Movin' on up (Ed and Emmur), Movin' on out (Brian and Jenny), Time to break free (Lily from Russ, we hope), Nothing can stop *The Archers* in 2019 - Thread 97 (Joe Grundy’s age!)

[Bittermints]

Many thanks to @LilianGish for the title and to @NotdeadyetBOING for being the last threadstarter. Further thanks due to @PseudoBadger for kicking of this long, long series of Archers threads and to @DadDadDad for being our resident statistician and keeping the ball rolling when Pseudo stepped back a bit.

All views on The Archers welcome here! New blood welcomed.

Spoilers: not on this thread, please. We don't wait for the omnibus to discuss the weeknight episodes, but we do try our best to avoid cross-contamination from www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3439443-keep-it-to-yourself-the-archers-spoilers-thread-4, where spoilers are positively welcomed!

I wonder where Brian and Jennifer will end up. I was very taken with the idea on the last thread that the mysterious Gills won't last very long and the house will be sold back to the Aldridges at a knockdown price.

I think Susan, more than most people, because of their common experience of prison, because she's worked at Bridge Farm for so long and, Helen and Emma are friends, would be protective of Helen and not gossip about Knob.

There's something about the story being 'oh poor Helen, she's had terrible luck with men. We were all glad to see the back of the last one... not that any of us noticed or did anything'. There's an embarrassment factor there.

@Lottiegarbanzo has Susan been in prison???

Yes, about 20 years ago. She hails from a family of ne'er do wells, the Horobins. Her brother Clive Horobin had dome something or other and she sheltered him from justice (maybe some perjury and stolen goods there? Can't remember the detail). Her custodial sentence seemed oddly harsh for a first-timer, maybe exemplary.

Clive used to turn up occasionally and do bad things.

Travey Horobin is a cousin / niece (Clive's dd?) from that side and is not criminally inclined but, the association does not enhance Susan's social reputation, in Susan's eyes anyway!

Sorry, Tracey!

More on Susan here. BBC TA Who's Who. Caution! Actor photos!

Isn't Tracy Susan's little sister?

thanks for the link Quater. I think Charlotte Marsh looks totally Susan.

In fact Tracy, Susan and Clive are all siblings. There’s another one, Keith, who is/was in prison for various crimes including setting a Brookfield barn alight. l can’t recall why? Their parents are the late lvy and Bert who must still be living as we’ve never heard otherwise! Not sure how manyHorrobin children there aren’t altogether.. Another linkis that Johnny and clive‘s daughter have the same mother, Sharon. Raking the old brain to remember her name. Someone else will know. She was about 4 when Johnny was born, I think.

Clive was in prison for carrying out an armed raid on the village shop/PO. Then it was owned by Jeck Woolley, late husband of Peggy. He was there at the time, as was someone else. Was it Kate Aldridge? Then Clive escaped from prison and during that time he threatened Susan if she didn’t help him. Not sure what the threat was exactly.

Kylie?

I seem to remember Ivy dying relatively recently - within the last five years or so? There was some perturbation amongst the Horrobins regarding their dad. And I think SOC (perhaps) set up a story where Tracy is positioned to take on her father's tenancy (or similar) while cutting out her brothers. It seemed nicely planned for future trouble - but has probably been forgotten now.

That's right, little Kylie! (How did John and Sharon get it on in a caravan, with a 4yo present? Or was she not there?).

Yes, so Johnny is half-sibling to a Horobin and Chris and Emma are Carter-Horobins. Which prompted an extended howl of horror and denial in Jenny, when Alice got together with Chris.

Tying the Horrobin/Carters and Aldridges together through marriage is IMO one of the cleverest things TA has ever done.

Although, as I may have said before, Susan was possibly happier in herself before she was in-lawed to Jenny. (Case of be careful what you wish for ...) Now poor Susan must be dreadfully confused. She ought to be enjoying Jenny's downfall - but of course it also means she's no longer herself connected to Home Farm (the house at least) and the Aldridge connection is somewhat tarnished for her.

I'm very happy for Helen and Lee, it seems to be going in the right direction ... but they both seem to have completely misunderstood the meaning of the word spontaneous! What's spontaneous about planning a date two weeks in advance?!

It's fairly obvious that Alistair's failure to raise enough money is entirely down to the fact that he refuses all money offered. We've already heard him refuse both Jill and Shula's offer of sponsorship, although he later relented. Who knows how many others he's turned down.

ROFL @ InvisibleLlama's "has Susan been in prison???" and the resultant outpouring of gossip information.
It exactly exemplifies the conversation/reaction we have not had from Lee re Helen.

Helen and Lee's developing friendship has largely been away from the village eyes, so I don't think there's any particular reason why anyone would have filled him in on her past. As to the story having been in the newspaper - not everyone in the region reads the Echo. I live in a village and the idea that someone coming to teach a class twice a week would be bound to know this sort of stuff is unrealistic.

As to the story having been in the newspaper - not everyone in the region reads the Echo.

Someone remind me - was Helen's trial before or after the new coercive control legislation? Because if after that it would surely have been national news? (I know that was the point of the story - just wish I could remember the sequence of events.)

But in either case (going back to comments further back or on last thread) they would have Googled each other! No shadow of a doubt about that. So unless we soon hear a conversation between them where he says 'Yes, I know ...' - the SW/Editor should hang their heads in shame.

It might have been national news but not at the level where it couldn't be missed. And while it was around the time of the coercive control legislation, and the story exemplified it, it was Helen who was on trial, not Rob - even during the trial it was the rape rather than coercion in general which played a part her the defence.

As to the googling - does everyone do that, especially in the context of an unplanned developing relationship?

Fink I don't know how old you are but if I'd met someone and we both had school age dcs and jobs I wouldn't have thought that it'd be easy to be spontaneous.

but they both seem to have completely misunderstood the meaning of the word spontaneous! What's spontaneous about planning a date two weeks in advance?!

Yes, it seemed more like they should have been saying "adventurous" or "out of your comfort zone", but then failed on that too by Helen rejecting laser tag and Lee rejecting theatre. So, they are going for... a WALK!! Wow!

“She ordered some feed the other day didn't she. To a blinking fanfare.“

Oh, that really pissed me off!

Oh Dad that's miles better than indoor climbing or the theatre they can have a proper talk and even 'maybe' kiss again!

Aw... I read it that they both acknowledge the need to go slow and take their time. That being spontaneous and adventurous is not going to work. I thought there was sensitivity and humour in the exchange.

Actually Errol I have no specific idea what method people born long after me might use to find out about each other. As Lee and Helen are sort-of-almost middle aged perhaps they'd use Fakebook - or whatever. But - the internet exists, so they would use something.

For myself - if I meet/am introduced to someone I think I might like further contact with (personally or professionally, and they tend to merge) I would invariably google them pdq.

Hmm ... Thinking about it - each karate participant must surely have googled their prospective teacher before signing up. Lee probably wouldn't look up each of his students. But as soon as he met Helen and distinguished her from the crowd - he would have done so.

Yes ADark I agree it was sweet.

But autumn Pip isn't a farmer's wife, Ruth, her mum who works on the the farm with her dad, said she HAD to have a proper maternity leave.