Thread #105: Curtains for Emma, Hilda - Joe? Red carpet for June Spencer on her 100th birthday, we hope! Discuss the rich tapestry of Ambridge life here.

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Thank you, @PseudoBadger, for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads and @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. We don't all agree on all points and most of us are posting tongue in cheek a lot of the time, so don't worry about revealing that you'd like to be Susan's best friend or other unusual views.

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!

For newer listeners, lurkers or those who just have no idea what we're talking about, DadDadDad has created this useful thread: 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 BOOP point for him! (See thread for explanation.)

Thanks to LillianGish and BuckingFrolics for ideas for this thread title. I went with the less Rabelaisian of LG's ideas!

On 14th June it will be the 100th birthday of June Spencer, who has played Peggy Woolley since 1951. I hope the BBC has a lot of special tributes lined up to celebrate this remarkable achievement.

She's in her own apartment in the home now. Peggy did say that but Chris wanted to be independent, also not to return to Hilda's domain!

She did trip over Hilda. I vaguely remember her going to hospital over it.

Kate is one of those vegans who will eat/drink non-vegan when it suits you.
One of Peggy's best lines was to Kate "When it suits you".

Peggy hated farming when she had to try to do it and was enormously relieved when her husband Jack (Archer) stopped trying to make a go of it he was a lousy farmer and decided to try to run a pub instead -- he was a lousy publican too, but she was able to take over the licence and make a go of it, with the help of a large loan from his Aunt Laura so the place could be bought from the brewery.

She has never known a damn' thing about farming! Just as well she's going to have some people to make the decisions for her, because hers have all been in favour of Tom so far, and he does not even slightly deserve anything at all. (Apart from yet another failed business.) He isn't a farmer; he wants to be a food retailer like his sister.

There has been some amazing work in agricultural robotics. A member of my family was on a team of computer scientists building robotic alternatives to pesticides until they ran into funding issues after a lot of intense pressure from an international agrochemical manufacturer. I agree that a lot of mechanisation is only of value to employers and not workers, the economy or the environment.

Been so busy I had over a week of archers and thread to catch up on. Joy. I feel like I was the only one hoping Natasha would make a success (albeit an expensive one) of OFS. She can be unstable or manipulative or have poor mental health and still be a great business woman.

Hate all this Peggy business but hate Lillian's exclusion the most. Peggy wouldn't tell Lillian there was a meeting, she knew she was hot and bothered and even when Lillian mentioned meeting Friday she didn't say anything. That was just plain mean.

Kenton is going to be the life and soul if a penny goes to Brookfield.

June Spencer is the guest on Private Passions today.

We’ve possibly already heard much of what she’ll say. And her music choices might perhaps lack excitement. But still ...

I’m hoping one of them comes up with a great collaborative project where they all get some money and all have to commit to doing ‘good things’. I don’t see that it was particularly cruel to exclude Lillian, but Peggy could have pointed out to her that she wasn’t invited because it was a farming thing. Actually she was about to say that when Lillian shrilly announced she was coming anyway. I get why people love Lillian but she annoys the crap out of me. Well, they all do to be fair 😄

A while ago there was a plot about a solar farm. Was it going to be on Brian's land? What happened to that?

Needed now more than ever!

I think the competition is a really annoying storyline and the 'real' Peggy would know it would cause trouble. Bet the words choked poor June.

Just hearing again at how upset Lilian was at not being invited...

Peggy has raised three very insecure people. Jack's alcoholism must have been bad enough (before my time) but the way she messes them around is shocking.

Regarding charitable trusts, a Lawyer writes:

medium.com/@abarbararich/the-ambridge-conservation-trust-c7f44f7a79c8

So no, it can't be restricted to the family.

Peggy has raised three very insecure people. Jack's alcoholism must have been bad enough (before my time) but the way she messes them around is shocking

Yes I just relistened to that and its quite painful. As the trust has to be open to the wider audience there was no reason to exclude her.

JD annoys me, the way she sounds like she's going to have an attack of the vapours, at anything even slightly risqué. Heaven's knows how she managed to have children, let alone before marriage.

And Lillian being overdramatic, "My mother doesn't love me!", talk about being a drama lama.

What 'exciting' music were you hoping for GeorgeTheBleeder?

Where does all Peggy's money come from?

Jack Woolley was super rich from manufacturing something- not loo roll, that was Ruth’s Dad but something like that. And also she sold Grey Gables to Oliver and Caroline. There was a plot branch where The Slitheen was going to claim it all but that came to nothing.

I thought Hazel ended up with the bulk of it - including the Village Shop.

I thought Hazel ended up with the bulk of it - including the Village Shop

Yes Hazel inherited, Peggy had a certain amount and the house I thought but nothing like the bulk of the estate.

Nothing specific campion, but I like it best when the interviewees introduce me to music I haven’t heard before, or more obscure things by composers I already adore. And when they’ve chosen pieces for compelling musical reasons rather than just because they relate to a lovely personal memory. (Which is what Desert Island is for.)

Sad to say Private Passions is not far off being the highlight of my weekend - so it needs to deliver! Philip Hensher years ago and Robert Icke recently stand out for being memorably excellent.

I'm catching up. The Peggy meeting intrigue/ Lillian outrage is extremely tedious.

And implausible. And it will go on and on and on ....

George, thanks for mentioning that. I love Private Passions when I remember to listen. I don't think you'll find anything unknown in June Spencer's choices (I've got 15 minutes to go so who knows, I might be surprised) but all her choices are beautiful and it's very interesting to hear her. She's amazing for her age.

Thanks also to the link to the legal blog. Interesting! What a surprise to find that the wording of the script doesn't reflect legal realities.

I used to listen to ‘Posh DID’ (husband’s name for PP) every Sunday without fail but now usually listen later. I’m pleased to hear June S is on latest one and I’ll look forward to hearing it after the next bulletin fro my Ambridge. Husband also tells me Jeck W made his fortune in Birmingham and thinks it was property development. Who knows otherwise?

from Ambridge- bad editing

And Adam and Ian's bucket list is equally tedious.