How many of these following names do you recognise?

If you are of a certain age you will probably have little difficulty in also recognising what they have in common.

So, here goes: Harry Hewitt, Martha Longhurst, Minnie Caldwell, Albert Tatlock, Alf Roberts, Emily Bishop, Len Fairclough and, of course, Ena Sharples.

They were all characters in the early episodes of Coronation Street .

Younger viewers of this soap will, of course, probably have never heard of any of them.

Not too surprising as Coronation Street was first shown in the UK in 1960 – to be exact on December 9 of that year and, reportedly, the first episode was broadcast live.

And this is where I can almost hear some of you gasp with incredulity – surely it wasn’t that long ago…over 55 years.

But, sorry, it was. Tempus fugit!

If you didn’t recognise any of these names, where have you been all your life?

It is probably impossible for the young people of today to appreciate what an effect Coronation Street had on members of the public at the time.

I don’t know how well it went down in the south, but for us up north it was required viewing.

It was an event of real cultural significance.

I can’t recall anything else on the TV at the time which was based on everyday northern working class existence.

Unless, of course, you know any different.

As I remember, it was only screened on two nights of the week which was often enough.

I don’t really want to have to watch the TV night after night to keep up with any soap’s storyline – life’s too short.

And what really amazes me is that I do know some people who actually watch nearly all the soaps – and record any episodes they’ve missed if they are out of the house at any time.

Always assuming, of course, that they’ve not already viewed them on some portable digital device.

And here I want to have a moan. I have, when I’ve been out eating, been sat next to a table which, all too often, is occupied by a number of people who have been so busy texting that they have almost ignored their fellow diners.

A restaurant table which is not littered with phones, tablets or other digital paraphernalia is a rarity nowadays.

They ought to be banned for the duration of the meal.

Moan over!

Some weeks ago I was wondering if the new Workington Academy has acquired a school song.

After making enquiries I know that the academy has not.

Perhaps they will choose one sometime soon. I know that I am probably a bit old-fashioned, but I think that every school should have one.

So we have a Workington school without a school song.

We have also, now Newlands School has disappeared, a school song without a school.

The words were:

“On northern shores by grey seas washed;

A wild sky greyer yet.

Afar the Lakeland mountains rise

And here our school is set.”

Just a few lines here, there are three verses in all.

I have been told that the song was sung to the tune of The Minstrel Boy .

I have no idea who wrote the words of this song.

I am hoping that someone will be able to supply the name of the author.

As far as I know, there is no listing of the songs of the various schools in Cumbria – nor is there a central collection of the music for them. Something else for my to-be-researched file!

Staying with music, I did enquire about the career of a local cinema organist – Gerald Mulvaney – who, aged 21, was one of the youngest cinema organists in the country.

This was in 1938. The local paper reports that he had “left the Neath Empire Theatre to become assistant organists to Fred Boyco at the Tottenham Dominion Theatre.”

The local press was convinced that he was on the road to fame.

I understand that he did achieve fame as a musician – but I have no information about his career. Any ideas?

Christmas is coming. Time for brass bands and carollers.

There is nothing more festive than the sound of carol singing, especially in the open air.

I feel sure that we would have seen, on the telly, Ena Sharples and company stood round a lamppost, all singing carols in Coronation Street in the 1960s.