List of major storylines in Emmerdale

This page is a chronological list of major storylines in ITV soap opera "Emmerdale", including the disasters and memorable exits that Emmerdale is renowned for. For more detail on major Emmerdale storylines, see Major Emmerdale storylines.

General by year

* 1972 - The funeral of Jacob Sugden, Jack's return to Emmerdale Farm, the revelation that he is a best selling novelist, the setting up of Emmerdale Farm Ltd. Ruth (later Pat) Merrick hints to Jack Sugden that he is the father of her son, Jackie.
* 1973 - The murder of Sharon Crossthwaite, the accidental death of local tramp Trash, Jack is horsewhipped by the squire, the birth of Matt and Peggy Skilbeck's twins, Peggy Skilbeck's sudden death
* 1974 - Joe Sugden's marriage to Christine Sharp, a dreamer, and the end of the marriage five weeks later
* 1976 - Matt Skilbeck's twins are killed in a crash on a level crossing
* 1976 - The Woolpack was relocated after suffering from subsidence
* 1977 - Joe Sugden and Kathy Gimbel scandalise Beckindale by setting up home together, though unmarried. Kathy's father, Jim Gimbel, shoots himself
* 1978 - Matt Skilbeck marries Dolly, an armed robbery at The Woolpack (available on ITV.com), and Sam Pearson is also held at gunpoint at Emmerdale Farm, a rare painting is unearthed at Verney's, NY Estates tries to evict Nellie Ratcliffe from her estate cottage
* 1979 - Wendy Hotson is raped, Joe is involved in a shooting incident, Dolly is pregnant
* 1980 - Jack returns home, and so does Pat, Sandie and Jackie Merrick. Dolly suffers a miscarriage, Tom Merrick steals Christmas trees from the NY Estates plantation
* 1981 - Jack and Pat agree to marry, Tom Merrick commits arson to implicate Jack
* 1982 - Jack and Pat marry, Jack finds out he is Jackie's father, Jackie goes off the rails and burns down a caravan, Dolly has a baby
* 1983 - Sandie Merrick becomes a mother at the age of 18, Joe romances the vicar's married daughter then leaves for France, Annie is rushed to hospital
* 1984 - Jack has an affair with Karen Moore, Sam Pearson dies in his sleep, Caroline Bates arrives as Alan Turner's new secretary
* 1985 - Jackie is accidentally knocked off his motorbike by Alan Turner, Harry Mowlam commits armed robbery on a security van of £6000, Kathy & Nick Bates arrive in the village
* 1986 - Pat Sugden gives birth to Robert - but is killed soon after, Harry Mowlam is murdered by Derek Warner, Eric Pollard becomes manager of Hotten Market
* 1987 - The villagers gather to protest against a nuclear dump in Beckindale, Jack is arrested and imprisoned for seven days for contempt of court, Jackie Merrick falls down an old mine shaft while trying to rescue a sheep
* 1988 - Nick Bates is hailed a hero after foiling a raid on the post office, Alan Turner sells his Home Farm shares to crooked businessman Denis Rigg, Dolly has an affair with timber consultant Stephen Fuller who is subsequently killed by a falling tree, Crossgill Farm catches fire with Annie trapped inside
* 1989 - Annie battles with addiction to tranqualisers, Denis Rigg is crushed by a bull while trying to persuade Joe Sugden to sell Emmerdale Farm so that he can turn the land into a quarry, Kathy suffers a miscarriage, Jackie Merrick accidentally shoots himself while hunting a fox for a £10 bet, Rachel Hughes has an affair with married man Pete Whiteley, The Tates take over Home Farm
* 1990 - Joe Sugden was caught illegally implanting steroids into his beef cattle, Kate Hughes accidentally kills Pete Whiteley while driving her car, a chemical tanker crashed into a wall in Beckindale's main street - trapping Amos in the Woolpack cellar
* 1991 - Amos retires to Spain, Alan Turner takes over the Woolpack, Kate Sugden is released from prison after serving 12 months for manslaughter, Sarah is kidnapped by Jim Latimer - who murdered Sharon Crossthwaite in 1973, Henry Wilks dies of a heart attack
* 1992 - The Holiday Village is opened by The Lady Mayoress of Hotten, Lorraine Nelson comes clean about sexual abuse she suffered as a child, Kim Tate has an affair with the Rt. Hon. Neil Kincaid
* 1993 - Neil Kincaid is horsewhipped by Frank Tate on new year's day, Emmerdale Farm collapses due to subsidence, Zoe comes out as a lesbian, Annie marries Leonard Kempinski, a plane crash devastates the village
* 1994 - In an attempt to give the village a new start after the plane crash, the village's name was changed from Beckindale to Emmerdale in honour of the Sugden family, Shirley Foster marries Alan Turner but is tragically killed shortly afterwards after a raid on the post office.
* 2005 - Emmerdale long standing resident Seth Armstrong dies
* 2006 - Kings River Show Home explodes
* 2008 - Daniel Thomas dies of Cot Death, having been involved in a baby swap.