1980: Jack Sugden - "A Completely Different Person!" - Sheila Mercier

Jack Sugden returns to Emmerdale Farm with a new face in February 1980 - Clive Hornby has taken over the role from Andrew Burt. Annie (Sheila Mercier) and Sam (Toke Townley) greet him.

When Jack Sugden left Beckindale around 1964, after conflict with Jacob, his father, he went to London - then very swinging! When he returned to the farm in 1972, after his father's death, Jack (then played by Andrew Burt) was not a typical Sugden: he spoke "posh" and appeared educated and sophisticated. Some of his attitudes shocked Beckindale, which had not actually caught up to 1960s London standards even by the early 1970s. Jack appeared as rather an outsider.

When Clive Hornby first appeared as Jack in February 1980, the character was very different. This Jack was not as sophisticated, although occasional reference was made to the book he had written, Field Of Tares, and in 1983 Jack was writing a little poetry.

Sheila Mercier wrote in her autobiography, Annie's Song:

Clive Hornby, who had taken over the role of Jack Sugden, settled in quickly. He was even honoured with a special dinner at the Queens Hotel in Leeds on his arrival. It was, after all, a very important part that he was coming to play, although his character returned as a completely different person, more dedicated to farming than ever before!

Like the first Jack, this version favoured free range farming, but he was far more involved practically, far more interested in working on the farm and making the farm work. The original Jack had simply sat back and allocated shares in the farm to the rest of the family.

Clive Hornby's Jack did not sound as "posh", and his ideas were not as "enlightened". The character was not as restless. He seemed more typically a Sugden.

In 1982, after he married Pat Merrick (Helen Weir), Jack told her that he didn't like her working. She was then a clerk for Alan Turner (Richard Thorp) at NY Estates. The original Jack would, no doubt, have grimaced at such an attitude. But the new Jack was in tune with his grandfather, Sam Pearson (Toke Townley) on this issue.

The new Jack fitted more neatly into the Emmerdale Farm/Beckindale scenario. And although Clive Hornby bore a certain facial resemblance to his predecessor, the 1980s Jack was, as Sheila Mercier said, a "completely different person" from the sophisticated but troubled Jack of the early years.

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.

Sheila Mercier - In Appreciation

Sheila Mercier as Annie Sugden made a brief return to Emmerdale as a tribute to Clive Hornby last week. And for fans of Emmerdale, new as well as old, it was a great pleasure to see her on-screen. From being parched for a cup of tea, to fixing Eric Pollard with a glare, and talking good sense to her family, Annie was as wonderful as ever. And it was good to see her with Richard Thorp - now the longest running regular cast member as Alan Turner (I've just been watching his debut episodes from 1982 - seems like yesterday!).

Many thanks to Sheila. Her appearance was a tremendous tribute to Clive Hornby, and a great treat for us viewers.

1980: Clive Hornby - First Scenes As Jack Sugden

With the funeral of Jack Sugden to be featured in Emmerdale next week, and Sheila Mercier making a brief return as Annie Sugden, I've had several enquiries about Clive Hornby's debut as Jack back in 1980. So, I've opened my 1980 folder and discovered these pics and details.

Clive's first scene as Jack was outside the farm.

He took a long look at the exterior of his family home, and then made his way to the kitchen door...

Jack's grandfather, Sam Pearson (Toke Townley), answered the door and, with a wink at Jack, said:

"Oh, Annie, it's the man from the travelling library!"

"Eh? They're not coming round door-to-door now, are they?" Annie was highly puzzled.

"Just trying to encourage more people to read, Mrs Sugden!" said Jack, stepping over the threshold.

Annie was delighted: "Jack! You're early! You were gonna phone! I was gonna come to meet you!"

Jack: "I 'ad to walk it, Ma."

Annie: "Oh! Nothing's ready, you know!"

Sam: " 'Course it is! Been ready for ages!"

Annie: "I didn't expect you to walk in like that! Oh, it's good to see you! You look well, I'll say that for you. Welcome home, lad!"

Sam: "Aye, welcome back, lad!"

More to follow on Jack's funeral at the weekend. In the meantime, for all those interested in Clive Hornby's opening decade as Jack Sugden, please look at our 'Jack Sugden' label here.

