1984: Harry Mowlam And Walter...

Harry Mowlam (Godfrey James), owner of the quarry at Connelton, had been troubling the good people of Emmerdale Farm since late 1983.

And he mistreated his pet dog, causing Matt Skilbeck (Frederick Pyne) to take the animal and give it refuge at the farm.

Harry didn't like that. He didn't like that at all.

He threatened to take Matt to court.

Harry was twisted and rotten to the core.

He refused to pay Mike (Martin Barrass), Archie (Tony Pitts) and Jackie (Ian Sharrock) their full dues when they did some work for him, and Henry Wilks (Arthur Pentelow) got the surprise of his life, in early 1984, when he found Harry sitting on the Woolpack bar stool usually occupied by Walter (Al Dixon).

When Walter arrived and tried to reclaim it (silently, of course), Harry simply ignored him, forcing the poor old gent to retreat further into the corner and drink his pint standing up!

This underlined to us viewers what a horror Harry truly was - how dare he take Walter's seat at The Woolpack?! The swine!!!

Jackie arrived and could not resist making a few loud and antagonistic remarks about Mr Mowlam. Harry frowned.

When Jackie left the pub, Harry followed him - nobody got the better of him if he could help it! He was out for revenge.

As Jackie made to leave The Woolpack car park on his motorbike, Harry pulled out in front of him in his Land Rover, causing Jackie to fall from the bike.

Fortunately, no harm was done to either Jackie or the bike.

And inside The Woolpack, Walter was able to return to his usual perch.

Of course, he said nothing. But judging by the expression on his face, he was not impressed by Mr Mowlam.

And neither were we, the viewers.

Godfrey James was a truly memorable baddie as horrific Harry.

The explosive quarry owner seemed rivetingly real.

Mind you, from 1983 to 1984 Harry was an absolute pussycat compared to what he got up to in 1985.

And 1986 brought a violent end to his life.

Read our Bugle posts about the Brute of Beckindale - and the excellent Godfrey James who played him - here.

In Praise Of Henry Wilks (Arthur Pentelow)

Arthur Pentelow as Henry Wilks - enduring some nonsense from Amos Brearly (Ronald Magill) in 1984 and having fun at the Beckindale playgroup in 1981.

William writes to tell me that Mr Wilks is getting a poor deal here...

He was my favourite character - the ideal Dad or Grandad. I think you should feature him more.

So do I, William. I thought the world of that character!

Here's a little tribute...

Henry was kind hearted but straight talking, and utterly reliable as a friend.

Of course, he is best remembered for his partnership with Amos Brearly (Ronald Magill) - long suffering Henry was the voice of sanity, and Amos - increasingly... er... idiosyncratic! But Henry was very shrewd. He saw through Amos' daft fads and moods to the man of kindness and integrity that lurked within.

He and Amos were the best of best friends.

They both enjoyed a pipe - and the characters were even declared "Joint Pipe Smokers Of The Year" in 1986.

But Henry's life wasn't totally centred around Amos and The Woolpack - far from it. He was on the board at Emmerdale Farm Ltd, and, from 1981 onwards, was also a parish councillor.

He enjoyed walking, and studying the local flora and fauna.

Henry was the man Tom Merrick (Edward Peel) recommended troubled young Jackie (Ian Sharrock) should turn to if ever he needed help or advice.

Idealistic, eco-friendly Jack Sugden (Clive Hornby) had difficulties with Henry's business side - and we must never forget that Henry was a successful businessman before he retired to Beckindale. This provided another fascinating element to the character. The Henry we knew so well was kind and caring, but he'd once moved in very different circles. In 1986 he was canny indeed whilst buying some land for Emmerdale, and in 1989, he told unscrupulous (and, in fact, downright villainous) businessman Denis Rigg (Richard Franklin) that he knew his type.

Henry had once swum in a much more competitive and shark-infested pond than Beckindale!

At the centre of it all was his partnership at The Woolpack with Amos, but who could forget his feelings for Annie Sugden (Sheila Mercier) and his brief romance with Doreen (Sandra Gough) from The Malt Shovel?

Henry was also a family man, and his concern for his daughter, Marian (Debbie Blythe), added yet another facet to the character.

I recall (and re-watch) with delight the Mr Wilks and Amos story-lines.

But there was much more to Henry's role in the show than just living with and trying to speak sense to Amos.

Henry was a very active pillar of the Beckindale community.

And a much-loved Emmerdale Farm character in his own right.

Poll: Favourite '80s Introduction...

Alan Turner (Richard Thorp) arrived in 1982... poor Joe (Frazer Hines)!

We all know that soaps evolve, as do their characters. As I've written before, my favourite Emmerdale Farm era for Amos Brearly was the 1980s when the character became gloriously mad. This is the era that contains the Amos many of us fondly remember. Not that he wasn't great before, he most certainly was, but in the '80s... well, he became pure Amos perfection.

