1981: Break-In At Emmerdale Farm

When Dolly Skilbeck (Jean Rogers) took the best tea service and placed it on the dresser, ready for a wash as part of spring cleaning, she had no idea that this would bring about the end of a treasured possession for Annie Sugden (Sheila Mercier).

There had been a spate of burglaries in the district. And, late that night, the burglar came to Emmerdale Farm...

... and, once inside, began seeking valuables - as burglars tend to do.

Upstairs in the attic bedroom, Matt Skilbeck (Frederick Pyne) was restless, worried over a poorly ewe in the barn. He told Dolly he would go out to check on her, but Dolly advised not - it was best to get some sleep, he'd only disturb the ewe. Suddenly, there came a crash from downstairs! The clumsy burglar had managed to knock the tea service from the dresser to the floor as he probed around by the light of his torch.

Matt dashed downstairs, to find the burglar gone, the door wide open, and the shattered tea service all over the floor.

Sergeant MacArthur (Martin Dale) informed Matt and Jack Sugden (Clive Hornby) that although the door lock was strong, the wood around it was weak. There was no point in having a good lock if the surround was like plywood. And wasn't it a bit daft to keep the sheep dogs, Nell and Snip, in the buildings at the back of the farm?

Matt and Jack took the lecture quietly, although Jack later told Matt that he didn't like Sergeant MacArthur very much at all.

The next day, in the farmhouse, Dolly and Annie chatted. Annie was distressed over the loss of the tea service.

"It were a wedding present. I 'ad an aunt, lived in Richmond. We never saw 'er from one year's end to the next. But she turned up at the wedding with this present. It was good china, too - not the sort of present you expected in them days. You never knew Jacob, did you, lass? But you know things weren't always what they might have been between us. But there were good times - especially at the beginning. It was a marvellous wedding. Everybody singing and laughing and joking and folk all pleased to be with each other. Jacob had one too many, of course. But in them days he knew how to make folk laugh. And how to make folk love him... Somehow this china seems to stand for all that was good between Jacob and me..."

Matt was inducting Snip, a new sheepdog, at Emmerdale and one day, shortly after the burglary, Snip ran out into the road near the farm and was run over and killed by a speeding red Escort car.

Matt contacted the police.

Meanwhile, young Jackie Merrick (Ian Sharrock) and Andy Longthorn (David Clayforth) had stumbled across some of the burglar's loot at derelict Alder Cottages.

The burglar turned out to be the driver of the red Escort - he was pulled over and a stolen television and two radios were discovered in the back seat. Sergeant McArthur surmised that the man was in the act of hurriedly fleeing from the area, having discovered that the hiding place for his spoils at Alder Cottages had been rumbled.

Matt called the old faithful Nell out of service to resume sheepdog duties at Emmerdale.

And Jack, Joe (Frazer Hines), Matt and Dolly clubbed together to buy Annie a brand new tea service, an act which touched and pleased her greatly.

1981-1982: Alison Dowling As Jane Hardcastle

When the Reverend Donald Hinton held a disco for local youngsters in the village hall in 1981, it wasn't exactly Thrillsville. Donald delved into his son's old record collection - and out of date was the order of the night. Nobody was that happy - but wonderfully drippy Jane Hardcastle, a schoolfriend of Jackie and Sandie's, thought it was great.

She didn't get out much, it seemed.

Jane made occasional appearances in the Beckindale saga during 1981 and 1982. She was Jackie's girlfriend for a while, but the relationship fizzled.

Alison Dowling, who played Jane, has become far better known for her role in another English farming serial - she is Elizabeth in BBC Radio 4's The Archers. She also briefly appeared in that famous motel/hotel soap Crossroads, as it coasted towards its end in the late 1980s, playing fun-loving yuppette Lisa Lancaster.

Judy Westrop And Other Queries...

Billie asks: How long did Judy Westrop (Jane Cussons) appear in Emmerdale Farm?

1979-1980, Billie. She debuted in the show in '79, the year of the ITV Strike, which, of course, disrupted Emmerdale Farm as much as any other ITV show.

In May 1980, Judy's father, Maurice (Edward Dentith), left Beckindale, but Judy stayed on to work at Hotten Cattle Market and live at Demdyke Row. She had a brief but unhappy dalliance with a gutter press journalist, who was in Beckindale to "dig the dirt" on the newly-returned Jack Sugden.

Judy left to take up a new job elsewhere in the late summer of 1980.

Carol enquires:

I've read that Jack Sugden was framed for setting fire to an NY Estates barn around 1980. What were the pyrotechnics like way back then?

Non-existent in this instance, Carol! The story-line actually took place in 1981, with Tom Merrick out to frame Jack, but although the barn apparently burnt down, we saw nothing on-screen.

Paul says:

More Malandra Burrows, please. I've loved her since those days of yore.