1981: The Sheep Shelter

Jack was not happy when Matt suggested buying a sheep shelter from Clifford Longthorn. He wanted to invest money in starting organic farming at Emmerdale, although Joe was in opposition and the other members of the household had misgivings. Jack was even more disgruntled to discover that Matt had been to see Henry Wilks to discuss the financing of the shelter. Matt had seen the shelters in action on a visit to Smithfield in 1980, and been highly impressed.

"Matt, not another new fangled gadget, eh?" groaned Grandad Pearson.

"Oh no, Grandad, it's just a shelter for sheep, that's all," said Dolly.

Grandad was not convinced of the need for such a thing: "Well, they never needed shelters in my day!"

"Ah, but they did, they just didn't 'ave 'em, that's all!" said Matt. "They save a lot of money in lost lambs, do them shelters."

"Aye, Matt, well, we did lose a lot in the old days - especially in a bad winter," Grandad conceded.

Jack was still not happy.

Then Matt dropped a bombshell: asked where the shelter would go, he announced: "I've thought about that. There's only one place that it can go."

"Where's that?" asked Joe.

"Well, it's got to go round the back for a start," said Matt. "And it's got to go on well-drained land. I mean, that bit of land has got the right gradient. There's no other land round the back there that's really flat enough. "

"Well, which bit of land?" asked Joe.

"I don't really like to say..." Matt was looking very uncomfortable.

"Come on, Matt," urged Annie.

"Grandad's vegetable patch," said Matt.

Grandad was most unhappy. When Dolly asked how he was a day or two later, he bellowed: "Nobody round here takes any notice of my feelings anymore!"

He was promised another patch, but still felt he was being ill treated.

The rest of the family, and Henry Wilks, backed Matt's sheep shelter plan, but Jack - who was still fixed on the idea of investing in organic farming, tried to stall things. When Matt showed him a photograph of the shelter, he announced its appearance wouldn't fit in with the existing buildings.

Matt did not understand Jack's view of farming at all sometimes: the sheep needed the shelter - aesthetics didn't come into it!

As the days passed, Annie grew increasingly annoyed with her eldest son. Until, realising that her intervention was needed, she decided to take action.

Jack was feeling misunderstood - but was convinced he knew best:

"We're still spending too much on concentrates. I'll be glad when I can cut back on them and start using the grass better. Of course, it'll take time. The others don't really understand the principles involved. You can lead a horse to water, but if he thinks he can do without it..."

"I wish you could hear yourself talk, Jack - if only you knew what you sounded like!" cried Annie.

"What?" Jack was puzzled.

"You really do think you're the only person around here with any sense, don't you? You've been carrying on on this farm as if you owned it!"

"I haven't, Ma!"

Annie ignored him: "Well you don't own it - just remember that! I'm getting so fed up of you and your grandad behaving as though you're the only two people that matter!"

"It's not me I'm talking about - it's the farm!" said Jack, startled.

His mother glowered: "We agreed on this sheep housing for Matt, didn't we?"

"Aye. I've not forgotten that."

"No, but you're ignoring it - you're putting it off, hoping he'll forget the whole thing. Well, he won't forget it and neither will we. You can think we're a lot of idiots if you like for not understanding your farming principles, but let me tell you this: Matt knows more about sheep farming than you'll ever know. He's more expert in his field than you, with or without book learning!"

"I know that, Ma, but..."

Annie bulldozed him: "Happen you do! And happen that's why you're being so pig headed about letting him have his sheep house!"

"Oh, that's not fair, Ma..."

"Then why hasn't he got it? It's been over a week since we decided!"

"I don't mean to be pig headed. I know Matt's good at his job. Oh, he's a bit slow sometimes..."

Annie rose from her chair, furious.

"No, I didn't mean it, Ma!" Jack was shaken.

"All right, go and talk to him!"

"Aye, I will..." said Jack, playing for time.

"GO ON!!" cried Annie.

"What, now?!"

"No point in holding back!"

Jack scuttled for the door: "I'm going!"

Annie watched her eldest son scuttle out of the kitchen, like some daft little lad, her face stony.

Then she turned...