As well as established characters evolving as soaps move on, new characters are introduced, and old ones sometimes recast. The interpretation of an established character by a new actor is often very different from the original.

Sometimes non-permanent characters, who flit in and out of episodes, join the permanent line-up.

So, who was your favourite Emmerdale Farm character that was introduced, joined the full-time cast or was recast in the 1980s?

Was it Clive Hornby, stepping into Jack Sugden's shoes? Al Dixon taking on the tradition of a Walter at The Woolpack and creating something highly quirky and memorable? Stan Richards as Seth Armstrong joining the full-time regular cast in the summer of 1980? Richard Thorp as Alan Turner arriving at Home Farm in 1982? Diana Davies as Mrs Bates saving his bacon in 1984? Chris Chittell as Eric Pollard slithering into Hotten Market in 1986? Or that lovely new family, the Tates, heralding a new era in 1989?

Or maybe it was Jean Rogers becoming Dolly Skilbeck in 1980, or one of the Merrick family that "floated your boat"?

Or maybe somebody completely different.

So, take a look at our new poll, and let us know your thoughts!

1984: Emmerdale Farm - INCREASING The Farming Content!

Lindley Farm, the exterior location for Emmerdale Farm from 1972-1993, photographed here (by yours truly!) circa 1988.

Surprising trends can be discovered when viewing large tracts of Emmerdale Farm episodes...

For instance, wading into 1984, I have been surprised to find a dramatic increase in the show's farming content!

Suddenly, Jackie Merrick (Ian Sharrock) is seen delivering a calf, aided by the Rev Donald Hinton (Hugh Manning) and Henry Wilks (Arthur Pentelow)...

Aborted lambs are being discovered in the fields as a sheep-worrying dog begins visiting the farm - we witness the grim discovery and Jackie burying some of them...

Matt Skilbeck (Frederick Pyne) is teaching Jackie how to be a shepherd in some very lengthy scenes...

And whilst Jack Sugden (Clive Hornby) and Karen Moore (Annie Hulley) dally in their illicit hotel room love nest, Matt and Jackie are discovering that the ram they have brought in for "tupping" might not be up to the job and could be heading (as Matt says) for the "meat pie factory"...

And all this in a few month's worth of episodes - also liberally sprinkled with the usual "out in the fields" and cow shed milking scenes!

1984: Jack Sugden - Being Dad...

Jackie Merrick (Ian Sharrock) and Jack Sugden (Clive Hornby) - discovered they were father and son in the early 1980s...

It was never going to be easy. When Pat Merrick (Helen Weir) told Jack Sugden that her son, Jackie, was also Jack's son in late 1981, she knew it wasn't going to be easy.

When Jack had left Beckindale in 1964, Pat had discovered she was pregnant. And so she'd married Tom Merrick. She had feelings for Tom, but was it love?

But the idea of being an unwed Mum in Beckindale at that time was unthinkable, and Pat had acted quickly, out of fear for her future and that of her unborn child.

And Tom Merrick believed that Jackie was his son.

And Jackie believed that Tom was his father.

Tom may have had faint suspicions at times, in fact probably more than that (at one point in the dim and distant past Tom had used the idea that Jackie was Jack's son to try a little blackmail), but Tom loved the little lad in his way and, at the end of the day, believed they were kith and kin.

Another child, Sandie, arrived a year or two later, and the Merricks settled down to a rather miserable existence.

Tom was shiftless and sly. And he wasn't above giving the kids and Pat a "good hiding" at times.

In 1980, Pat took her courage in both hands and left Tom.

In 1981, he gave her another "good hiding".

Life in a caravan for Pat and Jackie after their return to Beckindale in 1980.

1980 had also seen Jack Sugden return to his home village and the old chemistry between himself and Pat was re-ignited.

And in 1981 there was talk of marriage.

But there was a curious tension in the relationship, certain things were being left unsaid, and both Jack and Pat knew it.

Then, as preparations for Christmas began, Pat came straight out and told Jack that he was Jackie's father.

And then Jack blurted out the shock news to Jackie, and Jackie went to see Tom in Hotten to get reassurance that what Jack said wasn't true, and realisation hit Tom.

At first, he rejected Jackie.

Jackie was not the most mature of teens, and took this badly, planning to run away, but his position as gamekeeper's assistant at NY Estates enabled Seth Armstrong (Stan Richards) to convince him to stay - at least to work out his notice.

And then Jackie decided to stay on in Beckindale permanently.

Gamekeeper Seth Armstrong (Stan Richards) became fond of Jackie and concerned for his welfare.

Annie Sugden (Sheila Mercier) actually enlisted Tom's help. She desperately wanted her grandson "in the family". Tom's mother had been a friend of Annie's, and Tom liked and respected her.

He told Jackie that not all the Sugdens were bad.

And Sandie (Jane Hutcheson) convinced Jackie to make the run-up to the wedding of Pat and Jack a happy time for their mother.

Edward Peel stepped into the role of Tom Merrick in late 1980, and took the character to new heights of sneering intensity.

