Template:12 February

12th February 1962: Ken Barlow had long held conflicting opinions on his fellow Street residents, wanting them to live better lives but annoyed with the limits of their ambitions. Girlfriend Valerie Tatlock was aware of his attitudes towards his neighbours but in February 1962 he made the cardinal error of putting his thoughts into writing when he published an article in a left-wing journal when he said they were, 'lazy-minded, politically ignorant, starved of a real culture and stubbornly prejudiced against any advance in human insight, and scientific progress'. The local paper took up the story and the people in the street were up in arms to see themselves described in such a manner. The most indignant was Len Fairclough who worked himself up into a frenzy of anger and when Ken braved the Rovers made it quite clear what he thought of the young man's opinions. Ken failed to keep a cool head and strong words were exchanged for blows, the fight only ending when Len punched Ken senseless before he was thrown out of the pub by Jack Walker.
 * For more information see Episode 122 (12th February 1962).