The making of Hilda,
In tribute to actress and Southport resident, Jean Alexander, who died earlier this month, Geoff Wright takes a look back at her life...
THERE are not many residents of this island who did not know that ‘Hilda Alice Ogden’ was a fiery, apron-wearing loudmouth, a busybody with curlers in her hair – a much-loved Coronation Street character, portrayed by Southport resident and award-winning actress, Jean Alexander.
Hilda was, from 1964 to 1987, arguably the best-known of all the regular characters in the Granada series whose name became synonymous with a certain type of downtrodden, working-class woman, and who was adored by millions of soap opera viewers.
Autobiography
Coronation Street fans only saw cigarette-puffing Hilda nagging and gossiping in the ‘Rover’s Return’ for 23 years, but in her 1989 autobiography ‘The Other Side of the Street’ the lady behind the curlers, Jean Alexander, delved into her own memory.
Looking through scrapbooks and photo albums to rediscover the little girl who lived in a poor part of Liverpool, had loving parents and brother and a secret ambition to be an actress.
She followed herself through the war years, her first job in a library, her adventures as a fanatical theatre-goer, and her eventual entry into the world of the professional theatre, and her early struggles and disappointments, until ‘Coronation Street’ brought her fame and security.
It is a riveting read!
My ‘lost’ interview
On a personal level, as a Southport Visiter journalist (many moons ago), I inter- viewed Jean at her lovely neat Churchtown home, and I have dug out my old notes which provide some details about the actress you may not have known. More of those later, in the next two parts of this special feature, but first a brief, rare resume, of the life of our esteemed actress.
I must also thank Mrs Susan Stacey for her gruelling additional research for this feature.
Before all the glitter
Before we look at Jean’s career, next week, I think we should look at just where she came from, taking a glimpse at just what made Jean the wonderful actress she became!
Early Life
Although coy about divulging her true age, Jean M. Hodgkinson was in fact born October 11 1926 in Toxteth, Liverpool, the only daughter of Nell and Archie Hodgkinson (an electrician), born two years after her brother, Kenneth.
Victorian Toxteth was one of the grandest residential areas in the whole city, but in the 1920s the Hodgkinson’s small, three-bedroomed terraced house at 18 Rhiwlas Street, didn’t even have an indoor lavatory (like many properties in those days).
Jean’s parents
Archie worked for a firm of engineers specialising in shipyard contracts, so was away for long periods, earning £3 a week.
He was well-liked, self-contained and reserved, but his word was law, and respected.
Mother Nell was like Hilda in so much as she made sure that everything was dusted, polished and looked after, even