing off two boys as Len's children, which scares Marj off - but she leaves behind her monkey Marlon.
 * Billy Walker returns to the Street with his girlfriend Jasmine Choong. Annie pretends to approve of Jasmine but Emily Nugent, sharing a room with Jasmine, tells Jasmine that Annie's niceness is put on and Annie actually objects to the relationship as Jasmine is Chinese. After collapsing at the bar, Annie is looked after by Jasmine and reveals her true feelings when Jasmine tells her that Billy wants to marry her. Jasmine breaks her relationship with Billy and leaves, making it clear it's because of Annie. Billy also leaves as he can't stand being around Annie anymore. Looking for a scapegoat, Annie throws Emily out of the Rovers. Elsie Tanner takes her in at No.11.
 * Dickie Fleming is jealous of Richard Matthews, a customer at the petrol station who takes a fancy to Audrey. When Richard gives them cinema tickets, Gordon escorts Audrey. Hilda Ogden spreads it around that they're having an affair, little realising that a kiss they shared was for her benefit.
 * Stan Ogden decides to go into the antique business and buys Albert Tatlock's sideboard for £5, but Hilda bargains for a refund when it turns out to be too heavy for Stan to move.
 * Ena Sharples and Minnie Caldwell becomes babysitters for Peter and Susan Barlow. Ken gives Ena a baby alarm so she can hear the twins from her flat, but she uses it to eavesdrop on the Barlows.
 * Gordon goes for Ray when he jokes about Maggie being Len's bird. Maggie tells Gordon to stay out of her private life.
 * Ray's sister Janice Langton turns up, after giving her probation officer the slip. Ray doesn't like her flaunting herself at men. She considers going out with Len but doesn't as she knows Ray won't like it.
 * Hilda starts practicing clairvoyancy.
 * Dave Smith's Jaguar is stolen.

February

 * Hilda sets up professionally as a clairvoyant, believing she has "the vision". She's unaware that her success is due to Stan working behind the scenes to make her predictions come true, as he thinks she could earn a fortune for them. He comes clean with Hilda when a reporter investigates her talent. To put the man off, Hilda tells him the gift has left her.
 * Elsie and Dave try to make Emily uncomfortable at No.11 so that she will want to move back to the Rovers. The residents send Emily and Annie presents from each other but Emily takes "Annie"'s present as a bribe. When Annie expresses her regrets over her earlier behaviour and apologises, Emily agrees to return.
 * Janice confesses to Ray that she and Bob Neale took Dave's car. Ray returns it and takes the blame but Dave says £550 and two gold watches are missing. Janice caims to know nothing about it but Ray later catches Janice and Bob splitting the proceeds and goes for Bob. Janice leaves the Street. Ray thinks about disappearing with the money but Ena convinces him to return it to Dave through her.
 * Lucille Hewitt returns from staying with Concepta in Ireland. Gordon passes his Accountancy exams and wins £5 for being the youngest to do so. The couple start planning their wedding, with Gordon buying Lucille an engagement ring, but Gordon later starts being off with Lucille and admits to Maggie that he doesn't want to marry her anymore.
 * Minnie's debt at Dave's Betting Shop has reached £10 but Dave decides to wipe the slate clean as a favour to Elsie. He reverses his decision when Ena rows with him, accusing him of making chidren starve. A guilty Ena tries to help Minnie raise the money but he demands immediate payment. Ena appears to win when she finds out about Dave not telling the tax man about the £550 in the car and blackmails him, but Minnie is ashamed and disappears, leaving a note asking Ena to look after Sunny Jim. The residents pull their efforts as they search Weatherfield for Minnie, while Ena blames herself, fearing that Minnie could be dead. She's informed when Minnie is hospitalised after sleeping rough on a park bench for two nights, but Minnie doesn't want to see her. Dave tells Minnie he's limiting her betting.

