Violet Carson
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Violet Carson OBE (1 September 1898 – 26 December 1983) was a British actress. She was born at Ancoats in Manchester.
Before her transfer to television Violet Carson was a regular hostess on Children's Hour on the BBC Light Programme where she was known as Auntie Vi. She introduced items and sang. However, she was best known for her role as the gruff moral voice of Coronation Street, Ena Sharples, a role she played from 1960 to 1980. For much of her 20 years on the programme, Ena's moralising caused her to spar regularly with Elsie Tanner, played by Pat Phoenix. Long after her departure from the programme, Carson continued to be synonymous with the hairnet that Ena chose to wear for almost every occasion. However, she had previously enjoyed a long career in entertainment, particularly noted as a singer and a pianist. As a singer, Carson was in the soprano range and was a regular fixture on the Christian hymnal programme Songs of Praise in the 1960s and 1970s.
She was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1965. In the United States, she guest-starred on many sitcoms but did little else, as the character of Ena was a very demanding job. Ironically, the irascible Ena was almost the exact opposite of Carson's real personality.
In the 1970s, Carson suffered a series of strokes and other ailments, and played Ena only sporadically throughout the decade. In April 1980, a storyline involved Ena moving to Lytham St. Anne's, Blackpool to stay with a friend while her flat at the street's community centre was being renovated. When the character returned, the flat was not ready and Ena announced on screen (to characters Ken Barlow and Albert Tatlock) that she would return to her flat — but only if she felt like doing so; it was at this point that Carson became ill with anaemia and was forced to leave the programme. All storylines involving the return of Ena Sharples had to be scrapped because of Miss Carson's illness, although Ena was still considered a regular member of the cast. She lived in a bungalow in the Bispham, Blackpool with her sister Nellie and refused to make any public appearances after her retirement.
Violet Carson died in her sleep in December 1983, aged 85. She is buried at Bispham Parish Church.