There'll be more soon, Paul - I promise!

And finally - from Mike:

Just found this blog of yours. It's really good stuff.

Cheers, Mike, the cheque's in the post!

The Beckindale Bugle In The Guardian

After the recent appearance of The Beckindale Bugle in both the print and on-line Guardian, we took a Tardis back to 1982 and asked Mr Amos Brearly, Licensee and Proprietor of The Woolpack Inn, Beckindale, his thoughts on the matter. We arrived just in time for dinner.

"I'm not surprised," said Mr Brearly, on being told the good news. "I always thought Bugle would be a winner. Of course, you have to have a natural bent for writin'. Mr Wilks tries with his nature notes, but he hasn't quite got my touch. We Brearlys are known to be multi-talented. Of course, I'm not one to brag, but the truth will out and..."

The '80s Emmerdale Easter Quiz

One of my favourite times of year, Easter. And so, as you gronff your way through a mound of hot cross buns and chocolate eggs, and maybe even attend a church service or two, here's the Emmerdale '80s Easter Quiz. Some of the answers are a teensy bit difficult (a few can be found on this blog), some are easy-peasy. Can you answer all twenty questions?

1) Who was the landlord of Beckindale’s “other” hostelry, The Malt Shovel?

2) Two actresses portrayed Seth Armstrong’s wife, Meg, in the 1980s. Can you name them both?

3) Which character left England bound for France in 1983?

4) Who murdered Harry Mowlam in 1986?

5) What was the name of Sandie Merrick’s daughter?

6) Al Dixon’s version of the Woolpack’s silent regular, Walter, debuted in September 1980 and was last seen on screen just before Christmas 1985. The actor was ill and unable to continue in the role, although it was at first hoped he would return to it. What was the reason given for Walter’s departure from Beckindale in January 1986?

7) Pat, Sandie and Jackie Merrick briefly rented accommodation from NY Estates in the early ‘80s. What was it?

8) What was the name of Alan Turner’s son, who turned up in Beckindale in 1985?

9) The Rev Donald Hinton had a daughter who arrived at the Vicarage fleeing from marital problems in 1983. Name her.

10) Archie Brooks stated that everything would be all right once he’d solved his financial problem in 1985. What was his financial problem?

11) Evenin’ All! Which long-serving Beckindale bobby began pounding the village
beat in 1980?

12) And who played him?

13) When Amos Brearly went “upwardly mobile” in 1983 and took up golf, he met The Major, a fiercesome local bully and snob. The actor behind The Major became the terror of a well known fictitious school later in the decade. Can you name him?

14) In which year was Samuel David Skilbeck born?

15) Seth Armstrong ended up in hospital in 1986. Why?

16) Who played Kathy Bates/Merrick?

17) And who played her mother?

18) Henry Wilks suddenly manifested symptoms of a seasonal ailment he’d never suffered from before in 1989. What was it?

19) Name the two actors who played Tom Merrick in the 1980s.

20) For her birthday in 1986, Matt surprised Dolly with a holiday. Where was it?

ANSWERS

1) Ernie Shuttleworth; 2)Ursula Camm and Ruth Holden. 3) Joe Sugden; 4) Derek Warner; 5) Louise; 6) He went to visit his sister. 7) A caravan. 8) Terence; 9) Barbara Peters; 10) He hadn't got any money. 11) Sergeant Ian MacArthur; 12) Martin Dale; 13) Michael Sheard; 14) 1982; 15) He was beaten up by badger baiters. 16) Malandra Burrows; 17) Diana Davies; 18) Hayfever; 19) Edward Peel and Jack Carr. 20) Bridlington

1981: Jackie Merrick With A Gun!

Summer 1981, and young Jackie Merrick (Ian Sharrock) seemed to be settling into his new job as assistant to NY Estates gamekeeper, Seth Armstrong (Stan Richards).

Seth began inducting Jackie into the safe art of using a gun, and things seemed to be going well - until Jackie showed off a little in front of a couple of his mates - one of these being Seth's son, Fred.

Things got a little out of hand, the gun went off, and shot out a window of the Merricks' caravan. No harm was done, there was no great drama - although, as was made plain to Jackie, things could have been very different - particularly as his sister Sandie and her boyfriend were inside the caravan at the time.

Seth was furious with the daft young lad. Jackie bemoaned his stupidity. Word spread to his boss, Joe Sugden, who covered for him with Richard Anstey. But it was made plain by both Joe and Seth that Jackie was now barred from using the NY guns.

Perhaps Jackie should have stayed away from guns for good. In 1989, a tired act of clumsiness with a gun would result in his death.

Friends again - Seth and Jackie - Stan Richards and Ian Sharrock - at the corner shop in Esholt. Jackie had a black eye - all part of the story-line - the lad had almost got into a punch-up at the local disco, and sustained slight damage. This photograph was taken by the Esholt shop's proprietor in 1983 and sold as postcards for some years afterwards.

