abstract
| - Faye-Marie Schofield was the wife of Tom Schofield, who was Ena Sharples's great-nephew. Faye-Marie's grandfather-in-law was Ena's brother Tom, who emigrated to the USA in 1912. Ena and Tom lost touch soon afterwards and so Ena didn't learn about the American branch of Schofields until 1965 when Tom's grandson, visiting the UK on business, travelled to Weatherfield to take Ena to see her brother in Nebraska. At that point, the younger Tom was not yet married and Faye-Marie later heard stories from her husband about how imposing Ena was. Faye-Marie first met Ena when she visited the UK with her husband in May 1973 to see the Manchester Festival. At that time, Tom and Faye-Marie were living in Manchester, Connecticut. Due to the sudden death of Ena's brother Tom a week beforehand, they delivered the news to Ena in person, which she took well, finding comfort in the fact that he'd passed away peacefully in his sleep. Faye-Marie was glad to find, at least on first appearance, that Ena was not the dragon she'd expected. Faye-Marie wanted to experience as much British culture and history as she could and enjoyed a meeting with Alf Roberts and Annie Walker, Weatherfield's Mayor and Mayoress, which was arranged by Minnie Caldwell. During her stay, she lingered in the Corner Shop to soak up the atmosphere, and gave a lesson on America to Ken Barlow's class at Bessie Street School. Ken returned the favour by taking her to Platt Fields Park to see the Lincoln statue. As a fellow liberal-minded teacher, who fancied herself an intellectual, Faye-Marie was drawn to Ken. Ena started to notice how little time Faye-Marie and Tom spent together and questioned Tom on the subject. Tom told Ena that they had an open marriage and pursued their own interests. Disapproving and suspicious, Ena questioned Ken and Faye-Marie about the nature of their relationship. Their assurances that they were just friends didn't convince her, but when Tom explained to Ena that Faye-Marie liked to meet new people, Ena accepted it as the truth and the Schofields returned home on good terms with her. Tom and Faye-Marie also accompanied several Street residents on a trip to Woburn Abbey. They were pleased when Ena introduced them to The Duke of Bedford, and an excited Faye-Marie told him that she had seen him give a lecture back in America and that her grandmother's family name, like the Duke's, was Russell.
|