Olive Taylor-Brown

Olive Taylor Brown was the latest in a long run of so-called “friends” who Annie Walker had in the licenced trade who in reality were in constant jealous competition with each other. She ran an establishment called The Cavendish in Derbyshire that she insisted wasn’t a pub but an old coaching inn. In March 1980 she came to stay with Annie for the purposes of attending a Ladies’ Evening ball run by the local lodge of the Masons and she was chauffeured to the Rovers by a long-suffering Fred Gee. Olive was about to tip him but Annie insisted it wasn’t necessary. Annie introduced Olive to Alf Roberts as “my ex-Mayor” but pointedly ignored the rest of her staff. Olive had never been to the Rovers before and described it as cosy. All seemed friendly at first but as the two ladies started to get ready the next evening for their night out, the claws came out also as they remarked on each other’s dresses.

Fred again had to run them to the Assembly Room where the function was held but he accidentally left Annie’s handbag behind on the roof of the car with the invitations in it as he drove them away from the Rovers. Annie was sure they would get in as she was so well known in the area but when the Commissionaire refused them entry, Olive accused Annie over over-stating her position in local society as no one seemed to know who they were. Hilda Ogden saved the day as Stan had found the handbag in the Street and rushed round by taxi to hand it over to her. The evening was saved and Olive made Annie give Hilda £5 as a reward. Fred was made to chauffer Olive home as a penance for his stupidity.

Annie and Olive kept up their friendship with the two of them going on a cruise together in 1981 and Annie staying with Olive at The Cavendish in August 1982.

1980

 * Mon 17th Mar
 * Wed 19th Mar