the 1970s, Ena alternated between Weatherfield and St. Anne's. Her friends gradually left her life – Martha had died in 1964 and Minnie left in 1976 to live at Whaley Bridge with their old friend Handel Gartside (Harry Markham). In 1977, Councillor Tattersall (George Waring) tried to sack Ena so that his niece could take her job, but Alf Roberts (Bryan Mosley) fought on Ena's behalf. The Lomaxes offered to house Ena but she declined. In 1980, Ena dumped herself on Elsie Tanner (Pat Phoenix) and later Albert, while the flat was being re-decorated. Angered by the lack of progress that prevented her from moving back into her home, she left to stay in St. Annes, unsure about whether or not to return to Coronation Street. Ena was never seen in Weatherfield again, and all subsequent references to her were in the past tense. In 1989, Deirdre Barlow (Anne Kirkbride) said that, due to recent events in Coronation Street, "Ena Sharples would be turning in her grave", confirming that she had died by this time. Reception In a book written about Women and Soap Opera, Ena was described as "brusque and uncompromising, refusing to adjust to the changing times". Ena has also been described as "a Coronation Street prototype, a strong, bossy woman". In an interview, Violet Carson described Ena as "the eternal busybody, the rock of ages; when things are going well, she is the old bag, when things are going wrong, she is the first one they turn to", in another interview she said that children weren't frightened of Mrs.Sharples, Violet Carson said "children will come and hold Mrs. Sharples' hand". Actor Michael Melia has claimed in an interview that he thought the character of Ena was "the most forbidding face on the street. A harridan in a hair-net with a surly expression that could stop a grown man in his tracks." References Coronation Street characters Television characters introduced in 1960 Female characters in television