Tribute to ‘Street’ star

Press, 1 March 1984, Page 11

Tribute to ‘Street’ star

NZPA-PA Manchester

Stars of “Coronation Street” yesterday paid their last respects to the actress, Violet Carson, who played Ena Sharpies, in the cathedral where she was baptised and married.

They were among 500 members of the congregation at an hour-long memorial service in Manchester Cathedral.

William Roach (Ken Barlow) said in his address that Miss Carson — who died on Boxing Day, aged 85 — had been born within the sound of the bells of the cathedral. And she bad worshipped there while staying at the neighbouring Mitre Hotel, he said.

Miss Carson appeared in the show for 20 years as the hair-netted battleaxe whose sharp tongue featured in many a row.

Coronation Street players in the congregation included Thelma Barlow (Mavis Riley), Betty Driver (Betty Turpin), Helen Worth (Gail Tilsley), Barbara Knox (Rita Fairclough), William Tarmey (Jack Duckworth).

Mr Roach recalled their first meeting when “Coronation Street” was originally being cast and it was to be called “Florizel Street.” Miss Carson bad been given the part of Ena at the eleventh hour. “The part was said to be so difficult to cast that the producers had seriously considered writing the character out of the show,” he said.

“And in that first episode one of the great characters of television drama — perhaps of the whole of drama — was born.

“There is a popular belief, at times borne out by fact, that actors and actresses

playing in long-running series become the characters they portray. In Violet’s case the reverse was true.”

Ena had taken on many of Miss Carson’s characteristics, he said.

“Violet was always ready to take up the cudgels on behalf of her fellow players, to speak her mind to anyone, high or low, and in the cause of fair play. So Ena became the champion of justice.”

He said that of all the awards she received in her life, the one she had prized probably the most was having a rose named after her.

She had been affectionately nicknamed “The Duchess” by the acting profession. “It didn’t derive from an autocratic manner or pomposity. It reflected her bearing, her elegance, her largesse of spirit,” Mr Roach said.