Discuss The Archers - yes, this really is Thread 103. Are you going to vote for feet, stations of the cross, or a hologram? Will Natasha ever return? Will Russ ever leave?

[DadDadDad]

Exciting times - this thread will witness our 100,000th post in this long-running unbroken chain of threads.

New and old posters welcome. Don't spoil with any future plotlines.

And if you need a beginners' guide see here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3557323-For-Archers-fans-a-guide-to-acronyms-on-the-long-running-discussion-threads-and-any-other-meta-thread-questions-you-may-have

Carry on...

Their surname is Heureuse

Eddie's brother Alf was a wrong 'un and a jailbird.
Re shops - for JD read Underwoods for Fortnum.

No, thislido, I recall that it caused a lot of wry amusement on the old BBC discussion MB. Of course, Ed grew up with the example of Joe and Eddie always before him, and they were both notorious for doing dodgy things and looking for lazy solutions to problems.

Will takes after Clarrie and her dad Jethro (killed by David Archer, no prosecution as far as I recall, lucky escape for him - careless tree trimming, branch fell on Jethro's head, amazing Clarrie bears David no animosity).

Gabrielle! You fascinate me strangely.

What's all this about Borsetshire Train Robbery?

I've only been listening since 2011, so all these historical references are a delightful mystery to me.

I know I could google and wiki the last 60 years of The Archers, but it's much more fun learning about it from someone who heard what actually happened!

Oh yes! I remember now!

Le Soeurs Heureuse, wasn't it?

I am bit odd, that's for sure!

I didn't hear the robbery storylines - it was in the 60s, I think, not long after the Great Train Robbery. Being an ubernerd, though, I have read a few books about TA and it seems that after a decade of huge listening figures in the 50s when very few people had TVs, in the 60s there was an inevitable decline and the production team thought the solution was to have lots of sensational stories, including a train robbery. Adam was kidnapped as a baby too - nobody ever refers to this now because I think subsequent Editors have decided that's all best forgotten.

You missed a treat not hearing Nelson Gabriel. He was the son of Walter Gabriel, who was the resident yokel/lazy farmer for the first few years, the contrast to the good, conscientious farmer, who was Dan Archer, David's grandfather, back then. Nelson inexplicably spoke with a lovely plummy posh accent, totally unlike his father, and eventually settled down and ran a wine bar and an antiques business in Borchester. All through the 80s and into the 90s the wine bar was the setting for many scenes involving the young Shula, Elizabeth, Nigel and Debbie. Nelson was the confidant of all the young people, a wonderful foil to the staid middle-aged Archers and Aldridges. Happy days.

Here's a Youtube clip I've just found:

Sorry if my French is a bit execrable. It's a long time since I did French at grammar school!

Will covered up the hit and run by Nic. So not that honest

Adam was kidnapped as a baby! Hahahahaaaa...and nobody mentions it now, bwahahaha!!!

Sounds like those were the days.

Another thing I'd forgotten! I was thinking about being hard-working and having a job, as opposed to lurching from one scam to another.

I think they were desperate times, RacerBakk, and the show came very close to being taken off air several times. William Smethurst was Editor in the 80s and by his account (he was not backward at coming forwards) he saved The Archers by bringing in new blood and making it funny. That's arguable, but from the sound of it it did need a shot in the arm.

Les Soeurs Heureuses - it means the happy sisters (a bit like calling a pub the Jolly Woodman). I don't think it is actually their name - aren't they called the Duxford sisters? Actually I don't think its a great name for a restaurant in England as the French doesn't exactly trip off the tongue - I'm not sure a non-French speaker would be able to pronounce it just seeing it written down.

Maybe that was the point, Lillian. The SWs seemed to be trying to get across that it was a place with Michelin star ambitions and not for the plebs.

I'd forgotten the Duxford name, but I think you're right about that. Was one of them Martha?

TA also had this great parody back in the 60s

Thanks for that, Bore, I enjoyed that enormously! I've seen it many times before but it never palls.

GabrielleNelson
Will takes after Clarrie and her dad Jethro (killed by David Archer, no prosecution as far as I recall, lucky escape for him - careless tree trimming, branch fell on Jethro's head, amazing Clarrie bears David no animosity).

Oooooh, not quite fair! "Master" David was "the young boss" at Brookfield, been there about five years, and Phil told him and Jethro to trim back a tree. David wore safety gear as per a course he had been on and said Jethro ought to do the same, and Jethro did the "you young whippersnappers don't know everything, I've been trimming trees since before you were born" and refused to wear the hard hat David had brought along for him -- Jethro was sixty-three at the time, and too old a dog to learn new tricks according to him. So when a bit of the tree fell on his head it killed him, which it might not have done if he hadn't been a stubborn old fool about it.

David was taken to a H&S tribunal and exonerated, but sent on another course -- presumably to teach him how to get men with ten times his farming experience to do as they were told!

Has everyone noted the timings on that clip from Gabrielle: 7.5 (presumably meaning 7.05), repeated at 1:40.

@WheresThatCatGoneNow - if my sense of humour can make one person laugh then I'm happy.

Strangely, lilly, hasn't PMed yet.

The Happy Sister who spoke was called Lulu.

Jill got a caution and her fingerprints taken for hurling a flapjack at Lulu Duxford; does that count as a criminal record?

I was hoping to get through this thread before silence must fall in every house in the land. I’ve had to skip briskly (something I’ve not done for years) so might have missed stuff - but Sid Perks was an ex-jailbird too. Before he came to Ambridge - I thought for involvement in the Ambridge train robbery but now I wonder if I’ve got that mixed up with Nelson. Like @GabrielleNelson I’m slightly too young to have heard that era ‘live’.

Oh Willyum, how disappointing. Who is the adult here?

Will is hateful. What an awful man.
Mia will run away.

Oh my god "your mum would be so disappointed in you". Is he trying to destroy her? Jealous small minded arsehole.

Rauri and Josh’s quad bike joy ride on the open roads and Tiger’s Russian run-in (not to mention crimes against Pusscat) could be added to Gabrielle’s list.

Hadn’t realised the criminal contingent of Ambridge was quite so high! Makes me wonder if the Bunting Thief has been so wracked with guilt these past four years that now they’re committing Acts of Pennants. (Maybe this is the real source of Shula’s angst?)

I’m a long time lurker so I feel that I know you all already! And I’ve enjoyed the recent extra-curricula education on quoting legal cases properly. One of the many reasons these threads are so fabulous!

Cleverly juxtaposed with Elizabeth telling Fred the ex con that his father would be proud of him.