... and burst out laughing!

Jack sought out Matt and soon Matt was smiling.

The sheep shelter went up.

Matt was thrilled with it. He showed Grandad the ventilation system: "You can have a howling gale blowing outside, and in here all you get is fresh air!"

Later, Annie asked Sam about the loss of his vegetable patch: "You're not too upset, are you, Dad?"

"No, of course I'm not, love!" said Sam. "He's a good lad - and to see him running around like a spring lamb is worth any amount of vegetable gardens! Mind you, as long as I have another one as good!"

"What do you reckon, Dolly?" asked Matt.

"Seven!" said Dolly.

"Eh?!" Annie was puzzled.

"I've been counting up how many times he's said 'What do you reckon, Dolly?'!" grinned Dolly.

A hay fight broke out between the Skilbecks, and Matt chased Dolly to the nearby barn...

... where Mr and Mrs Skilbeck indulged in a quick kiss and a cuddle - both well pleased with the outcome of the sheep shelter affair - and with each other.

Happy 2009 - And Welcome To 1984!

1984 always sounds ominous to me - also being the title of George Orwell's famous novel. Did you know that George Orwell took several years to write the book back in the 1940s, and that it was originally to be set in 1980, and then in 1982?

The real 1984 didn't see the arrival of Big Brother - it's more like that today with the various databases (established and planned) and security cameras logging our every move - but it did see the arrival of the Apple Mac - complete with affordable computer mouse. A revolution was beginning...

The UK edition of Trivial Pursuit arrived and we were trivia crazy. Sir Alec Jeffreys accidentally discovered DNA fingerprinting, at the University Of Leicester, England (More here). The miners fought a bitter, losing battle; Frankie Goes To Hollywood shocked the charts; the yuppie era was drawing in; V was on the telly and Do They Know It's Christmas? hit the No 1 spot. Agadoo was another chart favourite. Push pineapple, grind coffee? Hmm...

In the world of fashion, shoulder pads were getting bigger and bigger, people were streaking their hair blonde and using hair gel to very striking (or ugly, depending on your viewpoint) effect and moon boots were a must-have, as were Frankie Say T-shirts.

And so to Beckindale. What was 1984 like in the village? Well, a quick skim through some of the episodes reveals that Al Dixon as Walter (1980-1985) actually got to appear in the show's closing credits on at least one occasion...

Walter himself got a new hat at the village jumble sale, but Amos was not happy. "There's something rotten in the state of Beckindale!" he told Mr Wilks. What was Ernie Shuttleworth up to at the Malt Shovel?

Meanwhile, at Home Farm, Alan Turner was just having a row with Seth Armstrong when a woman appeared, telling him that she was the new "temp" secretary from the agency. Who was she? Can you guess?

One of the NY Estates bulls saw his chance and made a dash for freedom, causing problems for Jack Sugden...

And 1984 ended in tears. The death of actor Toke Townley meant the death of Sam Pearson. Annie, and in fact the whole of Beckindale, not to mention we viewers, mourned his passing in November...

To round things off, Jack began his affair with Karen Moore, which would spill over into 1985.

Our "Twenty Five Years Ago" series highlights 1984 in 2009. We'll also be giving 1981 a thorough looking at (Rubik's Cube, anybody?!) and presenting snippets from other years.

My thanks to Magnus, Will, Cerys, Squirrel K, Bryan, and others, for some very interesting e-mails/comments this year - and To Mrs Violet Howes for her Beckindale poem. Thanks also to Bill Sands for supplying some original YTV publicity stills, and to all those who took part in the competition.

See you in 2009! Or do I mean 1984?!

Happy New Year!

Sheila Mercier (Annie Sugden) Set For Brief Return To Emmerdale...

1980s memories - left: Matt Skilbeck (Frederick Pyne), Jack Sugden (Clive Hornby) and Dolly Skilbeck (Jean Rogers) discuss farming matters. Right: Annie Sugden (Sheila Mercier) and Dolly Skilbeck take time out for a cuppa. Sheila Mercier and Frederick Pyne had been with Emmerdale Farm since the beginning. Jean Rogers and Clive Hornby debuted as Dolly and Jack in 1980.

