Plot[]
Part One: Emily celebrates her birthday and receives cards from friends, family and Doreen Lostock. She tells Irma she's taking the day off from work as a treat. Jerry has taken Stanley under his wing. The guilt-ridden lad tries to get on better with the residents and tells Ena he owes a lot to Len. Stan renovates the yard office. Ena sees that Dennis is lonely and missing Elsie. Steve encourages Elsie to call on Jenny Hunt but she finds she gets on better with Mrs Hunt's cleaner, May Trickett who once was a shopper at Miami Modes. Emily cancels her birthday tea. A phone call sends her rushing from the corner shop. Ena asks Albert to visit Alfred's grave with her. Stanley goes to see Len, unable to tell him about starting the yard fire. Emily goes to a cafe to meet a man proposed by the Maple Marriage Bureau. She is relieved when it proves not to be an obnoxious man with a pipe but instead is the far gentler Frank Starkie.
Part Two: Albert sets off for the allotment to fetch Chrysanthemums for Ena. Dennis feels sorry for Emily and plans a surprise party for her with all the neighbours invited. Frank tells Emily about his seventy-acre farm near Clitheroe. She is relieved that he has never been to a bureau before. They agree to go out that night for her birthday. Dennis can't find Emily, and Minnie tells him she spotted her in Manchester. Ena also asks Minnie to come to the cemetery. Stanley returns from the hospital and reports to Jerry that Len is quickly improving in hospital. He tells Jerry he is going to go back to school in Nottingham but was unable to tell his dad the truth about the fire. Jerry agrees to keep it their secret. Steve meets May and is pleased that Elsie gets on with someone local. Returning home to prepare for her night out, Emily is upset to discover Dennis has the party planned. She gives in and promises she'll be around for it. The cemetery visit takes place. Ena is shocked to discover fresh flowers have been placed by someone on Alfred's grave.
Cast[]
Regular cast[]
- Annie Walker - Doris Speed
- Ena Sharples - Violet Carson
- Minnie Caldwell - Margot Bryant
- Kenneth Barlow - William Roache
- Albert Tatlock - Jack Howarth
- Jerry Booth - Graham Haberfield
- Stan Ogden - Bernard Youens
- Irma Barlow - Sandra Gough
- Miss Nugent - Eileen Derbyshire
- Dennis Tanner - Philip Lowrie
- Steve Tanner - Paul Maxwell
- Elsie Tanner - Patricia Phoenix
Guest cast[]
- Stanley Fairclough - Ronald Cunliffe
- May Trickett - Mary Hignett
- Frank Starkie - Mark Kingston
- Man with pipe - Bill Waddington
Places[]
- Rovers Return Inn - Public/snug
- Corner Shop
- Corner Shop bedsit
- Fairclough and Booth - Yard
- Flat 7, Gladstone Gardens, Altrincham - Living room and hallway
- Manchester cafe
- Cemetery
Notes[]
- Bill Waddington makes one of several pre-Percy Sugden appearances as the man with pipe.
- Shirley Cain is credited as Mrs Hunt but does not appear.
- The scene at the cemetery was filmed on location.
- TV Times: No synopsis appeared in the magazine between Episode 702 (6th September 1967) and Episode 755 (11th March 1968)
- Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast - 8,100,000 homes (2nd place).
| October 1967 episodes |
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