Renee Roberts

Full name: Irene Roberts (née Bradshaw)
Parents: Harold and Daisy Bradshaw
Born: 3 March 1943
Siblings: Terry
Married: Alf Roberts (20 March 1978)
Died: 30 July 1980

Played by: Madge Hindle
Appeared: 10 May 1976 - 30 July 1980

Renee was born and brought up in Gas Street, and went to St Margaret's C of E School and then Weatherfield Girls High School where she got 6 O-levels. Her father Harold died in 1969, and the family moved to Lancaster. Three years later her mother was re-married to Joe Hibbert, a shifty layabout, soon Renee and brother Terry left home.

She first worked as an insurance clerk and then as checkout girl and cashier at a Lancaster supermarket, but had always said she wanted to run her own shop. Whilst visiting Terry, she noticed that the Corner Shop was for sale, and in June 1976, after a fortnight's trial period, bought it from Gordon Clegg via Betty Turpin. Gail Potter and Tricia Hopkins were evicted from the shop flat, together with Elsie Howard, who had been staying temporarily in the downstairs back room. Elsie and Gail went to live in Elsie's old house - Nº11. Renee thought the shop flat would make an ideal place for Terry to stay - ensuring that she could keep her eyes on her younger brother. However, Terry found it hard to live under Renee's gaze, and more importantly was still obsesed by the Army, and by the end of 1976 had joined up again.

Renee was a very strong-minded and determined woman, and was soon established herself on The Street. She applied for a drinks licence for the Corner Shop - and won, despite formidable opposition from Annie Walker. Renee's engagement to sailor Harry McLean broke down after she got the Corner Shop, when they both agreed that they did not want to be tied down, and Harry went back to a life on the ocean waves.

In March 1978 she married Alf Roberts, despite protestations from her step-father that he was only marrying Renee for her money. In 1979, a lorry crashed into The Rovers, leaving Alf in a coma, and for a time afterwards with a personality disorder - as a consequence, he left the GPO and went to work full-time in the shop.

In 1980, the Roberts' decided to sell the Corner Shop, and move to Grange-over-Sands to run a sub-post office. In preparation Renee started to learn to drive, and whilst out in the country, she stalled the car in some one-way roadworks. Alf tried to change places with her - but an oncoming lorry ploughed into the car. Alf dived out of the way and was unhurt, but Renee was rushed to hospital and died of a ruptured spleen on the operating table whilst undergoing emergency surgery.


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