Adam Steadman
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The following is a list of minor characters that first appeared in the BBC soap opera EastEnders in 1985, by order of first appearance.

Terry Rich

Detective Sergeant Terry Rich was first seen on 26 February 1985. The police were treating Reg Cox's death as murder and a few days later, DS Rich of the Walford CID arrived in Albert Square to conduct an inquiry.

The following week, a badge that Lofty Holloway was wearing on his jumper caught the eye of Dr Legg, who recognised it as one that he'd seen in Reg's collection of Nazi badges from the war. A few hours later, Rich arrived at The Queen Vic where Lofty was tending bar and questioned him about how he got the badge. Lofty reluctantly admitted that he'd bought it from Mark Fowler for five pounds. When questioned by Detective Sergeant Rich, Mark insisted that he'd found the badge on the street. However, on 28 March, Rich learned that Mark had obtained the badge from Nick Cotton and 'turned over' Nick's place to find the remains of Reg's collection along with other incriminating evidence. Nick Cotton then fled Walford, but was arrested the following month for the murder of Reg Cox.

Terry returned in 1987 to investigate the case of the 'Walford attacker', who was guilty of assaulting several different female inhabitants of Albert Square. In April of that year, the attacker picked the wrong victim, Debbie Wilkins, who managed to ward him off using self-defence, which led to his arrest. Terry was impressed with the way Debbie conducted herself so he asked her if she would help him out on some police business. Terry asked Debbie to go to a French restaurant with him on an undercover operation to expose French restaurants using English waiters and he needed her to be his cover. Debbie agreed, but whilst on their mock date they bonded and when they returned to The Vic they made a dinner date for the next night to a Chinese restaurant and they were soon inseparable. Debbie's flat-mate Naima Jeffery seemed to dislike Terry immensely, but this didn't perturb Debbie and when Terry asked her to marry him, she gleefully accepted. The following month Terry was transferred to another division, so Debbie decided to leave Walford with him. Their last last appearance was 14 May 1987.

Jean Hancock

Jean Hancock was a health visitor, assigned to the single mother Mary Smith. She came to Walford to check up on Mary and her daughter Annie, but she found her in a panicked state. Mary had discovered that Reg Cox had been murdered in her flat a month earlier and she wanted Jean to find her a new place to live. Jean knew that this would not happen, so she asked Ali Osman and Dr. Legg to keep an eye on Mary instead.¹

Alison Howard

Woman Police Constable Alison Howard was a local police officer for Walford, who first appeared on 30 April 1985, to take down details from the Fowler family about Mark Fowler running away from home. She appeared in January 1986 when Angie Watts gave a statement about a car accident, and then later in May when Sharon Watts ran away from home.²

Gary "Spotty"

Michelle Fowler had been on a holiday to Clacton with her gran, and came home boasting about her holiday romance with an Italian waiter named Carlo. The romance was a sham, but Michelle didn't want her friend Sharon Watts to know that, so Kelvin Carpenter asked his neighbour Gary (nicknamed "Spotty" because of his bad acne) to pretend to be Carlo. Gary showed up at Ian Beale's flat at Walford Towers, to watch a dance video that Ian had bought from a friend. Gary wasn't very convincing at playing Carlo. Sharon seemed to guess that he was a fake and found the whole situation extremely amusing. As the group sat down to watch their video, they were startled to discover that Ian's friend had mistakenly given him a pornographic movie.³

Ayse Osman

Ayse Osman only appeared once on screen, on 20 June 1985. She was a Turkish Cypriot sister of Ali Osman, and she came to care for his wife Sue after their baby, Hassan, died from cot death. She only spoke Turkish.

Ernie Mears

Ernie Mears wooed Ethel Skinner during the Second World War but after she married his good friend William Skinner, he disappeared from their lives. Many years later, Ernie confessed to Ethel that he fled because he feared that he would either go insane being around an unobtainable Ethel, or that they would do something to hurt William if their association had continued.

When Ian Beale became interested in learning to box in July 1985, Ethel joined him on his first trip to the gym, as boxing was her favourite sport. Ian's boxing coach, a retired light heavyweight champion, turned out to be Ernie, who at first thought Ethel was Ian's mum.

Upon learning that it was Ethel and that she was now widowed, Ernie asked her on a date and a few weeks later asked her to marry him. However, the offer was conditional. Ernie was allergic to dogs and Willy the pug, Ethel's constant companion for the past 9 years, would have to go. Ethel seriously considered Ernie's offer but gently declined. After which Ernie departed broken hearted again. His last appearance was on the 15 August 1985.