A good friend of The Beckindale Bugle has been in touch to tell us that Sheila Mercier, who played matriarch Annie Sugden in the show from 1972-1996, is to return to the series for three episodes. She will be filming just before Christmas and the episodes will be screened around February 2009. This is tremendous news. Will any of our other favourites, like Matt and Dolly Skilbeck, be joining her, we wonder?

November 1989 - filming at Lindley Farm, the real life location for Emmerdale Farm from 1972-1993: in this scene, Annie greets Jack on his return from Italy. Mr Wilks (Arthur Pentelow) looks on. This screen capture is from the final episode of Emmerdale Farm. The next episode saw the show becoming simply Emmerdale.

The Emmerdale Farm Who's Who Of The 1980s - Part 2: Always There - Cast And Characters Who Spanned The Entire Decade...

If you switched on Emmerdale Farm in the 1980s, who would you be assured of seeing throughout the entire decade? First and foremost would have to be Sheila Mercier (Annie Sugden), seeing out a decade of tremendous change in Beckindale. She remained a central character, although her scenes were somewhat reduced after the death of Toke Townley (Sam Pearson) in 1984. Annie was still very much the head of the Sugden family and could always be relied upon to provide support and advice. In 1989, her strength appeared to be crumbling, and she became briefly addicted to tranquillisers. But, Annie being Annie, she was soon back to her old self. And we were very glad.

Ronald Magill - the wonderful Amos Brearly of The Woolpack Inn - was another splendid Emmerdale Farm actor who spanned the entire 1980s. This was a tremendous decade for Amos, as Seth Armstrong (Stan Richards) became a regular at The Woolpack in 1980, and the very odd silent Walter (Al Dixon) also joined the regulars that year. Amos chuntered at Walter and was wound up to the hilt by Seth. Amos' 1980s were days of fads, strange relatives, allotment rivalries, strippers, leaking cisterns and general mayhem at The Woolpack. Simply terrific.

Arthur Pentelow - "Mr Wilks" to Amos, "Henry" to others, was the calming voice of reason at The Woolpack and a great friend and business partner to the family up at Emmerdale Farm. He also became a parish councillor during the 1980s. Henry survived all Amos' absurdities, and his daughter Marian's marriage problems, and was the man Tom Merrick advised Jackie to turn to if ever he ran into problems. Henry was never a saint but he was a warm and caring character who hid his warm heart under a gruff exterior. We loved Mr Wilks. We loved Amos. We loved The '80s Woolpack!

Stan Richards - Seth Armstrong - began his career in Emmerdale Farm as a temporary character in 1978, made several appearances afterwards, and became a full-timer in 1980.

In the summer of 1980, Seth switched loyalties from The Malt Shovel to The Woolpack and was soon appearing in the Emmerdale Farm story lines as much as the longer-established characters. Seth's glory days became even more glorious when Alan Turner arrived at Home Farm in 1982.

Almost making it on to this list were Frederick Pyne - Matt Skilbeck - who left the cast in November 1989 (Matt last appeared on-screen in December), Hugh Manning - the Rev Donald Hinton, who left the cast in the summer of 1989 and Clive Hornby (Jack Sugden) - who made his debut in February 1980. Frazer Hines (Joe Sugden) was present at the start and at the end of the 1980s, but took three years out (1983-1986) in-between!

What's On Your Mind?

The early 1980s: Joe confides in Mr Wilks at The Woolpack.

A lot of e-mails/comments in my absence. There's a few, with answers, here...

"Sandie Merrick" writes:

The feminist fight seems pretty rampant in 80's media. Do you think Annie Sugden was a positive image for women, tied to the Aga all day long? Or, as you're a man, do you think feminism is all a load of clap trap?

As a blokey type bloke I daresay I shouldn't venture an opinion, Sandie, but yes, I think Annie was fine. She was the rock, the person who kept the farm and family together. She was also a prominent figure in Beckindale - with her work as a churchwarden and on the WI.

No, I don't think feminism is a "load of clap trap" - but I must say I think gender issues are far more complex than feminism allows. The biggest influence pushing me towards a traditional working class English male stereotype personality when I was a child was my mother's! What is it they say? "The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world"!