In October 1982, Pat and Jack married, and Pat, Sandie and Jackie moved into Emmerdale Farm.

But Jackie, after the briefest of stays and a row with Jack, decided to hole up in the NY Estates caravan the family had lived in since 1980.

And when he was sacked from his job as gamekeeper's assistant, he flew into a drunken tantrum and torched the caravan.

Sandie and Jackie look on aghast as the caravan burns...

The vicar of St Mary's Church, Beckindale, the Rev Donald Hinton, stepped in - offering Jackie accommodation, and to speak up for him in court.

Jackie got a community service order.

He moved back into Emmerdale Farm in 1983, when it was discovered that Sandie was pregnant.

Pat was horrified. History was repeating itself. Sandie was only eighteen. As she told Sandie, despite the fact that people were not supposed to be bothered by pregnancy out of wedlock in the early 1980s, they were.

And single mothers got the "worst end of the world".

Sandie decided to have the baby adopted, and moved up to Scotland to be with Tom for the duration of her pregnancy.

Which left Jackie living at Emmerdale with his real father.

Jack and Jackie bonded a little during 1983.

But they didn't reach a true father-and-son relationship.

And perhaps that was only to be expected.

Jack did not want to do anything to upset his fragile relationship with Jackie, and, as Pat said he was "as soft as butter" with him.

When Jackie bought a motorbike, Pat was worried that he was using it to go out drinking.

Jackie and Jack laughed at her tendency to fret - more like two young lads than father and son.

Jackie was finding growing up difficult: there he was, in his late teens, but still very immature. He could be extremely thoughtless and selfish and his occasional tendency to throw tantrums if people did not see things his way was rather wearing.

But, in 1984, Jack was proud when Jackie managed to deliver his first calf.

Jack, Pat, and Matt and Dolly Skilbeck (Frederick Pyne and Jean Rogers) had gone out to dinner at The Feathers Hotel in Connelton. Back at the farm, a cow had unexpectedly gone into labour, and Jackie had gone smoothly into action, aided by Henry Wilks (Arthur Pentelow) and the Rev Donald Hinton.

Jack was proud of his cows. Since his return in 1980, he'd been building up the Emmerdale herd's Friesian pedigree. He reckoned he should be proud. When he thought back to his father's cattle after the War... well, he reckoned he had cause to be proud.

The Reverend Donald Hinton - a good friend to Jackie.

Jackie was showing more interest in sheep than cows, and Matt was Emmerdale's shepherd. Spending long periods out with the flock and Matt and Nell the sheepdog, Jackie began to confide in Matt about things he felt unable to confide in Jack.

Jack became aware of this, and was hurt. But he said nothing, fearing that he might Jackie drive further away from him if he did.

When the NY Estates bull got out, and did what came naturally with some of Jack's prize Friesians, Jack was furious and blamed Alan Turner (Richard Thorp). Jackie reckoned that he was probably responsible for the bull getting out. He confided in Matt, who advised him to keep quiet - as he wasn't absolutely positive that he was the culprit, surely it wasn't worth the trouble of owning up?

Jackie was nearly certain the incident had been his fault, but didn't trust or feel close enough to Jack to tell him.

Sandie, her baby born and adopted, returned from Scotland for a visit to the farm. Tom (now played by Jack Carr), accompanied her.

Her ex-husband's return threw Pat into a tizzy - what was he up to? Had he returned to England with Sandie simply to ensure that Sandie would go back to to Aberdeen with him? Pat desperately wanted her daughter to live at the farm again.

Jack was hurt that Jackie still referred to Tom as "Dad", but not him.

In fact, Jack bore the brunt of Pat's fears about Tom without being able to express his own concerns a great deal at all.

And he went out of his way to be fair to Tom, not wanting to upset Jackie who still clearly looked up to the man.

Life was often a worry for poor Pat...

Tom still regarded Jackie as his son in many ways, and resented the influence of Jack Sugden in the lad's life.

And then came an opportunity for Tom to "reclaim" Jackie.

Derek Warner, an old pal of Tom's, offered him a part in a terrific money-making venture - poaching fish from the river at NY Estates.

And Tom invited Jackie along for some "fishing".

When Jackie discovered what was going on, he wanted no part in it. Tom, Derek and an associate were using explosives to kill the fish, and then simply scooping them out of the river with nets.

After one session, Jackie had had enough. But Tom sneered at him - would he rather be up at Emmerdale, "philosophising" with Jack Sugden, he asked?

Tom gave some of the trout to Annie Sugden and was invited to partake of the feast at the farm. He thoroughly enjoyed being there, with the "holier than thou" Sugdens, tucking into the stolen trout, when Sergeant MacArthur (Martin Dale) called to inform them of the poaching activities in the district.

The two faces of Tom Merrick in the 1980s, Edward Peel and Jack Carr. Less intense but just as sly, Jack Carr's interpretation of the character ensured that Tom Merrick's visits to Beckindale continued to be a source of trouble to the locals.

