Sandra (Episode 198)

Sandra was a young well-to-do woman who Geoffrey Simpson brought along to dinner at 9 Coronation Street in November 1962 following an invitation from Ken Barlow. Geoffrey and Ken had previously gone to Manchester University together and were re-connecting.

At the meal, conversation mainly revolved around Ken's decision to give up teaching in order to realise his ambition of becoming a novelist, a career move his guests heartily endorsed. Sandra was especially approving and did most of the talking, expressing her hope that Ken would find his own style rather than attempt to follow the trends of authors like Stan Barstow. The three then compared notes on their favourite writers, with Sandra singing the praises of Alain Robbe-Grillet. Sandra made several attempts to include Ken's wife Valerie in the conversation, asking what she supposed happened in Robbe-Grillet's Last Year at Marienbad, but Val changed the subject each time, not understanding their references but too embarrassed to say so. Sandra nevertheless had a good time and asked Val for her flan recipe on the way out.

The occasion went well enough that Geoffrey offered to reciprocate, entertaining the Barlows before he left town. Ken took Geoffrey up on his offer and went along to his the next day but without Val, telling Geoffrey and Sandra that she had a headache. However, Ken was actually covering for Val, who had refused to spend another evening with the "affected mummy's darlings."