Violet Carson
Encyclopedia
Violet Helen Carson OBE
(1 September 1898 – 26 December 1983) was an English actress, best known for playing Ena Sharples
, one of the original characters in the British soap opera Coronation Street
.
, Manchester
. Her mother was an amateur singer. As a child, Carson performed with her sister Nellie as a singing act called the Carson Sisters. She then became a cinema pianist providing the musical accompaniment for silent films.
In 1935 Violet Carson joined BBC Radio
in Manchester. Before her transfer to television Violet Carson was a regular member of Children's Hour
on the BBC Home Service
and was the star of Nursery Sing Song from Manchester, in which she frequently sang with producer Trevor Hill, many years her junior. Contrary to popular opinion she was never known as Auntie Vi, that epithet belonging only to Violet Fraser back in the 1920s. "I was never anyone's aunt" exclaimed Carson when Hill produced a BBC Radio programme about her in 1981. She was at one time the pianist for the Wilfred Pickles
radio show Have A Go from the 1940s and she was also a serious actress.
, the flint faced and gruff moral voice of Coronation Street
, a role she played from 1960 to 1980. For much of her near 20 years on the programme, Sharples' moralising caused her to spar regularly with Elsie Tanner
(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 Stars on Sunday in the 1960s and 1970s.
She was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
in 1965 and had a rose
named after her.
On 22 March 1968, she attended the 10th Annual Australian TV Week Logie Awards (named after John Logie Baird
) at the Southern Cross Hotel in Melbourne
, where she presented awards to some of the main winners that year.
During the 1970s, Carson suffered a series of strokes and endured other health problems, and only played Ena sporadically throughout the decade. Carson took time off from Coronation Street in 1973 after suffering a nervous breakdown.
In April 1980, a storyline involved Ena moving to Lytham St. Annes, near 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 pernicious anaemia and was forced to leave the programme. All storylines involving the return of Ena Sharples had to be scrapped because of her illness, although Ena Sharples was still considered an active character. Carson lived in a bungalow in Bispham, Blackpool
with her sister Nellie and refused to make any public appearances after her retirement. The year after she retired, Carson underwent surgery for an abscess from which she never fully recovered.
Violet Carson died, aged 85, in her sleep, on Boxing Day
1983, at her home, 18 Fleetwood Road, Blackpool. She was cremated at Carleton Crematorium, Blackpool and is commemorated at Bispham Parish Church
in Blackpool.
A memorial service dedicated to Carson was held at Manchester Cathedral
in January 1984, and was attended by several of her Coronation Street colleagues including William Roache
(Ken Barlow).
on her 28th birthday in 1926. Her husband, George, died three years later at the age of 31. After this, she never re-married.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(1 September 1898 – 26 December 1983) was an English actress, best known for playing Ena Sharples
Ena Sharples
Ena Sharples is one of the original characters from the British soap opera Coronation Street, and was played by Violet Carson.-Development:...
, one of the original characters in the British soap opera Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
.
Early life and career
Carson was born in AncoatsAncoats
Ancoats is an inner city area of Manchester, in North West England, next to the Northern Quarter and the northern part of Manchester's commercial centre....
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. Her mother was an amateur singer. As a child, Carson performed with her sister Nellie as a singing act called the Carson Sisters. She then became a cinema pianist providing the musical accompaniment for silent films.
In 1935 Violet Carson joined BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
in Manchester. Before her transfer to television Violet Carson was a regular member of Children's Hour
Children's Hour
Children's Hour—at first: "The Children's Hour", from a verse by Longfellow—was the name of the BBC's principal recreational service for children during the period when radio dominated broadcasting....
on the BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
The BBC Home Service was a British national radio station which broadcast from 1939 until 1967.-Development:Between the 1920s and the outbreak of The Second World War, the BBC had developed two nationwide radio services, the BBC National Programme and the BBC Regional Programme...
and was the star of Nursery Sing Song from Manchester, in which she frequently sang with producer Trevor Hill, many years her junior. Contrary to popular opinion she was never known as Auntie Vi, that epithet belonging only to Violet Fraser back in the 1920s. "I was never anyone's aunt" exclaimed Carson when Hill produced a BBC Radio programme about her in 1981. She was at one time the pianist for the Wilfred Pickles
Wilfred Pickles
Wilfred Pickles OBE was an English actor and radio presenter.Born in Halifax in the West Riding of Yorkshire, Pickles was a proud Yorkshireman, and having been selected by the BBC as an announcer for its North Regional radio service, went on to be an occasional newsreader on the BBC Home Service...
radio show Have A Go from the 1940s and she was also a serious actress.