Jackie accompanied his "father" on another poaching trip, but left him to it early on.

Tom was furious and almost struck the lad.

Jackie was letting him down in front of his two associates.

But the game was up. Tom and co were apprehended by the police with a van full of stolen trout that night. Seth Armstrong had seen the van heading for the river, and alerted Alan Turner.

It was a good job that Jackie had left the scene of the crime.

Jackie flew into a childish strop with Seth when he discovered that he had "blown the whistle", and lived in fear that the police would soon be arriving at Emmerdale Farm to pick him up.

He told Sandie about his involvement in the fish poaching, but otherwise the family at the farm knew nothing of it.

Until Pat visited Tom at the police station. And he told her that Jackie had nothing to worry about - he and his associates would be keeping the boy's part in the crime quiet.

"You bastard!" said Pat.

And Tom laughed.

During their marriage he had sometimes felt that Pat looked down on him. He hated her deceit over Jackie, hated the way his family had been revealed as a lie in 1981.

And now Pat was up there at Emmerdale with the high-and-mighty Sugdens.

But he could still get at her.

Tom returned to Scotland, on bail, with Sandie - much to Pat's distress.

And Jack got on with the task of trying to build a closer relationship with his son.

One big happy family? The Emmerdale Farm folk in the summer of 1984.

Amos Brearly Of The Woolpack Inn - The 1980s - Update

Mr Brearly, 1985.

One of the most popular characters on this blog is Mr Amos Brearly, licensee and proprietor of The Woolpack Inn, Beckindale.

Ronald Magill was a brilliant actor, and watching the old episodes of the show it's wonderful to see how the Amos character evolved. We recently watched an episode of Emmerdale Farm from 1978 and Amos was featured. But a far quieter, less blustering and bizarre character than the Amos of the 1980s

As we've stated many times before, 1980 was an absolutely pivotal year for the dour and nosey publican, as Seth Armstrong (Stan Richards) became a regular at The Woolpack and Al Dixon began his reign as the weird silent Walter.

Seth wound Amos up to the hilt, and Amos chuntered nine-to-the-dozen to Walter. Any vestiges of commonsense the character had previously possessed seemed to disappear in 1980 and the Golden Era of Amos barminess began.

In our Amos Brearly - The 1980s post, we'll take a brief canter through as many as possible of the Amos story-lines of the 1980s.

1980:

Amos starts the decade with a fitness fad - healthy food and exercise. But he soon tires of the food and does himself a mischief with his chest expander.

Strange noises make Amos wonder if a deceased auntie is paying him a visit - but it turns out to be bats in the loft!

Seth Armstrong switches from The Malt Shovel to The Woolpack in the summer and his constant baiting of Amos leads to years of fun. Amos gets an allotment, but is disappointed when Nellie Ratcliffe (Gabrielle Blunt) wins first prize for her marrow in the annual village show. The annual Butterworth Ball cricket match against Robblesfield breaks its time honoured tradition and becomes a bowls match for one year only, at the request of the wily Eccky Tait. Beckindale loses.

Amos spots a strange light in the sky over Bogle Bog and becomes fascinated by bogles and UFOs. His Auntie Emily (Ann Way) visits The Woolpack for the very first time late in the year. Auntie Emily's visit coincides with one from Henry's cousin, Alice (Hazel Bainbridge). Auntie Emily is horrified by Amos' fascination with the supernatural and leaves in a great hurry!

At Christmas, Amos invites local bell ringers to The Woolpack, and, of course, joins in.

1981:

Aunt Emily sends Amos a hat as a present. But he's mocked so unmercifully by Seth Armstrong, that he has to stop wearing it!

When a Space Invaders machine is delivered to The Woolpack in error, Amos is most disapproving. That kind of new fangled trash was best left to Ernie Shuttleworth and The Malt Shovel. But Amos secretly becomes addicted to the machine whilst he waits for the supplier to collect it, and Mr Wilks discovers him in the early hours of the morning desperately trying to keep the Invaders at bay.

Amos is devastated to be told that his job as Beckindale correspondent on The Hotten Courier is being cut. He responds by starting a rival news sheet - The Beckindale Bugle. In the end, the new Beckindale correspondent on the Courier falls down on the job (drunk!) and Amos is reinstated.

Amos is annoyed to find that The Malt Shovel has had a burglar alarm installed. Keeping up with the Shuttleworths, he orders a device for The Woolpack. But a combination of penny pinching and Amos' DIY attempts at installation, lead to chaos.

Amos attempts to turn his hand to plumbing, and causes a flood, ruining the living room ceiling at The Woolpack.

Monks Brewery organises a "Best Kept Cellar" competition. Two visits are required by the judge, the awesome Lettice Noble (Patsy Smyth). Amos is disqualified when he applies a coat of whitewash to the cellar between the visits (strictly against the rules) and Mrs Noble discovers that the paint is still wet!

1982:

Amos cooks a rabbit pie, using a rabbit supplied by Seth Armstrong, and both he and Mr Wilks end up with food poisoning.

