Alan Turner - Otherwise Known As!

Mr Bear in his den at NY Estates in 1986.

From the Sunday People, April 28, 1985:

FARM FUHRER

Emmerdale's awful Alan Turner may have acquired a reputation as a rural J.R. But his long suffering assistant Mrs Bates - actress Diana Davies - has her own way of describing him.

"He's a cross between Adolf Hitler and Pooh Bear - so I call him Adolf Bear."

Eric Pollard - A Request...

Fiona writes to say:

Sheep are sheep, cows are cows, Amos is Amos and Walter is Walter, but can we cut to the chase and have a decent screen grab of the divine Chris Chittell as Eric Pollard, as he was when he first appeared in the 1980s?

You can, Fiona - above you'll find a screen capture of Eric on his very first visit to The Woolpack in 1986.

Ernie Shuttleworth And The Malt Shovel In The 1980s...

The July 1986 Woolpack Versus Malt Shovel Dominoes Match ends in acrimony - Amos Brearly (Ronald Magill), Jock MacDonald (Drew Dawson) and Ernie Shuttleworth (Peter Schofield) were there.

Simon writes to ask:

The Malt Shovel is a never-seen Emmerdale mystery location. Did it appear in the 1980s?

Yes, Simon, it did.

The Shovel had long been a thorn in Amos Brearly's side: he denounced landlord Ernie Shuttleworth's beer as "filth" and frowned upon the "low standards" of Beckindale's other hostelry.

Ernie Shuttleworth had first appeared in the show's early years and was briefly portrayed by actor John Comer (Sid of Last Of The Summer Wine).

After this, Amos' disapproval of the Shovel in no way decreased, however Ernie was not seen on-screen, but occasionally mentioned, for years.

In the summer of 1980, Malt Shovel regular Seth Armstrong (Stan Richards) became a Woolpack regular, as Seth became a full-time Emmerdale Farm character.

Amos was at his most blustering when being wound up, and in the 1980s viewers adored seeing the increasingly larger-than-life Mr B being wound up.

And Seth quickly became a master at it.

In 1984, Ernie Shuttleworth was re-introduced, now played by actor Peter Schofield. Mr Schofield's portrayal of Ernie did not exactly echo John Comer's - the character became rather more sly, and more of an adversary for Amos than ever before.

The Shovel appeared on-screen in 1982, when Seth, fed up with being under the gaze of his NY boss and the vicar - both regulars at The Woolpack, briefly sought refuge there (Ernie was not seen).

We heard in the early '80s that Ernie had had a Space Invaders machine installed. Of course, The Woolpack would never have stooped so low!

In January 1984, Peter Schofield's splendid Mr Shuttleworth made his debut, squaring up to Amos, and battle commenced.

We viewers were treated to on-screen Shovel scenes as we witnessed its Country And Western Night (complete with yodelling cowboy singer), and Mr Wilks (Arthur Pentelow) developed a fondness for Shovel barmaid Doreen (Sandra Gough).

There was trouble between Amos and Ernie at the annual Licensed Victuallers' Association Ball.

And more trouble over Ernie's nightly "Happy Hour", which drew custom from The Woolpack.

When Ernie was caught serving drinks after hours, Amos wrote a disparaging article on the subject for the Hotten Courier, and Ernie, in retaliation, interfered with the clock in The Woolpack bar, thus causing Amos to be caught serving customers after time.

From then on, Ernie's occasional appearances became a treat greatly relished by viewers.

At the end of the day, Ernie wanted custom and was not afraid of modern gimicks to secure it. His weekly disco nights midway through the decade with the "latest hot sounds of the '80s" were the talk of Beckindale and resulted in Ernie putting his back out. Had he been attempting to breakdance, I wondered?!!

Amos wanted custom too, and he was pushed into installing a jukebox at The Woolpack for a while. But Amos was caught up with delusions of grandeur and his approach was very different to Ernie's.

He usually frowned down on modern gimmicks from a very great height.

To sum up, the 1980s war of the Beckindale pub landlords was simply hilarious.

Ronald Magill's performance as Amos was never short of inspired.

I adored Amos - and never more so than in the 1980s when this beautifully matured character scaled new heights of blathering bombast and oddness.

And Peter Schofield, in bringing Ernie Shuttleworth out of the shadows and into the limelight as an instantly real character whose main aim was to secure as much custom as possible for his pub, and get right on Amos' wick in the process, was a delight!
September 1984...

Having been caught by the police serving after hours, and crowed over by Amos Brearly in the Hotten Courier, Ernie Shuttleworth visits The Woolpack to tell Amos exactly what he thinks of him. Mr Wilks goes to find Amos, Walter (Al Dixon) visits the Gents and Ernie, suddenly alone in the bar, has an idea. He alters The Woolpack clock, putting it back twenty minutes, tells Walter (on his return from the Gents) that he can't wait any longer - he's a pub of his own to run - and leaves. Mr Wilks returns from a fruitless search for Amos to find Walter alone in the bar. Where on earth had Amos gone?

The explanation was simple: Amos, having seen the indignant Ernie approaching The Woolpack, and uncertain of how to defend his somewhat spiteful stance in The Courier, had sought refuge in the cellar.

Jane Cussons As Judy Westrop

Jane Cussons - Emmerdale Farm's Judy Westrop.

Bugle reader Gareth requests information on Jane Cussons, the actress who played Judy Westrop in Emmerdale Farm from 1979-1980.

