Episode 104 (11th December 1961)

Plot[]

In 15 Jubilee Terrace, Ena has had enough of Minnie's cat, Bobby, after he follows her into the outside toilet. Ena sends Minnie to the vestry to collect her framed photograph of Alfred. A happy Ken sets off to start work at Bessie Street School earlier than planned as another member of staff has gone off sick with bronchitis. Albert finds the work at the Mission unsuited to a man. Harry and Frank disagree about women going out to work. Ken teaches his class about the poetry of William Blake. Minnie confesses to Albert that she finds the atmosphere at home difficult between her mother and Ena. She offers to help him clean. She drops the picture of Alfred and smashes the glass. Albert thinks of wrapping it up so Ena won't find out until later. Concepta can't get Harry to agree to a house-warming party. Annie refuses to take on extra staff for Christmas, sticking to her view that they could manage run the place more easily if her alterations were carried out. Ken refuses to allow Stanley Fairclough go outside in the snow during the break because of his weak chest. Because of the extreme cold, he calls all the boys in early. Ena is pleased to hear that Albert is having difficulties. Minnie slyly mishandles the packaged picture over to Ena who drops it and therefore thinks she broke the glass. Minnie sneaks out of the Rovers to secretly help Albert. Not knowing his son has lied to him about the incident, Len complains in the pub that his new teacher, Mr Barlow, sent Stanley out in the cold. Concepta tells Len that Ken was the teacher in question. Dennis tries to bring Elsie out of herself by taking her into the Rovers but he has to borrow money off her. Ena wonders where Minnie has got to and Martha has to distract her from her suspicions. Jack agrees to the alterations in the select to make Annie happy. Martha warns Minnie that Ena is looking for her. Concepta worries that Len will lose his temper with Ken. Minnie lies to Ena about where she's been when she returns home but she's determined to find out what her friend is up to.

Cast[]

Regular cast[]

Guest cast[]

Stanley Fairclough - Peter Noone

Places[]

Coronation Street
Rovers Return Inn - Public/snug
Glad Tidings Mission Hall - Vestry
15 Jubilee Terrace - Downstairs room
Bessie Street School - Classroom, corridor and yard

Notes[]

This episode features a first for the programme as it contained an outside broadcast location shoot for the scene set in the yard of Bessie Street School. The only previous location work for the programme (in Episode 46 (22nd May 1961)) had been on 16mm silent film. After being mostly studio bound for the past year, location OB work featured more regularly in the programme as 1962 wore on. On the day of recording, there was a heavy layer of snow on the ground and therefore the studio set of the street had artificial snow laid down to match and the end caption photograph of the rooftops of Ordsall had snow painted on it to show the weather depicted.
Peter Noone (Stanley Fairclough) later became world famous as the lead singer of the 1960s pop group Herman's Hermits. His appearance in this episode is notable for being the final credited appearance of a guest cast member throughout the term of the Equity actors' strike. The next time anyone other than a member of the regular cast was credited in the programme was in Episode 145 (2nd May 1962) when another child actor, Jimmy Ogden, played Billy Makin. Stanley only appears in the aforementioned location shoot as no children are seen on screen in Ken Barlow's short classroom scene with the camera concentrating on William Roache in close-up.
Minnie Caldwell's beloved cat, Bobby, is named for the first time.
A sign in the corridor states "Bessie Street Secondary Modern School". Numerous references were made in the 1960s to "Bessie Street Juniors" and "Bessie Street Seniors" whereas in later years it was stated to be a primary school only.
Doris Speed momentarily forgets her lines and looks off camera for a prompt.
TV Times synopsis: Kenneth starts a new job nearer to his heart, but begins again with a misunderstanding. Annie and Jack reach a compromise over a new look for the Rover's, but Minnie goes off on a mysterious mission.
Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast - 7,279,000 homes (1st place).

Notable dialogue[]

Harry Hewitt: "There's only one place for a married woman - an' that's in the 'ome. They can't go out to work and look after a family as well."

December 1961 episodes
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