Seth ends up dead drunk when he stands in for Amos and Henry behind the bar whilst the pair attend the wedding of Pat Merrick (Helen Weir) and Jack Sugden (Clive Hornby).

Amos broadens his horizons with a holiday in Spain. Mr Wilks discovers that Amos, through penny pinching, ended up with unacceptable accommodation and flew back to England after only a couple of days, where he spent the remainder of his holiday in Scarborough. Amos begs him not to tell Seth and the other regulars!

Amos is affronted by a Hotten Courier article referring to "Billy Bunter" (fat) pub landlords. The article suggests that the Hotten area (including Beckindale) has many examples. Amos takes up walking to get fit. He ends up twisting his ankle on Blackridge Scarr and having to be rescued by the local fell rescue team.

1983:

Amos is encouraged by Alan Turner (Richard Thorp) to take up golf, and Mr Wilks provides a free lesson. But Amos is put off after encountering the fiercesome Major (Michael Sheard), a crony of Alan's.

Amos wins a three wheeler bike in a competition, and is highly delighted.

Amos tries to attract the Hotten Courier's pub and restaurant reviewer to The Woolpack. His support for Alan Turner in a dispute with the workers at NY Estates causes most of the Woolpack's regulars to desert him. Amos is forced to climb down.

Annabelle, a goat belonging to Pat Sugden (Helen Weir) eats Amos' hat when Amos attends Sam Skilbeck's Christening party at Emmerdale.

Amos reports the sorry state of Seth Armstrong's garden to the Reverend Donald Hinton (Hugh Manning). Our Mr Brearly sees it as a major obstacle to Beckindale winning the Best Kept Village competition. Donald consults Alan Turner, who threatens Seth with dismissal if he doesn't tidy up the garden of his home - which is an NY Estates tied cottage.

Seth complies, and is highly commended by the judges, but he ensures that Amos is shown up well and truly by dumping a load of horse manure outside The Woolpack on the morning of the "judgement day"!

Amos takes up meditation and delivers half-baked sermons on philosophy to Mr Wilks and the regulars.

Amos' Aunt Emily and brother Ezra (Martin Matthews) turn up when Amos' Uncle Arthur dies. Aunt Emily is determined to stop her brother, Sidney, getting his hands on Uncle Arthur's valuables. But things don't go according to plan, and the will reading reveals that Uncle Arthur has left a load of worthless tat to Emily, Sidney, Amos and Ezra.

Ezra at The Woolpack, with Walter and Wilks.

Amos organises the annual Christmas Show at the village hall and books a local New Wave rock band to attract youngsters. Amos is so horrified at the din the band makes, he tries to turn the sound down - and fuses the lights, plunging the hall into darkness. Amos is convinced that he is a laughing stock in the village for fouling up the show and takes some time to get over it all.

1984:

Peter Schofield debuts as Ernie Shuttleworth of The Malt Shovel, a role previously (and very briefly) played by John Comer.

Amos goes to a health farm for three days rest and relaxation... but it turns out disastrously when he discovers they don't serve potatoes for dinner or sell pipe tobacco.

Annie Sugden (Sheila Mercier) accompanies Amos to the local Licensed Victuallers' Association ball. Amos ends up leaving in a strop and a taxi, believing that Annie has left the ball with Ernie Shuttleworth. But she hasn't and is annoyed that Amos has left her there. Amos ends up with some apologising to do.

Amos is puzzled when his regulars start leaving The Woolpack en-masse every night, each time returning after an hour. He follows them, and discovers they are attending Ernie Shuttleworth's "Happy Hour" at The Malt Shovel. There is bad feeling between Ernie and Amos, heightened when Ernie tampers with the clock at The Woolpack, ensuring that Amos and Mr Wilks are caught by Police Sergeant MacArthur (Martin Dale) serving drinks after hours.

Amos grows neurotic after Nellie Ratcliffe suffers a gas leak. He's convinced that there is a leak at The Woolpack. There isn't, but the cooker blows up anyway when Amos tampers with it to make it "safe". A grand meal he has prepared for friends is splattered all over the room. Amos and Mr Wilks decide that it's time to redecorate.

Amos and Mr Wilks install a microwave oven - these were regarded as "new fangled" gadgets back then. Amos asks Annie Sugden for advice - but she's never even seen a microwave oven before! Chaos ensues as Amos tries to puzzle it out.

Seth Armstrong and Amos are in competition to win the village show with their marrows. Seth's exhibit wins on weight - and as he hoists it triumphantly, a load of nails fall out! Seth is disqualified and Amos wins.

Keep an eye on this article - it will grow!

E-Mails... Now And Then, '80s Favourites And Bill Middleton...

Beckindale favourite - Al Dixon as Walter (1980-1985).