Well, Gareth, the best that I can do is to quote the information from the BAFTA site:

Jane Cussons began her career as an actress, working in theatre and television, including two years with the Royal Shakespeare Company, a year with the Old Vic Company, two major West End plays, numerous television roles and a year on TV soap, Emmerdale. She spent a year at the NFTS as a production manager on student graduation films and in 1988, she produced her first film Unexplained Laughter for BBC1. In 1990, she joined Peregrine Productions as Development Executive, where credits included Feast of July and Crossmaheart. She continued to work in production and casting on projects such as Charlotte Gray, Les Soeurs Soleil, Oscar and Lucinda, The Gathering, Family Money and Deadly Summer. Jane spent six years as Chief Executive of Women in Film & Television until April 2007. She has been a BAFTA member since 1988 and is also a member of British Actors Equity and the Casting Director's Guild, and is a RADA Associate.

Read our Beckindale Bugle Judy Westrop posts here.

Carl Rigg As Richard Anstey

Helen writes:

I recall Carl Rigg in the old soap General Hospital! Very interested to read on this site that he was in Emmerdale!

Yes, Richard Anstey managed NY Estates for a brief spell whilst Maurice Westrop (Edward Dentith) was away in early 1980. He returned later in the year when Maurice went to manage NY's holding in Wales.

Richard became friendly with Joe Sugden (Frazer Hines), and offered him the farm manager's post at the NY Beckindale holding in late 1980.

NY Estates policy sometimes created headaches. Richard did not relish clashes with the villagers over destroying an old hedgerow or creating a new area of conifer tree forest, but was well able to fulfill his role in Beckindale.

Richard was finally told to leave by NY boss Christopher Meadows (Conrad Phillips) in 1981, after it was discovered that he was having an affair with the regional manager's wife, Virginia Lattimore (Wanda Moore). Unrepentant Richard, who, it emerged, had courted controversy in the boardrooms of NY in the past, could not believe that Joe hadn't intentionally helped to bring about his downfall.

He left, talking of going abroad to work.

Archie Brooks (Tony Pitts) - In The Beginning...

Archie Brooks, played by Tony Pitts, in 1984. Mike Conrad (Martin Barrass) had dragged him into decorating the back room at The Woolpack after Amos (Ronald Magill) had accidentally caused his gas cooker to explode, spraying hot casserole all over the walls.

Archie Brooks, of Hotten, was a genuine one-off - right from the time of his very first appearance in Emmerdale Farm in November 1983.

New Emmerdale Farm Producer Richard Handford took over from Anne W Gibbons in June 1983, and immediately decided to give Jackie Merrick (Ian Sharrock) more of a social life. Martin Barrass arrived as Jackie's pal, Mike Conrad. Mike looked on as Jackie lurched through his short-lived relationship with Angie Richards (Beverley Callard).

And then, with the Angie affair consigned to history, Mike came rattling up to Emmerdale Farm one day in his tacky old van (complete with mattress in the back for "entertaining" the local scrubbers, er, sorry - I mean "ladies"!).

Mike had brought with him a pal of his called Archie. Archie was a little on the odd side by local standards, with his Tom-from-the-Thompson-Twins style hairdo and ghetto blaster. But, this being Beckindale, Archie wasn't playing Mr Pharmacist or Party Fears 2 on his ghetto blaster - bless your heart no - he was playing Status Quo's latest dazzling hit, Old Rag Blues. He did get a little trendier by slotting in some Big Country later though.

Archie had great enthusiasm for popular music - spanning everything from Little Richard to Alexei Sayle's Ullo John! Gotta New Motor? He also played the electric guitar.

Archie distinguised himself on his first visit to Emmerdale Farm by being rather monosyllabic and "out of it", and by rocking back and forth on one of the kitchen chairs, finally overbalancing, and causing the chair to break.

He was soon back in Beckindale to play the guitar with local New Wave band The Giro Technics (the name was a clever play on unemployment giro cheques) at the Beckindale Christmas Show, and he joined Jackie and Mike in undertaking some deliveries of quarry stones for local baddie Harry Mowlam (Godfrey James).

When Harry wouldn't give the lads their agreed rate of pay, and the lads were trying to think of a possession of Harry's they could seize and hold to ransom to force him to pay up, Archie thought the answer was obvious: some quarry stones.

As Harry Mowlam owned a large quarry at Connelton, and was in no way short of stones, Mike and Jackie, needless to say, were not impressed by Archie's suggestion.

In early 1984, Archie and Mike undertook the job of decorating the back room at The Woolpack. Archie proved himself a pretty good decorator, but the job took longer than was originally envisaged because of Mike's tendency to skive and Archie's tendency to break off and write poems and love letters on scraps of wallpaper.

Archie was in love.

And her name was Cathy.

However, writing love letters didn't come easily to the slow-thinking lad.

But, with Mike's advice, surely he couldn't go wrong?

Mike: "Why don't you put: 'Dear Cathy, you're the best looking bird I've ever seen, how about a bit of the other? Your secret admirer, Archie.' "

Archie saw nothing wrong with the sentiments expressed, but spotted a basic flaw:

"Hang on. How can I be a secret admirer if I sign my name?"

As the 1980s continued, Archie would appear in the Emmerdale Farm series more and more, become a bit of a thinker, and develop strong political and ecological views.

But that was very hard to imagine in his early days!

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.