Martha Longhurst

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Coronation Street character

Martha Longhurst

Duration

1960-1964

Profile

Date of birth

2 September 1896

Status

Deceased

Family

Family	Jack, Mary, Percy, Harold, Lily

Martha Longhurst (née Hartley) played by Lynne Carol was a character in the British soap opera Coronation Street. She was known for having a glass of milk-stout in the Rover's Return snug with her friends Ena Sharples and Minnie Caldwell.

[edit] History

A major character on "The Street" when it debuted in 1960, Martha never actually resided on Coronation Street but lived on Mawdsley Street, just behind Coronation street. Martha was one of the soap's original gossips, second only to Ena Sharples. She was never one to miss a row or fight and would spread the news to her friends—it became very much a way of life . A busybody with an acerbic turn of phrase, she was originally created to be a sharp-tongued foil to Ena's axe-like bluntness, and over time, Martha's popularity with viewers grew. Although originally intended to be "second fiddle" to the original central character Ena, Martha was soon given a multitude of standalone storylines. In 1960 Martha and Ena argued over Martha's decision to take Ena's old job as the caretaker at the Mission Hall, and, in 1963, Martha became resident cleaner for the Rover's Return. 1964 proved to be an eventful year for Martha, as old love came back into her life. Australian millionaire Ted Ashley returned to Weatherfield for the first time in 50 years, and, in a last ditch pathetic attempt to find love, Martha threw herself at him, only to be rejected at a subsequent date in London. In May 1964, Martha was invited on her first foreign holiday abroad—a week-long trip to the Costa Del Sol with her daughter and family. Though she was invited so she could babysit her grandchildren, Martha was thrilled at the prospect (despite being chided as being frivolous by Ena), and, on the night before her departure, celebrated her holiday in the snug with friends Minnie and Ena. During the celebration, the Street residents gathered to wave off another long-time favourite, Frank Barlow. During a sing-a-long organised to bid him farewell, Martha collapsed and died of a heart attack, just hours before she was due to travel to Spain. Despite being long gone, Martha is still remembered fondly by viewers—her trademark costume of army wool coat, beret and horn-rimmed spectacles have gained iconic status among Corrie fans worldwide.

The axing of Martha Longhurst is one of the show's most controversial moments. Tim Aspinall, the producer who wrote her out, now admits it was on of the show's "worst decisions" ever. The regret felt was so deep that many later producers, such as H.V Kershaw, admitted to having considered bringing back actress Lynne Carol as Martha's long lost twin sister.

Little is known of Martha's past, but we know that she was born in 1896 to Mary and Jack Hartley, and grew up to marry Percy Longhurst (on May 18, 1919), and have a daughter, Lily and a son, Harold, by him. She had one grandchild named Sandra. Lily was seen in the show only once, at the funeral of her mother, where she and Ena came to blows over Lily's treatment of her mother.

The 1964 episode of her death, however, was not the last the time Martha Longhurst was to be a prominent figure in a Coronation Street storyline. Over 10 years after her death, Betty Turpin, barmaid at the Rovers Return, reported to hear a voice, sounding like Martha's, in the snug. Ena Sharples claimed later in the storyline that she had seen the ghost of Martha Longhurst in the snug on several occasions. The residents used a ouija board to try and call Martha from beyond the grave, alas to no avail. The storyline concluded with Martha's glasses being found in the Snug of the Rovers Return, in the exact position they were when they toppled off her head as she suffered a heart attack at the same table 10 years previous.