| rdfs:comment | - Alexander "Alec" Gilroy was a theatrical agent who had two stints as landlord of the Rovers Return. Alec's first wife was Joyce, with whom he had a daughter, Sandra, in 1958. In 1971, he became estranged from Joyce and Sandra, and concentrated on his career, managing clubs and artistes, including singer Rita Littlewood. In 1986, he was managing the Graffiti Club in Rosamund Street when he had a dalliance with Bet Lynch, then-landlady of the Rovers. He claimed not to be interested in the Rovers but when Bet couldn't afford the tenancy on her own, Alec proposed marriage to her so that they could run the pub together, and Bet accepted.
|
| abstract | - Alexander "Alec" Gilroy was a theatrical agent who had two stints as landlord of the Rovers Return. Alec's first wife was Joyce, with whom he had a daughter, Sandra, in 1958. In 1971, he became estranged from Joyce and Sandra, and concentrated on his career, managing clubs and artistes, including singer Rita Littlewood. In 1986, he was managing the Graffiti Club in Rosamund Street when he had a dalliance with Bet Lynch, then-landlady of the Rovers. He claimed not to be interested in the Rovers but when Bet couldn't afford the tenancy on her own, Alec proposed marriage to her so that they could run the pub together, and Bet accepted. Alec was happy with Bet but they were rather an odd couple; Bet was bold and brassy, while Alec was morose and miserly. Theirs was a marriage of convenience but while they came to love each other, they had different outlooks and goals in life and in 1992, when he was offered the job of MC on a cruise ship, Bet refused to relocate to Southampton with him, and Alec told Bet their marriage was over. Alec returned to Weatherfield in 1996 and spent a year running the local branch of Sunliners Travel Agency. After being made redundant, he bought into the Rovers, gradually edging partners Jack and Vera Duckworth out of the business until he had total control. In 1998, a tired and weary Alec sold the Rovers to Natalie Barnes to go into partnership with granddaughter Vicky McDonald at a wine bar in Brighton.
|