March

 * Gordon decides not to marry Lucille and breaks the news to her after seeing her in her wedding dress. After a night out to commiserate, Lucille makes a fresh start, quitting The Posy Bowl for a job at Dave Smith's Betting Shop. She enjoys it when people think she's going out with Dave and buys a new bracelet, making out it's from him, but Dave puts everyone right.
 * The residents throw Elsie a party for her 46th birthday. She rows with Hilda in the Street when Hilda jeers at her over Dave and Lucille. Later in the month, Elsie starts thinking a man is following her and hears someone trying to get into her house.
 * The local community centre falling out of use, the Reverend Reggie James holds a meeting to rally the residents but people aren't interested. When the side chapel is ransacked, Emily pays the residents to clean it up, hoping to show James that the community spirit in the Street is not dead.
 * Effie Spicer decorates No.1 as a surprise for Albert but Albert doesn't like the changes and, refusing to pay the bill, he moves in with the Flemings. Effie gets one over on Albert by moving out, leaving to live with her niece, and inviting Alice Pickins to move in. Albert promptly moves back to No.1 and throws Alice, and her bird Kitchener, out on the Street.
 * Ken starts doing the cooking at the Barlow household and surprisingly turns out to be a good cook.
 * The Street has a power cut.

April

 * The Barlows take Alice in. When the pensioners boycott Albert's Easter Monday coach trip to the Fusiliers' Museum in Bury, Albert feels guilty and offers Alice her room back but she moves into No.5 with Minnie.
 * Len catches Arthur Green, a private detective, snooping the Street. He's spying for Lillian Smith, Dave's wife, who soon arrives in Weatherfield from London to tell Dave she wants a divorce on terms of adultery, citing Elsie. Dave defends the divorce and denies a relationship, worrying Elsie that her name is going to be dragged through the courts. When she realises she would lose Dave's inheritance money if she divorced him, Lillian decided to drop the divorce and have more money from him instead and returned to London. Elsie dumped Dave.
 * The pensioners of the Street form a committee to save the OAP clubhouse after finding out it's going to be demolished. Ena, Minnie, Alice and Albert form a sit-down outside the Council offices in protest, but it ends with Ena being carried off by a policeman and getting a caution. Undeterred, they have a sit-in at the Club house. The Council is saved.
 * The Ogdens go walking and get lost. They return on a milk float.
 * Gordon considers working at head office in London.
 * Hilda discovers Stan has a tax bill for £42. He takes a barman job at the Rovers but drinks away his earnings. Hilda solves the problem by selling Stan's window cleaning round to Ray, with Ray taking on the outstanding debt, but Ray is now Stan's boss.
 * On learning that the brewery is holding a Perfect Landlady contest, Annie behaves overly nice to the customers to get a nomination. When Ray nominates her, Annie installs a suggestion box and even gives Hilda a rise in exchange for her support.
 * Unhappy Dickie skives off tech and goes to the amusement arcade instead. He meets Sandra there and is offered a job as engineer. He takes it but doesn't tell Audrey.
 * Val bangs her knee.

Who lives where
Coronation Street Rosamund Street Others
 * Rovers Return Inn - Jack and Annie Walker, Lucille Hewitt (from January to August). Emily Nugent (January and February to December).
 * 1 Coronation Street - Albert Tatlock (from July to December). Effie Spicer (from January to May). Alice Pickins (from April to May and July to September).
 * 3 Coronation Street - Dickie and Audrey Fleming. Ray Langton (from July to August and November to December).
 * 5 Coronation Street - Minnie Caldwell. Alice Pickens (April). Ray Langton (from September to October).
 * 9 Coronation Street - Len Fairclough. Ray Langton (January to July). Janice Langton (from February to March). Alan Howard (December).
 * 11 Coronation Street - Elsie Tanner. Emily Nugent (from January to February). Bernard and Sandra Butler (from November onwards).
 * 13 Coronation Street - Stan and Hilda Ogden. Douglas Pickins (from September to October). Irma Barlow (December).
 * Corner Shop (No.15) - Maggie Clegg
 * Corner Shop Flat (No.15a) - Gordon Clegg (from January to March). Cyril and Betty Turpin (from June onwards).
 * Maisonettes: No. 4 - Effie Spicer (January). No. 6 - Ena Sharples (from January to July). No. 14 - Ken, Valerie, Peter and Susan Barlow.
 * Camera Shop Flat - Ena Sharples (from July onwards)
 * Fusiliers' Museum, Bury - Albert Tatlock (until July).
 * Albert Park flats - Ray Langton (from October to November)