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Linda Cheveski (née Tanner) was the daughter of Elsie Tanner, older sister of Dennis and wife of Ivan.

Like her mother, Linda was tempestuous, assertive, and liked a good argument. It was in their choice of partners that they most differed, with Linda finding a loving husband in Ivan. The Cheveskis began their married lives in Warrington before moving to Weatherfield in 1961, buying 9 Coronation Street just before the birth of their eldest son, Paul. Linda wanted to be near her mother but, seeking a better standard of living, Ivan moved the family to Canada after just nine months in Coronation Street. Their second, Martin, followed in 1964, with the Cheveskis moving back to the UK two years later, settling in Birmingham.

Linda made several return visits to the street - usually related to her marriage problems - with her most recent being in 1984 when she came up to sell 11 Coronation Street after Elsie's departure from the street. By this time, Linda and Ivan had split up over Linda's affair with Dave Burgess. As of 2020, she was living out her years in Toronto.

Biography[]

1940-1961: Early life in Weatherfield[]

Linda Tanner was the daughter of Arnold and Elsie Tanner. She was born in Annie Walker's living room at the Rovers Return Inn on the 8th January 1940, being delivered by Ena Sharples. Linda grew up in the Street, presumably attending Bessie Street School.

Like her mother Elsie, Linda was interested in men and eager to marry. At thirteen, she fought off her mother's boyfriend Chuck Nelson when he tried to rape her. She took a job at Elliston's Raincoat Factory and briefly dated David Barlow before falling for Roy Newman, an American GI stationed at Burtonwood. The pair became engaged but the whirlwind romance didn't last.

In 1957, she met Ivan Cheveski, a Polish immigrant, and they married in 1958. Their lives together began happily with a move to Warrington, but Linda quickly grew dissatisfied with the marriage as Ivan wanted to support her and didn't want her go off to work or to begin a family until they were financially secure. When she fell pregnant in late 1960, she fled to Weatherfield and moved back in with Elsie and younger brother Dennis. Ivan tracked her down but she was surprised when he liked the idea of having a baby, so they reconciled.

Deciding to stay in Weatherfield for the time being, the Cheveskis bought 9 Coronation Street and moved in. Linda gave birth to a baby boy on 14th June 1961 after two days in labour. Although Linda settled into motherhood well in Weatherfield, Ivan became interested in a job at his friend's firm in Canada. Linda was less keen on emigrating and ripped up the forms. Eventually she agreed, but didn't tell Elsie - eventually Ena Sharples told her. The Cheveskis left the country as planned a week later.

1962-2020: Later years[]

Linda, Ivan and Paul returned to the UK for Christmas 1962, and Linda admitted to Elsie she wasn't happy in Canada. Although Ivan was offered his old job back, they returned to Montreal. During her brief visit, Linda became suspicious that Elsie was having an affair with Len Fairclough.

Linda and Ivan had a second son, Martin Cheveski, born in 1964.

The family returned again in 1966, but although Linda wanted to stay in Weatherfield, Ivan had his heart set on Birmingham. Linda had been having an affair with a Canadian called Mike, and didn't know whether or not to return to Ivan.

Lindacheveski 1984

Linda as she appeared upon her return in 1984

As Linda was about to follow her husband to Birmingham, Paul went missing - he later turned up, having been rescued from the canal by a mystery man. The incident brought Ivan back to Weatherfield, and the Cheveskis reconciled again, and moved to Birmingham.

Aside from a brief return for Elsie's wedding to Steve Tanner in 1967, Christmas that year and Dennis's wedding the following year, Linda was not seen on the Street again until 1984, when she was entrusted by Elsie to take care of the sale of No.11 after she had left to live in Portugal. By this time, Linda was estranged from Ivan and hoped to stay in Weatherfield, but Elsie was adamant that the house be sold. Linda sold up to Bill Webster for £11,500 and left the Street again.

At some point after 1984, Linda returned to Canada once again and as of 2020 was still living out her years in Toronto.

Personality[]

Duckworths 1983
"If you've owt to say, spit it out before it flamin' well chokes yer"
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Relationships[]

Duckworths 1983
"If you've owt to say, spit it out before it flamin' well chokes yer"
This article or section is unfinished.
Please edit this article to fill in the missing parts and remove this message when done.

Background information[]

Special edition

Linda with Emily Bishop reminiscing on Elsie Tanner's life

Linda was one of the original characters of Coronation Street. She appeared in the first scene in Episode 1. Although she did not appear continuously between 1960 and 1984, in terms of time between first and last appearances in the programme Anne Cunningham was the longest serving actress of the original cast.

Linda and Ivan's emigration to Canada in 1961 came about because the Equity actors' strike prevented Anne Cunningham from renewing her contract, though Anne Cunningham had wanted to leave anyway.

Anne Cunningham's last appearance of Linda was in a spin-off video The Life and Loves of Elsie Tanner, released in 1987 shortly after the death of Patricia Phoenix. The video featured Linda, Emily Bishop and Mike Baldwin talking about Elsie's life and featured the use of clips. However, the video is somewhat not canon as it was known for hinting that Elsie had died, but in 2011, Dennis Tanner (Philip Lowrie) mentioned Elsie's death occurred in the mid-2000s, meaning these events could not have taken place. Also, Linda's visit wasn't mentioned in the series either.

Linda was last referenced within the show in Episode 10000/1 (7th February 2020) in which a letter from a recently deceased Dennis revealed she was still alive and living in Toronto.

First and last lines[]

"I brought you some empties. Oh, and I want a quarter of boiled ham" (First line, to Elsie Lappin)

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"Bye Bill" (Final line)

Appendices[]

Duckworths 1983
"If you've owt to say, spit it out before it flamin' well chokes yer"
This article or section is unfinished.
Please edit this article to fill in the missing parts and remove this message when done.

List of addresses[]

Address Duration
11 Coronation Street 8th January 1940 to April 1958
Warrington April 1958 to 9th December 1960
11 Coronation Street 9th December 1960 to 13th January 1961
Warrington 13th January 1961 to 12th April 1961
9 Coronation Street 12th April 1961 to 6th December 1961
1207 Central Avenue, Montreal, Canada 6th December 1961 to 1962
Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, Canada 1962 to October 1966
Birmingham October 1966 to 16th May 1984
11 Coronation Street 16th May 1984 to 20th June 1984
Birmingham 1984 to unknown date
Toronto, Canada 2020

See also[]

Original characters
Ken Barlow | Frank Barlow | Ida Barlow | David Barlow | Jack Walker | Annie Walker | Elsie Tanner | Dennis Tanner | Linda Cheveski | Ivan Cheveski | Harry Hewitt | Lucille Hewitt | Concepta Riley | Ena Sharples | Minnie Caldwell | Martha Longhurst | Albert Tatlock | Christine Hardman | Florrie Lindley | Esther Hayes | Leonard Swindley
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