Blanche Hunt
Blanche Hunt
Appeared: 1974 - March 1976; 24 January - 2 May 1977; 6 -
15 November 1978; ; 20 - 29 July 1981; 13 - 15 November 1996;
3 December 1997; 23 December 1998 - 29 January 1999; 8 August
1999 -
For many years Blanche had run a corset business from her home
at 20 Victoria Road. She was widowed early in life when Donald
was run over by a black Ford Prefect, but ensured that her daughter
Deirdre was brought up properly.
However, Blanche was no shrinking violet, and enjoyed the company of men. She was a barmaid at The Rovers, and seldom had to buy her own drinks. Annie Walker even left her in charge of The Rovers for a fortnight, and on her return was forced to admit that Blanche had done an excelent job - rare and high praise indeed !
In 1975, after Deirdre had married Ray Langton and they both came to live with her at Victoria Road, Blanche gave up the corsetry business, and helped run the Corner Shop for Gordon Clegg. Early the next year she bumped into bookie Dave Smith, who had been one of her wartime sweethearts. They quickly resumed their affair, and Blanche shocked many people by announcing that she was moving to the Midlands to help Dave run his Country Club in Kenilworth.
Her affair with Dave Smith didn't last, and when she came up to Weatherfield in January 1977 to look after newly-born granddaughter Tracy, she had Warwickshire vet Steve Bassett in tow - and they even got engaged whilst babysitting ! This didn't last either, and by May 1977 they had parted as he was "too posh". However, life in Warwickshire couldn't have been all bad as she sold 20 Victoria Street around that time.
In 1981 Blanche returned to Weatherfield briefly for the wedding of her daughter and Ken Barlow. She was really happy for them, and was now glad that Billy Walker was no longer a threat to daughter Deirdre. Eventually, she moved back up north (probably single), but she was only seen infrequently in The Street. In December 1993 she had a stroke, which left her ill for some time, and she had to be nursed by Deirdre, though she recoved well from it.
In 1999 she sold her flat and returned to Weatherfield, dumping herself on daughter Deirdre Rachid. She promptly set about matchmaking between her and Ken Barlow. However she didn't suceed - but their daughter Tracy did; after leaving husband Robert she fled to her parents, who worked together to reconcile the couple. After this, they acknowledged they worked well together and Deirdre moved back into No1, closely followed by Blanche. In October 1999, Blanche even organised a party for Ken's 60th birthday, and the party included a surprise visit from Tracy and husband Robert at the Rovers, as well as an announcement on the radio.
Blanche is still not without her suitors, even at her age! She met funeral director Archie Shuttleworth and dated him for awhile in 2002. Archie struck up a friendship and business arrangement with Audrey Roberts and Blanche became jealous. Archie decided to finish things with her though tried to remain friends. Blance later met a dapper gentleman named Wally Bannister at a tea dance. Wally appears to be a wealthy retiree and Blanche is smitten. Wally, however, makes attempts to two-time Blanche with her own granddaughter, Tracy, who takes him up on it once she realizes he's got loads of money, while Gran is out of town. Deirdre figures out what Tracy is up to and when Wally is confronted, after having spent the night with Tracy, it turns out he's married and he's not the owner of the mansion where he's taken Tracy, but the gardner. Blanche is never told but had already gone off Wally anyay.
When Blanche finds out that Tracy is pregnant and plans to give the baby to the Croppers, she buys number 7 from Curly and Emma who have left for Newcastle and moves in with Tracy, hoping she'll keep the baby. Tracy does give the baby away but gets her back. What will happen next? Stay tuned!
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