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Sally Skilbeck

Marian Wilks
Emmerdale character
Portrayed by Gail Harrison (1972-75, 1978)
Debbi Blythe (1987-88)
Duration 1972-75, 1978, 1987-88
First appearance 16 October 1972
Last appearance 1 September 1988
Created by Kevin Laffan
Introduced by David Goddard (1972)
Robert D. Cardona (1978)
Michael Russell (1987)
Stuart Doughty (1988)
Classification Former; regular
Peggy Skilbeck
Emmerdale character
Portrayed by Jo Kendall
Duration 1972-73
First appearance 16 October 1972
Last appearance 16 July 1973
Created by Kevin Laffan
Introduced by David Goddard
Classification Former; regular
Tom Merrick
Emmerdale character
Portrayed by David Hill (1972)
Edward Peel (1980–82)
Jack Carr (1984–88)
Duration 1972, 1980-82, 1984-86, 1988
First appearance 6 November 1972
Last appearance 10 February 1988
Created by Kevin Laffan
Introduced by David Goddard (1972)
Anne Gibbons (1980, 1982)
Richard Handford (1984, 1985)
Michael Russell (1986)
Stuart Doughty (1988)
Classification Former; regular
Jackie Merrick
Emmerdale character
Portrayed by Unknown Child (1972)
Ian Sharrock (1980–89)
Duration 1972, 1980-89
First appearance 21 November 1972
Last appearance 16 August 1989
Created by Kevin Laffan
Introduced by Kevin Laffan (1972)
Anne Gibbons (1980)
Book appearances Old Flames
Wedding Bells
Family Feuds
Young Passions
Another Door Opens
A Friend In Need
Divided Loyalties
Wives and Lovers
Classification Former; regular
Sharon Crossthwaite
Emmerdale character
Portrayed by Louise Jameson
First appearance 22 January 1973
Last appearance 30 January 1973
Introduced by Peter Holmans
Classification Former; guest
Profile
Occupation Hairdresser

The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the British soap opera Emmerdale Farm in 1972 and 1973, by order of first appearance.

Marian Rosetti (née Wilks) was first played by Gail Harrison from 1972 to 1978, then by Debbie Blythe for two stints in 1987 and 1988. She first appeared on the show's first ever episode. She was the daughter of wealthy retired factory owner Henry Wilks who later ran the Woolpack with long standing landlord Amos Brearly. Marian embarked on a brief affair with Jack Sugden in the first few months of the show.

Peggy Skilbeck (née Sugden) was one of Emmerdale's original characters, the middle child and only daughter of Jacob Sugden and Annie Sugden. She was the first character to speak in the show; her line being "Matt, who's she?" Peggy married Matt Skilbeck in 1968 and had two children, twins Sam and Sally, in April 1973. Peggy died in July 1973 of a brain haemorrhage at the age of 26.

Thomas "Tom" Merrick is the first husband of Ruth Harker (later known as Pat). He appeared in 1972, 1980–82 and 1984–86, followed by a brief reappearance in 1988 at Jackie Merrick's wedding.

He was born in April 1941 (by early 1982 he says he is 40 years old) and married Ruth Harker in April 1964 when she was expecting Jack Sugden's child. The child was born just under seven months after the wedding in early November that year, although Tom believed he was the father and spent years bringing up Jackie Merrick. Pat even told Tom Jackie was born two months premature so Tom believed he was the father. Very little is known about his early background before his marriage to Pat but he had a sister Mary and his mother was a friend of Annie Sugden.

Tom returns to the village in 1972 and picks a fight with Joe Sugden after seeing Joe and Ruth together in "The Woolpack". Tom is suspicious of how their son, Jackie, bears a strong resemblance to Jack Sugden, as well as sharing his name, and Jack is later revealed as Jackie's father. Tom blackmails Jack when he finds out that he had been sleeping at Inglebrook while Henry Wilks was laid up, and Jack later fires Tom. The Merricks then move to Leeds to live near Tom's sister Mary.


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