Episode 630 Monday 26 December 1966

Boxing Day opens with a hungover Dot Greenhalgh recovering her wits in Elsie's house. Dennis is bouncing in and out trying on various costumes for the fancy dress do later on in the Mission Hall. The current outfit looks like an old fashioned pilot with leather skullcap and big goggles. Biggles, apparently. Dot and Elsie are unimpressed. He's been doing this all morning. Elsie reckons he nicked the wardrobe from his days in the entertainment business.

In the vestry, Ena is pottering around the room while her daughter, Vera, sits, trying to focus on a magazine. Ena offers her a cup of tea. Vera seems tetchy when all her mother was trying to do was be nice seeing as she was already up on her feet. Vera is suspicious of her mother's kindness over the last few weeks while she's been visiting. Ena puts it down to Christmas spirit but Vera isn't having that. There will be another one next year, though she doesn't suppose she'll be invited to that. Ena is close to breaking down, her back to her only daughter, knowing her daughter is dying of a brain tumor and is unlikely to see next Christmas let alone next year. They hear a commotion outside. It's only Minnie Caldwell who's clearly already been imbibing in Christmas cheer and dressed in a feather collared coat for the do. She cheerfully greets Vera and urges them to guess who's she's dressed as. Ena is in no mood so Minnie reveals it's Old Mother Riley.

Down at number 13, David Barlow and Stan Ogden have a cigar while Hilda and Irma clear up. The meal was apparently sufficient to fill their bellies although much of it came frozen and was only heated up. David changes the subject to the fancy dress party but that doesn't seem to be a satisfactory topic of conversation either. Hilda isn't planning to go because Len and Elsie will be all there and Hilda's fallen out with them so Irma sighs and wants another topic of conversation. Stan thinks she should go and just ignore them. The women go off to get ready anyway while David and Stan finish off their cigars. David gives the packet to Stan but wonders why Stan doesn't seem inclined to get a job.

In the pub, Jack and Albert chat about the upcoming party. Jack remarks that Annie has been stood in front of her wardrobe all day trying to decide what to wear and he doesn't dare reveal her outfit until it's debut, on pain of death. Albert has his costume all lined up and urges Jack to guess. He hints it has something to do with Christmas. Jack really does have better things to do. Father Christmas, says Albert. He still has the costume that he was wearing for his department store gig and it doesn't have to go back until tomorrow. Outside, Jerry Booth and Len Fairclough arrive at the pub door. They're buttoned up to the neck in overcoats but have odd looking headgear and eye masks sat on top of their foreheads. They enter and are teased about their masks and whether they are dressed at all under the coats. Poor Jerry feels gormless enough without the ragging but Len is having fun. They order a pre-party pint.

Ena is reading her Bible, looking for some comfort. Val Barlow pops her head it to find out if the Mission Hall door is open and reveals her costume, Nell Gwynn. She does look fetching in a period dress with a cap on. Val asks Ena if she'll perform a song later but Ena hasn't decided. She doesn't want to wake Vera who's already in bed as she's feeling poorly. Val leaves and Lucille Hewitt arrives, on the beg for a handbrush for an accessory to her costume as a chimney sweep though she looks more mod and trendy for that. I think she figures she's too cool to go round looking all sooty and gamine-like! She's also bursting with a secret and nearly tells but then backs off and says it can't be revealed yet but it's a little belter! Off she goes as well, leaving Ena alone, clearly troubled with her own secret.

In the Hall, Ken peeks round the door and sees that he and Val are the first ones there. Ken is dressed up like Lawrence of Arabia and he also feels a bit silly but Val assures him he looks very handsome. Minnie arrives and guesses he is Peter O'Toole. Well nearly. The Barlows pretend they have guessed who Minnie is but clearly they have no clue. Len and Jerry come in and we see that they are Batman and the Boy Wonder, Robin. Dennis Tanner bounces into the room in nearly the same costume as Len, another Batman and is deflated when he sees he's not unique. "Holy Flamin' 'Ecky Thump!" he exclaims.

After the break, the party is in full swing, accompanied by some mid 60s pop on the record player. Elsie is dressed up as a Spanish flamenco dancer and looking very glam. She wonders if there's a girl in Barcelona that has a fancy of changing places with her, chip butties on a Saturday night and all that. Jerry suggests that Elsie can always shake her maracas. "I beg your pardon?" When he realizes what he's said, Jerry blushes to the roots of his hair. (well he must have, but it's black and white so you can't really tell). Dennis and Len exchange a few hot words about copying each other but Dennis goes off in search of cake icing to feed his sweet tooth. We pan through various conversations and scenes of the party, some having fun, some people griping, some drinking and eating and Ken wonders where Mrs. Walker is. She's late but we know she's just making an entrance and an entrance she makes, dressed as Elizabeth I in grand style. Dennis doesn't know who she's supposed to be which doesn't deflate her in the lease. Batman chivalrously drops his cape for her and Elsie laughs that she's always been Elizabeth I dressed up as Annie Walker.

In the pub, Stan is throwing darts in a pub that's completely empty, save he and Jack Walker. Jack is engrossed in a book. Stan tries to make conversation but Jack is preoccupied, enjoying the peace before the bedlam that will hit once the party ends. Stan says he appreciates the silence yet he's awkward and anxious to chat, to fill the silence. Well, living with Hilda, you know he's not really used to it!

Over at the party, young people are shaking their booty, to the admiring eye of Ken who feels Val's elbow in his ribs for it. Lucille is off to another party. Annie is walking around posturing for the punters, royal waving and such. She suggests to Ken that they start the costume judging parade, anxious to be awarded the top prize, no doubt. Ken obliges. There's a bit of argument over who gets to be judge. Elsie nominates her friend Dot but Hilda, too, is not dressed up and wants to be a judge. Dot gets the honour and people are rounded up in line. Everyone gets to announce their name and character.

Ena peeks through the door at the goings on. Vera is lying on the sofa and is wakeful. Ena had been ironing and when Vera sees she's doing one of her blouses, she takes her mother to task, figuring Ena will later hold it against her for not doing her own ironing. Ena defends herself and says she thought she might as well as she was ironing anyway. Vera clearly isn't well.Vera says she's got a headache but not to stop the party. She apologizes she's not better company and goes into the bedroom. Ena puts her hand over her face, hiding her pain while the parade of characters continues on the other side of the door. Dot steps away to think about the contest while the participants excitedly bicker. When she's decided, they all gather. The winner is... Robin the Boy Wonder!!! Annie is well put out though is reminded that she herself said it was only a bit of fun. Jerry makes a funny speech and Annie turns to leave in a strop. Oh wait, there's also a prize for best dressed female and of course it's Annie Walker who protests that she had no idea! "Surely not!" Yeah right! Annie shares around her prize, chocolate liqueurs.

After the party is over and the pub is shut, Jack is cleaning up. Annie returns in triumph. Jack tells her about his evening. Annie notices it's past midnight and Lucille isn't home yet. Jack is instructed to read her the riot act when Lucille gets in and goes off to make herself a sandwich from the leftover Christmas goose. Lucille bounces in just as Jack is locking up and he says she's officially told off for being late. She isn't bothered and her head is clearly in the clouds, remembering a very good evening indeed. She's ready to reveal her secret. She's engaged!!! And the credits roll.

Vera will pass away in a few days in the Vestry, in her sleep and Ena's tough old heart breaks, losing her only child.

Diane Johnston

corrie.net

Back to updates
index page

Back to corrie.net