1981: Brothers At War - With Each Other - And Joe Lives In Hope...

Caught between the warring Sugden brothers (Frazer Hines and Clive Hornby), Matt Skilbeck (Frederick Pyne) longed for a peaceful life.

There was an outbreak of food poisoning at The Woolpack in late 1981. Amos had made a rabbit pie, from a rabbit given to himself and Mr Wilks by Seth Armstrong. He'd borrowed Annie's recipe book, and the pie was (apparently) a culinary delight. But very soon after it was eaten, the colly-wobbles set in. Seth's rabbit was, it seems, the chief suspect.

As Amos and Mr Wilks were not up to the evening session, kindly Dolly Skilbeck offered to step in and look after the bar for a while. This left her husband Matt alone at a quiet table in the pub with Jack and Joe Sugden. The table was not quiet for long.

Joe was in high spirits: Richard Anstey had gone from NY Estates, gone from Beckindale. Joe had enjoyed his time working with Richard, but the last few months had been fraught. Richard's affair with Virginia Lattimore, wife of NY regional manager Derek, had rather shocked Joe - particularly when he'd discovered the couple openly kissing outside Home Farm.

A wrangle over a pig unit hadn't helped: Joe wanted a unit for NY's Beckindale holding, having visited Lincoln and seen one in action, Richard was opposed to the idea on several grounds - not least that it would give Derek Lattimore reason to visit Home Farm more often to oversee the new development.

And Derek was growing suspicious that Richard and his wife were having an affair.

The languid and lovely Virginia Lattimore (Wanda Moore) shared intimate moments with Richard Anstey (Carl Rigg) at Home Farm in the 1980s.

Richard was also beginning to think that Joe was a bit of a bumpkin at times: "This is big business, Joe, not Emmerdale Farm!" he exploded on one occasion.

Tensions grew, Richard felt that Joe had plotted against him when the decision was taken over his head to start a pig unit at the Beckindale NY operation. He was finally told by NY chief Christopher Meadows to leave.

Joe was sorry to see Richard go, but Richard found it hard to believe that Joe hadn't plotted his downfall, with one eye on his own main chance.

Christopher Meadows asked Joe to take over the Beckindale holding as temporary manager for a few months - and who knows, perhaps he could apply for the position on a permanent basis? NY was apparently very pleased with Joe's work. Joe was thrilled.

But Jack was not so. In The Woolpack, with poor old Matt playing piggy-in-the-middle, Jack told Joe in no uncertain terms that he may be king of one castle, but if he thought he was going to be king of two (NY and Emmerdale Farm) he had another think coming!

The evening ended on a very stormy note.

But never mind. Joe had temporary promotion at NY, and could look forward to a possible permanent manager's post.

Christopher Meadows had been so encouraging.

As 1981 moved towards 1982, Joe decided that he would apply for the post.

But whether he would get it or not, well, who knows?

Emmerdale Spoiler Pics - 1980s Style!

Back in the 1980s, the process of providing "spoilers" for Emmerdale Farm - and in fact all other soaps and TV programmes was rather different. For a start, the World Wide Web wasn't invented until March 1989 (more here) and not up and running until the early 1990s. So, the Internet was a mystery to the vast majority of us and a very different place to today.

In those prehistoric days, TV companies sent out photographs via snail mail to relevant publications - newspapers and listing magazines, with some blurb pasted to the back giving details of the actors and characters pictured, the programme date, and a little teaser about what was going on. The photograph above shows Amos Brearly embarking on his first story-line of the 1980s, and the blurb on the back read:

FULL ITV NETWORK (except STV/WTV/CHA) Tuesday, JANUARY 8, 1980.

STV Wednesday, JANUARY 9, 1980

WTV/CHA Thursday, January 10, 1980 } times vary, all early evening

Amos turns his hand to poetry in the new series of

"EMMERDALE FARM"

Mine Host at the Woolpack, Amos Brearly (RONALD MAGILL -right), finds the Curate, the Rev. Bob Jerome (RICHARD HOWARD), very non-committal when he presents him with his masterpiece of poetry for the parish magazine. An amusing moment from the opening episode of the new series of Yorkshire Television's dales serial, "EMMERDALE FARM".

A 1987 "spoiler":

EMMERDALE FARM EPISODE 1201 THURSDAY NOVEMBER 12 1987 AT 7 P.M.

It's Seth's birthday and plans are afoot for a surprise party down at the Woolpack. Seth just thinks all the whispering is people talking about him behind his back. But no-one knows how old the errant gamekeeper is - and Seth certainly isn't letting on.

Press contact: Katy Turner (0532) 438283 Ext 3065

1981: A Deaf Man In Beckindale...