From Mark:

Your Walter stuff is most excellent. Do you think Geoffrey Hooper and Al Dixon were playing the same character, because they seemed so different?

A friend of mine recently asked me the same question, Mark. Geoffrey Hooper was originally simply an extra in Woolpack scenes, and the production team later decided to name him and bring him forward a little.

I think Geoffrey Hooper's Walter was more of a prop than a character - on-screen for Amos to chunter to. He looked far more ordinary too - he was seen in the background in Woolpack scenes, interacting with other regulars and talking!

Al Dixon's Walter looked strikingly different and was far more prominent and silent. It was in the Al Dixon era (1980-1985) that Walter became a cult. Mr Dixon was actually recruited to play Walter as a character.

Al Dixon's Walter was not recruited to resemble Geoffrey Hooper's version, and producer Anne W Gibbons simply stated that there had been a tradition of having a Walter in The Woolpack. She seemed keen to expand on that tradition and flesh it out. I believe that the two Walters were linked, one based on the tradition established by the other, but not actually intended to be the same person.

I think Walter was a fun gimmick.

For ease of reference, I personally refer to the two Walters as Walter Hooper and Walter Dixon!

These are simply my opinions - but if you watch a Geoffrey Hooper episode of Emmerdale Farm, then an Al Dixon episode, it is evident that Al Dixon was not trying to imitate his predecessor. And Walter was quite a common Christian name amongst elderly men in those days.

From Sara P:

Can we have some more late 1980's stuff on here? Lately you seem to be favouring the first few years!

LOL, Sara! Up until recently comments were telling me I was favouring the last few years of the '80s! Coming up is more info on 1981 and 1982, then I intend to move on up the decade to 1986!

Christopher says:

I'm told Emmerdale was all about sheep in the 1980's. Was it?

No! But there were a lot about. I was watching a 1986 episode whilst eating my dinner a few months back and was not terribly keen to see Matt Skilbeck actually delivering a lamb - in full detail! But '80s Emmerdale Farm was also about Matt and Dolly, and Annie and Sam, and Amos and Mr Wilks, and Walter and Seth, and Archie and Nick, and Alan Turner and Mrs Bates, and Kathy and Jackie, and Sandie and Phil, and Jack and Pat, and Joe and Barbara, and the Rev Donald Hinton and Harry Mowlam, and...

More comments answered very soon! Thanks for all the e-mails!

1980: Annie's Agony...

During her Emmerdale Farm years, we never saw the character of Annie Sugden scrubbing the floors. There was a simple reason for it: actress Sheila Mercier suffered from arthritis and would have found it impossible. Sheila Mercier wrote in her autobiography, Annie's Song (1994):

Several years before I started the programme, my right knee became very arthritic.

In 1980, Sheila's problem became Annie's problem.

Bending to pick up an orphaned lamb in the farmhouse kitchen in the spring of 1980, Annie was gripped by a sudden pain in her knee which caused her to cry out.

Dolly immediately came to her aid, but Annie brushed off her concern: it was just a passing thing: "Bones get old," she said.

But a few weeks later the pain struck Annie again as she bent to pick up a dropped item of shopping. And if she was entirely honest with herself she had to admit that wasn't the only time.

Dolly agreed not to tell the menfolk, if Annie would agree to go to the doctor. This she did, and her knee was x-rayed. Meanwhile, Dolly couldn't help communicating her concern to Matt, who told Jack.

By the end of the year, the pain was worse than ever and becoming more frequent. In 1981, Annie's knee was operated on. In a great piece of soap realism, Sheila Mercier's absence from the show was for exactly the same reason.

In 1988, TV critic Hilary Kingsley wrote that Sheila Mercier had made a "small chapter of soap history":

She underwent surgery for an arthritic knee on and off screen. Until then ailing actors and actresses simply disappeared for operations, and no one mentioned their absence.

1980: Farewell To Maurice Westrop...

In the spring of 1980, Maurice Westrop (Edward Dentith), head of NY Estates' Beckindale holding, had momentous news for his daughter, Judy (Jane Cussons). He started with a question:

"How attached to this place are you?"

"The village or the house?"

"Both. Either."