Brian writes:

In the 1980s, Emmerdale largely seemed to be about weird old people over 40. Nowadays, it's largely about young prats, who think they're so special, and thugs and villains. When I was a kid, there used to be a saying about sex mad men - "He keeps his brains in his underpants". Nowadays a lot of the Emmerdale women keep their brains in their knickers, too. Modern Emmerdale's all about people falling into bed and then regretting it. BORING. And not a hint of AIDS.

Weird old people, over 40?! Flippin' 'eck - I'm over forty, and I don't consider myself old, Brian! You cheeky young whippersnapper (grin). And the show gained a large young cast and did have its moments of scandal in the 1980s. I can't judge modern day Emmerdale - I never watch the modern soaps.

Cerys says:

I'm glad you've finally started on 1984!

Who was your favourite character in the 1980s?

Ooh, Cerys, that's difficult...

Al Dixon's Walter... I loved that character... but then again I loved the barmier-than-ever Amos, too... and Annie Sugden, staunchly tending the Aga... and Clive Hornby's Jack was brilliant... so was Alan Turner, and the wonderful Mrs Bates... and as for Seth, Matt and Dolly, Eric Pollard, Mr Wilks and the Merricks...

Basically, for me, '80s Emmerdale was a show FULL of favourites!

Chris asks:

When did Bill Middleton (Johnny Caesar) first appear?

Early 1984, Chris

1984: Amos And The Health Farm...

At the start of 1984, Amos Brearly knew that everybody in Beckindale was laughing at him.

The Christmas Show of 1983 had ended with the lights in the village hall all going out, caused by Amos trying to cut out the din caused by local New Wave band The Girotechnics (clever name - a lot of youngsters were depending on DHSS giros back then!). As Amos had tried to cut down the decibels, the lights had fused.

And the village hall had been plunged into darkness.

The people of Beckindale had thoroughly enjoyed the show, and nobody really minded the unexpected ending - but Amos, as organiser and compere of the show, was convinced everybody was sniggering up their sleeves at him.

He was snappy, irritable, and extra-obsessive, checking that he'd locked the door each closing time several times, snapping at customers, snapping at Mr Wilks, and when the Rev Donald Hinton (Hugh Manning), having heard that Amos was troubled, tried to convince him that the Christmas show had been a big success, enjoyed by all, Amos flared up at him - paranoia rampant.

Of course, Amos' least favourite customer, Seth Armstrong (Stan Richards) was laughing at him and took great pleasure in winding him up further.

Amos seemed tired and run down. He continued to bark at Mr Wilks and the customers and things were becoming unbearable.

Mr Wilks was at his wit's end, when Amos suddenly returned from a short (and mysterious) jaunt away from the pub, beaming all over his face. He called Seth Armstrong his "friend" and bought him a drink. He socialised with the customers - he even played darts with Matt and Dolly Skilbeck. He was charm itself when Mr Wilks took time out to pop up to Emmerdale for an hour.

Mr Wilks was uneasy.

And then Mr Wilks discovered the tablets in a drawer in the back room.

Amos' mysterious appointment had been with his GP. And, obviously, Amos was now on tranquillisers!

Mr Wilks was deeply concerned, and wasted no time in showing Amos an alternative which was advertised in that week's Hotten Courier: a local health farm called Lodge House was often used by publicans. It would do Amos the world of good as he was so run down. Amos simply beamed at Mr Wilks - that was nonsense - he hadn't felt better in years!

Finally, Mr Wilks was forced to confront Amos about the tranquillisers. He told Amos he had discovered his little secret. Amos, not without reservations, emptied the tranquillisers out into the bin.

And immediately a dreadful change occurred. Amos began to get agitated. The back room was a tip! Had he locked the front door?

Mr Wilks watched, aghast, as Amos went from bonhomie personified to the ranting beast of Beckindale in the twinkling of an eye!

Mr Wilks was perplexed. "Them pills have worn off quickly!"

"I've not checked the cellar," squawked Amos. "Things round 'ere would go to pot if it weren't for me!" And he barged out, fueled on angst.

Finally, Amos, tired and listless, reconsidered the health farm idea...

... and decided to give it a go.

Mr Wilks was delighted when Amos booked three days at Lodge House, and Amos thoroughly enjoyed winding up Seth Armstrong by refusing to tell him where he was going.

The health farm was impressive, situated in a large old house, set in lovely countryside. Mr Wilks drove Amos there, and left him being shown up to his room, looking forward to some rest and revitalisation.

Amos was pleased at the prospect of a massage, but taken aback by the fact that the person giving the massage was actually a masseuse - a woman! A foreign woman at that!

"Would you please go in to the cubicle and remove your clothes for me?" she requested.

The brazen hussy!

"I beg your pardon, Miss!" cried Amos.

"You have to have no clothes for a massage," explained the lovely masseuse.

"I'm afraid I can't remove my clothes just like that!" protested Amos. "Not in front of a lady as I've not even met!"

"There's no need to be embarrassed, I see men without their clothes all day!" said the masseuse, coolly. "I'm sorry. There is a towel in the cubicle to put round your middle."