In the summer of 1981, a young man called Nicholas Houghton (played by David Gillies) arrived in Beckindale to restore a 9th century cross unearthed in St Mary's churchyard, and to make a plinth so that the cross could be displayed in the church.

The Reverend Donald Hinton was surprised to discover that Mr Houghton was deaf. Nicholas was, however, an expert lip reader, and detected much else via sight. He even knew when the vicarage door bell was rung, due to a brief distracted glance from Donald. When Donald walked up behind Nicholas whilst he was working on the cross in the churchyard, Nicholas turned to greet him, saying he knew he was there because of the shadow the vicar cast on the ground.

At The Woolpack, Amos was fascinated by the visitor, who had saved him from a hefty plumbing bill after repairing a leaking cistern (Amos had already sought to repair it and managed to cause a flood, but that's another story!).

Amos was used as the voice of ignorance in the story-line. He spoke to Mr Wilks about Nicholas:

"I cannot get over it, Mr Wilks - I can't believe as that man is deaf. He seems just like an ordinary human being!"

Henry was perturbed: "Well he is an ordinary human being!"

"I know. Well, I know in't way you mean and I reckon you ought to know in't way I mean, no offence intended!"

"None taken - I was just trying to make..."

Amos broke in and got himself in a verbal twist - as he so often did: "I mean no offence intended to him! By saying what I said, which might 'a' been taken as meaning summat what I didn't mean, but which is true any road, 'cos deaf folk aren't normal, are they?"

"Well, of course they are!" cried Henry. "They can't hear, that's all. You wouldn't say a one-legged man weren't normal, would you?"

"I certainly would! Men are s'posed to have two legs!"

Henry sighed. "Yes they are. But a one-legged man is a perfectly normal man who's just lost a leg, you don't treat him like an idiot because of it, do you?"

"I don't treat anyone that way!" said Amos, highly offended.

Before Nicholas left Beckindale, Donald Hinton spoke to him:

"I suppose there's no way... nothing can be done to get your hearing back? I would like to help."

"To make people understand - that would be the greatest help," said Nicholas. "I'm deaf, yes - I wish I could hear. I wish I could make people understand the way deaf people feel. The kind of world we have to live in. But I'm lucky. I can speak. I can read. I have work. There are far more deaf people that I know of that have none of the compensations I have. If you want to help me, try and make the world understand about them."

1982: The Arrival Of Alan Turner - Saviour Of NY Estates!!

Joe Sugden was setting up a pig unit and expecting his first delivery on Alan Turner's first day at NY Estates in 1982. "So I'm arriving at the same time as fifty pigs, am I? I hope that's not ominous!" said Alan.

The SAVIOUR of NY Estates? Alan Turner?! Well, yes, he was! The NY Estates Beckindale operation would have been wound up in 1982 if it hadn't been for our Mr T! The show's production team felt that the NY story-line had run its course and it was time for changes.

Richard Thorp expected to be in Emmerdale Farm for six months:

"But I got such a rapport going, first with Stan Richards as Seth Armstrong, and later with Diana Davies, who played Alan's secretary, Mrs Bates, that the powers that be liked it and kept it."

Of course, NY Estates was gone before the end of the 1980s - but Alan Turner remains in Emmerdale to this day!

1981: Mr Wilks - The Red Indian!

Dolly Skilbeck took her role as head of the Beckindale playgroup very seriously, and had no hesitation in going to Henry Wilks, who had become parish councillor for Beckindale in 1981, when it seemed maintenance was needed at the village hall, where the playgroup was held.

The rent the playgroup paid, which hadn't been raised in years, was increased slightly and some of the major work was carried out. But Dolly still wasn't happy. When a little girl scraped her knee slightly on a nail sticking up out of the floor, Dolly determined to get Henry on-side. The general opinion in Beckindale was that the village was not getting a fair deal out of the rates - in comparison to larger places like Hotten.

Dolly invited Henry to spend some time at the playgroup. At first he was sceptical: children did scrape their knees, and the hall looked fine to him. He spent several hours at the playgroup, getting involved in face painting and reading stories to the children. By the end of it, he was so taken with the playgroup and the children that, although he still didn't see why Dolly was so up in arms, he vowed his support to her.

Dolly was very pleased with herself for seeing the issue through, and even more so when money was provided to carry out the repairs.

Mr Wilks left the playgroup in a great hurry on the day of his visit, realising that he would be late back at The Woolpack, and not wanting to incur the wrath of Amos.

But laughter not frowns greeted his arrival at the pub: he's forgotten to remove his face paint and head dress!

Arthur Pentelow at the Corner Shop, Esholt, in the 1980s. Always a tempering influence on Amos (particularly necessary during Amos' manic-to-the-max '80s era), Mr Wilks was one of Beckindale's best-loved villagers, and a huge favourite with viewers of Emmerdale Farm.