Vince Boyle was a drayman who worked for Newton & Ridley. Delivering to the Rovers one day, he offended Annie Walker when he addressed her as “sport” and Jack had to explain that he had picked up the term in Australia where he’d lived for a while. Hilda Ogden pricked up her ears at this remark as her daughter Irma Barlow was planning to emigrate there with her husband David, a move which upset Hilda immensely. She wondered why Vince had returned and buttonholed him with the question. Unable to answer in one word he gave two - “didn't suit” - and when further asked if he would advise anyone else to move out there, replied only his mother-in-law!
Hilda wished that he could tell Irma of his negative experiences and he said he’d pleased to, but Hilda didn’t want to be seen to be interfering. Instead, she put a coin in his pocket and suggested he go to the corner shop where her daughter worked. Vince did so, telling Irma and David that the country had “too much bloody sunshine” and everything cost the earth including hospital fees of £100 for his wife to give birth. Already pregnant, Irma rounded on David for keeping this aspect of their new life from them and putting the move in jeopardy. Seeing that David was still intent on the move, and afraid that she’d put her daughter’s marriage at risk, Hilda confessed to Irma that she’d put Vince up to talking to her and Irma exploded in anger, only calming down when she saw how upset Hilda was at the move and the thought that she’d never see her daughter again.
Just over a couple of months later, Vince was giving out more gloomy sage advice when Elsie Tanner was presented with an old Jaguar car by her nephew Gary Bailey after he used her money to buy and sell on antiques at a profitable price. Although she couldn't drive, Elsie was proud of the car, but Len Fairclough tried to convince her it was a money pit. He brought Vince into the conversation who told them that his son Kevin had purchased a six-cylinder vehicle which had got through copious amounts of oil and which he couldn’t afford to run after paying for tax and insurance. Elsie ignored the two men, determined to enjoy her status symbol.