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January
Betty, now working at the Flying Horse, returns to the Rovers
after wringing a grudging apology from Annie. Elsie and Alan Howard
start a 'no-strings' relationship. Paralysed Ray becomes engaged
to Elsie's niece, Sandra Butler. He makes up his differences with
Len and agrees to a partnership. Maggie Clegg and her husband
Les seek a divorce. Len has a brief affair with Maggie, but leaves
her for the barmaid at the Flying Horse.
February
Bill Gregory, now retired from the sea, turns up again. He is
buying a business in Portugal and proposes to Elsie, who turns
him down. Emily Nugent accepts a partnership with Ernest Bishop
in his photographic business. Albert, Minnie and Ena visit the
New Mission in Victoria Sreet, and Ena puts the harmonium through
its paces.
March
Ray Langton recovers the use of his legs and is soon caught in
a passionate embrace with Audrey Fleming. Elsie falls in love
with Alan Howard. Stan Ogden sells a song written by Ena, passing
it off as his own. Ena rumbles him and writes another which, unknown
to Stan, is Onward Christian Soldiers.
Annie, like Lysistrata, persuades the girls to withdraw all favours
until the men sign a petition protesting against the football
bus stopping in Coronation Street. Ken tries to buy Alan Howard's
hairdressing salon for Val, but is out-bid by Dave Smith.
April
Hilda receives news that David Barlow, and her grandson Darren,
have been killed in an Australian car crash. Dave Smith lends
her £600 to fly out and bring Irma home. Audrey Fleming
tells Ray she loves him, and he admits he feels the same about
her.
May
Weatherfield Gazette readers raise £600 for Hilda's
air fare but, instead of repaying Dave Smith, Stan uses the money
to buy Irma a partnership in the Corner Shop. Dickie and Audrey
patch up their marriage and leave the Street for Huddersfield.
Sandra Butler accuses Ray of two-timing and becomes the first
girl to give him the brush-off. Sergeant Cyril Turpin arrives
home to find that Betty has been terrorized by ex-prisoner Keith
Lucas. He furiously confronts Lucas with an iron bar, and only
Len's intervention prevents him from killing Lucas.
June
Len's evidence helps clear Cyril at the Police Disciplinary Enquiry.
Cyril is allowed to retire from the force with a full pension,
and takes a clerical job. He and Betty move to a house of their
own. Jack Walker dies suddenly while visiting his daughter Joan,
and is buried near her home in Derby.
July
Widowed Irma Barlow, under great nervous strain, steals a baby.
Bet Lynch and Emily Nugent quietly return it before the alarm
is raised. Minnie rekindles her friendship with an old school
flame, Handel Gartside, who has returned from Quebec. Elsie and
Alan Howard marry quietly at Weatherfield Register Office and,
after informal drinks at the Rovers, leave for a honeymoon in
Paris.
August
Alan Howard is insolvent, but his creditors give him a chance
to repay his debts without official bankruptcy. Billy Walker returns
to the Rovers after his father's death. He opens a garage in Canal
Street and offers Alan a mechanic's job.
Ena discovers Tony Parsons, an organ-playing boy prodigy. By persuading
his parents, and terrorizing the selection board, she helps him
win a place at music college.
September
Rag-and-bone man Tommy Deakin kennels his greyhound, Duke, at
the Ogdens, leaving a special diet of port and steak. Hilda drinks
the port, eats the steak and feeds the dog on scraps. Everyone
in the Street bets on it, but it refuses to race.
New moves: Elsie starts as a rep for Charm Cosmetics, Lucille
joins the Salvation Army as a helper and Annie is made licensee
of the Rovcrs. Bet Lynch starts a relationship with ex-Borstal
boy Frank Bradley, and reveals that she has an illegitimte son.
Maggie and Irma take a holiday, recklessly leaving Hilda in charge
of the shop. She stocks up with expensive delicatessen food which
nobody wants.
October
Irma returns to a loss of £7.2s.9d, and finds that half
her customers have abandoned her. Lucille champions local gypsies
and clashes with Ray who wants them evicted. Ken Barlow is awarded
a grant to study technical education methods in New York. Minnie
makes Ena jealous by cooking Handel Gartside's meals. Albert changes
his hairdresser - and regrets it.
November
Albert discovers that Handel was a World War I conscientious objector,
and sends him a white feather. Handel disapproves when Billy Walker
moves in with Minnie while the Rovers is redecorated.
Irma becomes friendly with US Army Sergeant Joe Donnelli, who
says he has been demobbed. Gregg Flint and Gary Strauss arrive
and claim he is a deserter. Cornered, he takes Irma hostage, confessing
to her that he killed Steve Tanner. Miss Nugent quits her barmaid's
job at the Rovers because of her Mission convictions.
December
Irma manages to escape. Donnelli takes refuge in Minnie's, holding
her at gunpoint. Stan Ogden bravely talks him into releasing her,
and Donnelli shoots himself. The Street's Christmas party is cancelled
because of the tragedy.
Bet Lynch leaves the laundrette to work as a barmaid at the Rovers.
Miss Nugent writes to Ken in America telling him that Val is having
an affair - she is, in fact innocently taking driving lessons
from Ray Langton.