Amos was part mollified, but still a little uncertain: "Fair enough. I'll go and change then. Is it, er, a big towel?"

The masseuse looked at him disdainfully: "It should be big enough, I think."

The cheeky little madam!

Still, never mind. Amos enjoyed his massage so much, he fell asleep.

Next on the agenda was dinner: sauteed chicken liver, nut rissole, shredded carrots and celery salad.

"Ere, 'ang on, where's me taties?" yelped Amos as the waiter made to move off.

"Sorry, Sir, no potatoes," said the waiter.

"But what about my carbohydrates?" cried Amos.

"We don't serve it, Sir" said the waiter.

No taties!

Amos was aghast.

And was instantly gripped by tatie lust.

Amos was absolutely horrified at the tiny dinners and lack of potatoes. His stomach rumbled constantly. He craved taties. Then, he began to run out of tobacco. On enquiring, Amos discovered that the health farm did not sell tobacco, did not like smoking on the premises, and that the nearest shop was four miles away.

Amos was comforted by the presence of a sympathetic fellow inmate, who listened to all his grumbles and whimpers.

The listener was most surprising. He took Amos to his room and revealed two briefcases. And when he opened them, Amos' eyes almost popped out of his head.

Inside each case was an Aladdin's cave of tobacco, cigarettes, peanuts, chocolate, crisps... all those wonderful things denied to Amos by Lodge House (perhaps "Colditz" would have been a better name?).

"It were pipe tobacco you were after, weren't it?" asked Amos' new friend. "And perhaps I can interest you in something else?

"You must certainly can!" said Amos.

"Only thing is, it's the old laws of supply and demand," said Amos' pal. "And 'ere the demand's big and the supply is low. We'll 'ave to negotiate a price!"

The sight of the tin of the tobacco the man was holding was driving Amos mad!

"Never mind the price," he snatched the tin. "Give me three packets of crisps, prawn cocktail if you've got 'em - I've got to have some potatoes!"

The man indicated the crisps and tobacco and named his prices: "One-fifty, and a fiver!"

Amos, never exactly lavish with his cash, was absolutely aghast: "EH?!!"

Amos was not really enjoying the Lodge House experience, it has to be said.

But worse was to come.

Sweating it out in a Turkish bath, Amos was a captive audience for a very chatty man, also undergoing the health treatment.

The man wittered away about a wonderful meal he had recently enjoyed.

"Starters - I had paté, right? Followed by fillet of lemon sole, grilled to a golden colour. Main course, I 'ad t-bone steak - biggest you've ever seen in your life, it were!"

This was agony for Amos, starved for want of nourishment as he was.

"Then on me way 'ome I stopped at a country pub and washed it all down with a few pints of ale."

"Very nice," said Amos, through gritted teeth.

"Yes, seemed such a nice little pub," said the man. "Woolpack Inn, Beckindale. You wouldn't expect it to be full of drunks, though."

Amos was startled. The man did not know who he was, but he had visited The Woolpack - what was he saying?

"DRUNKS?!!" cried Amos.

"Aye," said the man, cheerfully. "There were this man there, drunk as a lord, weren't he - and these other two had to carry him out, he could hardly walk!"

"In't Woolpack?!" came a strangled cry from Amos.

"That's not the half of it," said the man. "This other man left the pub and practically ran somebody over in't car park! I wouldn't've minded - but it was only seven o'clock!"

"What the 'eck's he playin' at? I knew he wouldn't be able to manage!" cried Amos, speaking, of course, about Mr Wilks.

"Pardon?" the happy purveyor of Woolpack gossip was puzzled.

"I shall have to leave!" said Amos.

But he was trapped in the Turkish bath.

"How do I get out of this thing? Help - HELP!"

Amos took a taxi back to Beckindale, and arrived to find Jackie Merrick (Ian Sharrock) brawling with the leader of the Hotten Werewolves biker gang in The Woolpack car park.

No blood had been shed, and Amos broke up the fight immediately.

It transpired that Jackie had sold one of The Werewolves a motor bike which had almost immediately conked out. The Werewolves wanted their money back.

Amos sorted the matter (Jackie was forced to pay up) and then went into the pub in a state of high "dungeon" as he called it.

But his ire was somewhat soothed by a big plateful of pie, peas and mashed taties for dinner.

Mr Wilks upbraided Amos for listening to "strange men in Turkish baths", and told him just what had been going on. Alan Turner had been the man "drunk as a lord", and Jack Sugden and Jackie Merrick had seen him off the premises. Jack had driven him home.

Harry Mowlam (Godfrey James), from the quarry at Connelton, had been in the bar, and Jackie had not been able to resist making some loud comments, designed to annoy him.

When Jackie left on his motorbike, Harry had driven his land rover straight across Jackie's path, causing the lad to fall from the bike.

Mr Wilks, convinced that Harry had done it on purpose, had informed Sergeant MacArthur (Martin Dale).

As for Jackie brawling with a Hotten Werewolf, well, how could Mr Wilks have known what was going on outside the pub?