"More attached than I have been for a long time. We've moved about a lot since Mother died," Judy sighed. She had experienced many problems since the death of her mother.

"Is that what you want - a permanent home?"

"Oh, perhaps not. It's one of those things you tell yourself will put everything right. It won't, of course. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to go off on that tack."

"What you've just said is important. I hadn't realised when you were younger, moving on every couple of years to a new school, a different house..."

"It doesn't matter. It's just one of those things - plenty of people live like that. Anyway, what brought this on?"

"I'm moving on again. They want me over in North Wales, permanently."

"I see."

"It's not my choice."

"I know. When?"

"In a few weeks."

"Well, that's that then."

"If it's that important, I could get in touch..."

"No you couldn't. You're doing very nicely with NY Estates. And anyway..."

"And anyway I'm too old to change horses. You're right."

Judy made to escape the kitchen - "Today you're going to have a proper lunch. I'm doing complicated things to a chicken."

"We've got to talk this over. I hope you'll come with me."

Judy's mind was awhirl. Everything had changed in just a few minutes. "I don't know. I don't know." And she left the room, leaving an anxious Maurice behind her.

On a visit to Emmerdale Farm, Judy had a piece of good fortune.

"You still looking for a job?" asked Matt Skilbeck (Frederick Pyne).

"Why?"

"Huxleys', the auctioneers in Hotten Market, they're looking for someone."

"To do what?"

Matt shrugged: "All I know is that I couldn't see Ben Huxley this morning cos he was interviewing somebody for it. Give 'em a ring."

"Oh, there's not much point - I've just been telling Annie that Dad's been posted to North Wales, he's going to manage the big estate up there."

"It's like the Army - moving you about from pillar to post!" commented Sam Pearson (Toke Townley).

"He wants me to go with him," said Judy.

"Well, how long before you'll be going?" asked Matt.

"Three weeks. If I go."

"I thought you weren't interested in't job because you were going?"

"I don't really seem too sure of anything," said Judy, forlornly.

Word travelled fast in Beckindale. The next day, at Home Farm, Maurice commented:

"I hear you've been looking round for jobs? I'm sure I could fix you up with something in North Wales."

"I've started to make friends here."

"You'd do that anywhere!"

"Do you realise I haven't any old friends? Oh, there are plenty of people scattered all over the place that I've known for a few months before moving on. Friends I'll probably never see again. If I come to Wales with you it'll be the same thing all over again. Christmas cards for a few years before we cross each other off our lists... Dolly and Matt. Annie Sugden. Henry Wilks...."

She told her father that Huxley's were looking for an assistant to the auctioneer.

She'd grown close to her father during her stay at Home Farm and the thought of parting was not easy. But she told Maurice she'd decided to visit Hotten Market the following day, which was market day: "I thought I'd just like to get the feel of it before I commit myself."

And so the next day she went to Hotten. She took a good look around the market, then went to the desk: "Do you know if the vacancy for an auctioneer's assistant is still open?"

Back at Home Farm, Maurice was waiting:

"You want to stay here, don't you?"

Judy told him that she had been to Huxley's and that the vacancy was still open.

"You're taking it."

"Well, I asked for a day or two to decide."

It was all very difficult. Maurice told Judy that he felt a sense of responsibility for her, belated though it was. Judy confided in Jack Sugden that she felt a sense of responsibility towards her father.

Jack had lots to say: "These women who turn their backs on a career and marriage to look after their parents don't get a lot of sympathy from me. No parent has a right to bring a child into this world and then deny it a life of its own. And no child has a right to opt for martyrdom. Not these days, anyway." He grinned: "How come whenever I talk to you I start preaching at you?"

"Perhaps I'm in need of conversion," said Judy.

"Yeah, well, don't quote me when you tell your father you're stopping in Beckindale."

"Who said I was?"

"You're not the stuff that martyrs are made of."

"How do you know- you don't even know me?"

"I'm a writer, remember? We like to think we can explain our fellow creatures to themselves."

"Can you?"

Jack smiled - and shrugged.

"Whatever you do, it'll have to be your decision," said Maurice later back at Home Farm. "And if you find you've made a mistake you won't be able to get back at me."

