Lynne Carol

Lynne Carol (June 29 1914, Monmouthshire Wales–30 June 1990, Blackpool) was an English actress made famous by playing busybody Martha Longhurst in the soap opera Coronation Street from the second episode in 1960 until the character was killed off in 1964.

Carol gave a good characterisation of Martha Longhurst - a waspish beldam, who first appeared in December 1960 and with Ena Sharples, played by Violet Carson and Minnie Caldwell, played by Margot Bryant she made up the formidable 'coven' that held court in the snug of 'The Rovers Return'. The verbal interplay between the three epitomised the serial's North of England humanity and yielded some of the 'richest moments' in the programme. The renown of Martha Longhurst became such that Carol's unpublicised visit to the Ideal Home Exhibition caused a near riot. She was advised to leave the premises for her own safety.

After only three years in the series, the character of Martha Longhurst fell victim to the new producer's pen. They, seeming, felt that Carol would be likely to find other acting jobs. Carol was deeply shocked to read in the newspaper that the days of her character were now numbered. Martha 'died' quietly of a heart attack in the backroom (the snug) of the public house in May 1964. The subsequent burial took place in the Manchester General Cemetery where a special grave had been prepared. Carol remained bitter about Martha's death, and believed to the end that a terrible mistake had been made, as her character was so popular. Viewers responded by complaining in their thousands and, later, the writers acknowledged that they had made a mistake.

Carol later appeared in a short-lived 60s BBC serial "The Newcomers" - alongside Wendy Richard, who later went on to play the character Pauline Fowler in "Eastenders" and Alan Browning, who later appeared in 'Coronation Street' as Elsie Tanner's (played by Pat Phoenix) third husband - and the 1979 film 'Yanks' starring Richard Gere.

A descendent of six generations of actors, Lynne Carol was born in Monmouthshire in 1914 and thrown into the theatre at the age of three. She married Bert Palmer, a Lancashire character actor, who appeared in 'Coronation Street' as Walter Biddulph, and they made their home in Blackpool. Her husband died in 1980. Lynne Carol had a son and a daughter.