Alan Grout

Alan Grout worked for the housing department of Walford council. Pauline and Arthur Fowler had just had a new baby and the Fowler household, number 45 Albert Square, was becoming extremely cramped. They contacted the council and applied to be rehoused somewhere bigger, but they neglected to tell Pauline's mother, Lou, of their intention. Alan arrived to discuss the move, but received a hostile welcome from Lou. She was furious to discover that the council wanted to move them out of the house she had lived in for most of her life. She tore up the Fowlers' application form and ordered Alan out of her house.

Stuart

Stuart was a young patient who nurse Andy O'Brien cared for. Andy grew very attached to the boy and brought him to Walford on several home visits. Andy's girlfriend, Debbie Wilkins, was initially against this, but Stuart soon charmed her by telling her that she had pretty hair. Stuart's health worsened and as the hospital had insufficient funds they could not afford the correct equipment to save him. Stuart died on 26 September 1985. Andy was extremely upset and scolded himself for getting emotionally attached to a patient. He broke down and cried in the café one afternoon, blaming Stuart's death on the government, who believed that the purchasing of weapons was more important than the health care needs of children.

Sheena Menell

Sheena Menell first appeared on 15 October 1985 when her cab broke down in Bridge Street and she wandered into the café and asked Sue Osman where she might find another one. Sue told her that her husband, Ali, might be able to take her where she needed to go and so Mary Smith, who was in the café at the time, offered to show her the way to Number 23 Albert Square in search of Ali.

When Ali couldn't be found, Mary invited Sheena to wait in her flat above and they quickly became friends. Sheena had once been in a similar situation to Mary when she found herself pregnant and alone, although she opted to abort the baby, which she had always regretted. Mary was impressed that Sheena earned £150 per week as a stripper. Weary of trying to live on the DSS payments she received, Mary eagerly accepted Sheena's offer to help her find work as a stripper. Sheena also gave Mary dancing lessons.

Whilst out working, Mary left her daughter, Annie, in Sheena's care, but she was caught by Sue 'entertaining' a man in Mary's room with Annie in close proximity. Sheena then left Annie alone while she went for a drink in The Queen Vic with her guest. When Mary found out about Sheena's behaviour she called her a "sluttish bitch" and told her that Annie could end up in care because of her irresponsible actions. This was the last time Sheena was seen.

Adam Steadman

Adam Steadman was Ian Beale's opponent in a boxing match. He represented West Walford Boys Club.

Ian won the match by a KO in the first round and after Adam lost the fight he apparently attacked Ian again and was floored for a second time. Ian was upset when everyone credited his coach Simon Wicks for the win. He gave up boxing directly after.⁴

Ruth Lyons

Ruth Lyons was a social worker, who first appeared in December 1985. Ruth offered Pauline Fowler advice on caring for her ailing mother, Lou Beale. She did so at the request of her good friend, Dr. Harold Legg. Upon seeing Ruth and Dr. Legg drinking together or playing darts in the Queen Vic a few times, some were led to imagine that a romantic link existed between them.

When Pauline mentioned this to Dr. Legg, he found the idea amusing and explained that Ruth was already 'married' — to the woman she lived with!

Winston

Winston is a recurring fictional character in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders. He has been portrayed by Ulric Browne since 1985, with his first known on-screen appearance being in December of that year. However, he was not credited for his role until later on in the series.

Winston owns the music stall in Walford's Bridge Street Market and over the years proved to be a great friend to his fellow long-standing stall-holder, the late Mark Fowler. His highlights over the years include shaving his tuft of hair off for charity when Nick Cotton was in a wheelchair, and helping Ethel Skinner arrive at her birthday party on the night she died. He was also angry when Ian Beale's car crashed into his stall in October 2006. He appeared at Pauline Fowler's funeral.

Winston is always only too willing to lend a hand when other market traders are called away, for example, to appear in a key development of the current plot, i.e. Stacey Slater needs someone to guard the clothing stall while she and Max Branning slip into an unguarded bedroom to continue the next episode in their illicit affair.

In January 2008, Winston had DVDs stolen from his stall by Jay Brown and the E20 gang.

On 7 April 2008, Winston's niece Keisha arrived in Walford.

On November 17, 2008, Winston won a prize as part of the Children in Need raffle held in the Queen Vic.

References