Coronation Street
Carson, though, is best remembered for her role as Ena SharplesEna Sharples
Ena Sharples is one of the original characters from the British soap opera Coronation Street, and was played by Violet Carson.-Development:...
, the flint faced and gruff moral voice of Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
, a role she played from 1960 to 1980. For much of her near 20 years on the programme, Sharples' moralising caused her to spar regularly with Elsie Tanner
Elsie Tanner
Elsie Tanner is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, played by Patricia Phoenix from 1960 to 1973 and from 1976 until 1984. Elsie Tanner was one of the original core characters on Coronation Street and appeared in the very first episode...
(Pat Phoenix). Long after her departure from the programme, Carson continued to be synonymous with the hairnet
Hairnet
A hairnet, or sometimes simply a net or caul, is a small, often elasticised, fine net worn over long hair to hold it in place. It is often worn by food service workers to prevent hair from contaminating the food...
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
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
range and was a regular fixture on the Christian hymnal programme Stars on Sunday in the 1960s and 1970s.
She was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1965 and had a rose
Violet Carson (rose)
Violet Carson is a rose cultivar, an uncommon hybrid of the Mme Leon Cuny and Spartan varieties, created between 1963 and 1964. It was named after Violet Carson, the actress who played Ena Sharples in Coronation Street, the British soap opera...
named after her.
On 22 March 1968, she attended the 10th Annual Australian TV Week Logie Awards (named after John Logie Baird
John Logie Baird
John Logie Baird FRSE was a Scottish engineer and inventor of the world's first practical, publicly demonstrated television system, and also the world's first fully electronic colour television tube...
) at the Southern Cross Hotel in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, where she presented awards to some of the main winners that year.
During the 1970s, Carson suffered a series of strokes and endured other health problems, and only played Ena sporadically throughout the decade. Carson took time off from Coronation Street in 1973 after suffering a nervous breakdown.
In April 1980, a storyline involved Ena moving to Lytham St. Annes, near Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
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
Albert Tatlock
Albert Tatlock is a fictional character on the British television soap opera Coronation Street. Albert was played by actor Jack Howarth from 1960 to 1984...
) 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 pernicious anaemia and was forced to leave the programme. All storylines involving the return of Ena Sharples had to be scrapped because of her illness, although Ena Sharples was still considered an active character. Carson lived in a bungalow in Bispham, Blackpool
Bispham, Blackpool
Bispham is a village roughly one-and-a-half miles north of Blackpool town centre on the Fylde coast in the county of Lancashire, England.-Geography and administration:...
with her sister Nellie and refused to make any public appearances after her retirement. The year after she retired, Carson underwent surgery for an abscess from which she never fully recovered.
Violet Carson died, aged 85, in her sleep, on Boxing Day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
1983, at her home, 18 Fleetwood Road, Blackpool. She was cremated at Carleton Crematorium, Blackpool and is commemorated at Bispham Parish Church
Bispham Parish Church
Bispham Parish Church, also known as All Hallows Church, is a Church of England parish church located in Bispham, Blackpool, Lancashire, England, known as the Mother Church of Blackpool.The church is a Grade II Listed Building...
in Blackpool.
A memorial service dedicated to Carson was held at Manchester Cathedral
Manchester Cathedral
Manchester Cathedral is a medieval church on Victoria Street in central Manchester and is the seat of the Bishop of Manchester. The cathedral's official name is The Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Mary, St Denys and St George in Manchester...
in January 1984, and was attended by several of her Coronation Street colleagues including William Roache
William Roache
William Patrick Harry Roache MBE is a British actor, best known for his role as Ken Barlow in the soap opera Coronation Street...
(Ken Barlow).
Personal life
Carson married George Peploe at Manchester CathedralManchester Cathedral
Manchester Cathedral is a medieval church on Victoria Street in central Manchester and is the seat of the Bishop of Manchester. The cathedral's official name is The Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Mary, St Denys and St George in Manchester...
on her 28th birthday in 1926. Her husband, George, died three years later at the age of 31. After this, she never re-married.