Episode 18 (8th February 1961)

Plot[]

Part One: Johnny Gibson collects his catalogue money from Elsie and tells her that the raincoat with a fox-fur collar that Dennis wanted has come in, surprising her. Ena catches Johnny before he knocks at No.3 and tells him that once again she has no money for him. Ida asks him to call at a more convenient time but Frank catches them talking. Minnie and Martha have heard differing accounts of who organised matters when the residents were evacuated to the Mission and ask Concepta for the truth. Ena walks into the snug before she can answer and is suspicious of the sudden silence. She is annoyed to hear that the Rovers is hosting a darts match tomorrow as she thinks they will be shoved to one side by the visitors but is cheered at the thought of free sandwiches. Ena and Martha are staggered when Minnie roundly tells them off for bickering. Ena gossips about seeing Johnny calling at the Barlows'. Elsie demands to know what Dennis is spending his money on. When he insults her, she slaps his face. He reveals he's seeing a striptease artist called "La Composita"; real name, Joyce, whose act involves a snake.

Part Two: Frank argues with Ida when she admits she bought the new seat covers on hire purchase. Florrie buys two new overalls from Johnny. Frank blames Ken for putting fancy ideas into his mother's head. David annoys his father by pointing out that if they bought a new house they would have to borrow the money. Concepta annoys Florrie by telling her about the darts match at which Harry will be present. Ida buys aspirin from the corner shop as she has a strong headache. Frank's fellow postman, Alf Roberts, sees that something is troubling his friend. The Rovers is full for the darts match. Annie is fully occupied making sandwiches. Joan and Gordon return from arranging their hymns and putting up the banns. Gordon refuses to help behind the bar because his father, a teetotaller, wouldn't approve. The Rovers team pin their hopes on Harry for the darts match. The visiting team arrive with Eileen Hughes as their mascot. Harry is upset and Alf and Len realise that they won't win now their star player has been put off his stroke.

Cast[]

Regular cast[]

Guest cast[]

Places[]

Coronation Street
Rovers Return Inn - Public/snug and back room
3 Coronation Street - Back room
11 Coronation Street - Back room and hallway
Corner Shop
Post Office sorting room

Notes[]

First appearance of Alf Roberts.
Billy Walker (Kenneth Farrington) is credited but does not appear.
Alf Roberts refers to his wife as "Clara" instead of the later-established Phyllis.
TV Times: No synopsis appeared in the magazine between Episode 3 (16th December 1960) and Episode 25 (6th March 1961).
Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast - 4,886,000 homes (chart placing unknown).
The next episode should have been broadcast live on Friday, 10th February, 1961 but a strike at Granada meant a programme change on that date. The next episode was therefore delayed until Wednesday, 15th February. The strike, which began at 4.20pm on Thursday 9th February, was in protest at a letter to seven men by an engineer in charge of them in which he expressed his disappointment that they refused to work an extra two-and-three-quarter hours on a play whose recording had overrun. The strike ended at 5.25pm the following day but the second episode of a film entitled Variety Jubilee and the scheduled episode of the Street, both due to be transmitted that evening, were affected. In the place of the latter, Granada repeated Episode 1 to give, as a spokesman said, "a glimpse of how it started to viewers who missed the early episodes."

February 1961 episodes
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