Amos insisted that a good publican should know what was going on on his premises at all times, Mr Wilks agreed (anything for a quiet life!) and Amos, made sweeter by mashed spud, gradually calmed down.

"I don't feel need for them tranquillisers any more - that's summat achieved. I can throw 'em away now!" said Amos.

"You've already thrown them away!" said Mr Wilks.

Amos was well and truly caught out.

"I've a confession, Mr Wilks!"

And he held up a bottle of the tablets.

Mr Wilks was disgusted. "I should say you have!"

"Well, doctor gave me two bottles, and I kept one back - just in case things started getting on top of me again..."

Mr Wilks snatched the bottle from Amos. "Aye well, at least we can get rid of these now any road!"

He examined the label and stopped short.

"Are these the same as t'others?"

"I suppose so, why not?" said Amos, tucking into his mashed taties again.

"They're not tranquillisers!" said Mr Wilks.

"What do you mean?"

"They're vitamin pills!"

"Eh?" Amos took the bottle back and examined the label. "Well they must be very strong vitamin pills, that's all I can say!"

The happiness-making properties of the pills had been purely in Amos' own mind - a true placebo effect.

The two men looked at each other across the table.

And then began to laugh.

The Woolpack was restored to its old, peculiar normality.

And there were mashed taties to be eaten.

Judy Westrop - The Burning Issue...

Judy Westrop (Jane Cussons) has a cigarette in 1980.

Harry has written:

I was interested in your post about Emmerdale Farm in early 1980, and the screen grab you featured of Judy Westrop smoking a cigarette. I thought that people on TV were not supposed to be seen smoking until after 7 P.M. in those days? Crossroads, the ATV soap, was certainly subject to this ban and cigarette advertising on ITV had ceased in 1965 (although cigar advertising was still allowed). As Emmerdale Farm was still screened in a few ITV regions before 7 P.M. in 1980, can you explain this?

No, Harry, I'm afraid not!

The character of Judy, was certainly a smoker, although I can't recall any others in Emmerdale Farm at that time.

Perhaps, as the show was scheduled by Yorkshire TV to go out at 7pm, it somehow slipped through the net? I do recall Mrs Tardebigge, the Crossroads cleaner smoking later in the '80s - before 7pm, but I don't know anything regarding the law, broadcasting, and representations of cigarette smoking on the box back then.

If anybody DOES know the facts, I'd be happy to hear from them.

E-Mail Question: Why NY Estates?

NY People... Troubled Judy Westrop (Jane Cussons) stayed briefly with her father Maurice (Edward Dentith) at Home Farm - both left Beckindale in 1980; in March 1982, Alan Turner (Richard Thorp) arrived as estate manager and immediately upset farm manager Joe Sugden (Frazer Hines); in 1984 managing director Christopher Meadows (Conrad Phillips) had stern words for Alan, who had got the Beckindale operation into a state of chaos; Christopher had dispatched Alan's predecessor, Richard Anstey (Carl Rigg) in 1981 after Richard had had an affair with Virginia Lattimore (Wanda Moore), wife of NY regional manager Derek; Mrs Bates (Diana Davies) arrived in 1984 and saved Alan's bacon; a thorn in Alan's side was game keeper Seth Armstrong (Stan Richards), who had found himself without an assistant in 1982 after Jackie Merrick got the sack.

Beanpole asks:

What does the "NY" in "NY Estates" stand for?

North Yorkshire. However, the company had holdings and interests outside of North Yorkshire, and indeed outside of England - including North Wales and France.

1980: Penny For The Seth...

Annie Sugden (Sheila Mercier) and Dolly Skilbeck (Jean Rogers) were enjoying a quick cuppa one morning in November 1980, when there was a sharp rapping at the window.

"It's Seth Armstrong, I think," grinned Dolly.

Sam Pearson (Toke Townley) entered with the Guy he had made for the Beckindale Allotment Association's firework display. The mask he had bought in Hotten for the Guy had given him ideas, and with a couple of things added it was the spitting image of Seth Armstrong!

-

"Well now, what do you think of this?!" beamed Sam.

-

"It's not we think of it, it's what Seth Armstrong will think of it!" said Annie.

-

"Oh, he won't mind, Annie, Seth can take a joke!" her father replied.

-

As it happened, the joke was lost on Seth (Stan Richards).

-

Asked by Mr Wilks if he thought the Guy resembled somebody, Seth said yes he did.

-

But he couldn't for the life of him think who.

A wonderful signed photograph of Sam Pearson (Toke Townley) and the Seth Guy Fawkes from 1980 - it's signed by Stan Richards (NOWT LIKE ME - IT'S PRETTIER!) and was on display in the Ashwood Tea Room, Esholt, for some years. The photograph was taken at Lindley Farm, the original Emmerdale Farm exterior location.

Of course, 1980 was a big year for Stan Richards and Seth Armstrong as the character became a full-time permanent regular in the summer.

Happy days!