Judy took a deep breath: "I've decided to stay."

"I know," her father replied, quietly.

"How could you possibly know, I didn't know myself till this morning!"

"What you mean is that's the first time you've admitted it to yourself. I've known all along - from the look on your face when I first mentioned going to Wales. You've never been able to keep any secrets from me. When you were a little girl I had only to look in your eyes - your mouth was saying one thing, your eyes were saying another."

"Thanks very much!" Judy smiled.

"I hope you'll settle down at Huxley's. I think you will - it'll be an interesting job - going round all the farms."

"I haven't said I'll take it yet. I'm not sure."

"They'll be very disappointed if you don't - they're banking on it." Then, as Judy looked at him quizzically: "Oh, I was there yesterday about the Mashams. Ben Huxley's under the impression that you'll be starting next week."

"What have you been saying?!"

"Nothing. Oh, er, I may have mentioned that they'd find you an honest, careful and conscientious worker."

"You really are an old devil!"

"I hope I haven't been speaking out of turn?"

Judy looked at him anxiously: "Do you mind?"

"Well, if you're not coming with me, I'd feel better knowing what you're doing."

"That's not what I meant."

Maurice smiled: "We'll see each other."

"You'll really be all right?"

"Oh for heaven's sake, I'm not in my dotage yet! And I've looked after myself for long enough. You'd have never have stuck North Wales anyway! Three months and you'd have been off again - heaven knows where!"

Judy grinned: "You really do know me, don't you?"

Some days later, on a visit to Emmerdale Farm, Judy talked things over with Annie (Sheila Mercier) and Dolly (Jean Rogers):

"I don't think Dad's altogether happy about my staying on."

"Oh, he's bound to worry," said Annie.

"It's difficult to explain really. I want to stay in Beckindale, but it's more than that. It's time I stood on my own two feet again. That's really what's at the back of it."

There was one remaining practical difficulty: accommodation.

"I don't want to be a burden at Home Farm - people too polite to throw me out, but wondering why I'm still there!"

"There's a simple answer - Demdyke!" cried Annie. Joe (Frazer Hines) was away in America and wouldn't be back for a couple of months - Judy could stay there until she found a place of her own.

"Well, thanks, Annie, but I don't know that Joe..."

"It's simple! When he rings from America I'll ask him. There's only two answers!"

And, of course, Joe said yes.

On the eve of his departure, Maurice was sad. Annie had invited the Westrops for a meal at Emmerdale, and Judy commented: "We're going to be very early."

"I thought we'd call in at the Woolpack on the way."

"You're really feeling it, aren't you?"

"I didn't think I would... all these years, moving about from place to place. I'd rather hoped this was the last stop."

"You shouldn't have started packing so early!"

"Well, it's no good pretending it isn't going to happen. It's you as well, Judy. Leaving you behind makes it all the more difficult."

"I won't be the other side of the world. We'll still see each other."

"On high days and holidays!"

"Oh, more than that! And anyway, can that be bad? Before I came here we hardly saw each other at all. We hadn't had a real conversation for years."

"I've been spoilt!"

"Nobody ever died of that!"

"I suppose you're looking forward to Joe coming back?"

"Oh, it'll be good to see him."

"And that's all?"

Judy laughed: "Oh, Dad, stop trying to get me married off!"

"It's just a fatherly interest. I'm not prying."

"I don't know what'll happen. Oh, there was a time when I thought it might take off - somehow it didn't. But he's a marvellous friend - and that's what matters. Now come on - it's gloomy here, let's go. Amos can cheer us up with tales of his vegetable patch." For Amos Brearly (Ronald Magill) had just gained an allotment in Beckindale, and spoke of little else.

After an enjoyable stop-off at The Woolpack, the Westrops, father and daughter, set off for Emmerdale Farm.

Before the meal commenced, Henry Wilks (Arthur Pentelow) proposed a toast:

"Let's just say this is not a farewell dinner. Maurice has become a good friend over the last two years and I know he'll be coming back to Beckindale - Judy's staying here to make sure that he does..."

Surrounded by friends and with new horizons beckoning, Maurice felt a little happier.

The gathering stood up to drink a toast:

"TO THE FUTURE!"