Ena Sharples - Development

Development

Ena (Violet Carson), who appeared in the series for 20 years between 1960 and 1980, was the caretaker of the mission hall, and spent much of her time criticising the activities of the street's other inhabitants. She was one of the main characters during the 1960s, she was featured less regularly in the 1970s due to the declining health of actress Violet Carson, and was written out in 1980. Almost always wearing a double-breasted coat and hairnet, she spent much of her free time in the series' early years with her two cronies, Martha Longhurst and Minnie Caldwell, in the snug bar of the Rovers Return Inn, drinking milk stout.

When the final episode featuring Ena was screened on 2 April 1980, it attracted little media or public attention as the producers intended her to continue in the series - the character was merely leaving her house in the street and moving to care for an ill friend, Henry Foster. Unfortunately, all subsequent storylines involving Ena had to be scrapped owing to Carson's ill health.

Violet Carson died on Boxing Day 1983 at the age of 85.