50 Years Of Corrie In 50 Days – 1982

(This post was originally posted by Sunny Jim on the Coronation Street Blog in 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Day 22 of our 50 day countdown of Coronation Street - written by blogger Sunny Jim.

In 1981 work had begun on the building of a new outdoor set, which was opened by the Queen in May 1982. The previous one on Grape Street was starting to fall to bits and was unpopular among the cast due to its distance from the studio. The opportunity was taken to rebuild no. 7 which had collapsed in 1965 and provide a much more modern house which included central heating for the first time on Coronation Street. Len Fairclough had bought the plot of land and built the new house, though all the building took place off screen. He had initially intended to sell it but once it was finished, Rita liked it so much that they moved in and sold no. 9 to Chalkie Whitely.

Also a ginnel was built between No. 1 and the Rovers to put an end to letters from viewers complaining that every time anyone went to the toilet in the pub, they would actually end up in Albert Tatlock’s. Perhaps that’s why he was always so grumpy. 49,000 bricks and 6,500 roofing slates were reclaimed from Salford streets to give the set the right period look and at last the cobbles on the road would be running in the right direction.

The Faircloughs had started fostering the year before but in 1982 their relatively quiet lives were turned upside down by the arrival of 16 year old tomboy, Sharon Gaskell. She wasn’t happy working in the Kabin all day with Rita and Mavis so ended up helping Len with the building of no. 7. All was happy with the family until Sharon clapped her eyes on Brian Tilsley. She started babysitting for the Tilsley’s and threw herself at Brian, who, flattered by the attention and a little drunk, responded. It all ended in tears and raised voices when Gail found out and told Rita. Embarrassed to remain living near Brian, when she was offered a job as a kennel maid in Sheffield she took it and moved away.

Also in 1982: Jack Duckworth and Bet Lynch have a fling; Betty attacked; Hilda Ogden starts cleaning for Dr Lowther; Phyllis Pearce makes her first appearance; Brian Tilsley goes to Qatar to work; Mike Baldwin gets Maggie Dunlop pregnant but she marries Harry Redman; Slim Jim meets Stardust Lil; Mavis Riley meets Victor Pendlebury; Harry the budgie lays an egg.