Creator Tony Warren wrote the part with Doris Speed in mind, having worked with her before when he was a young actor on radio play Children's Hour.

[5] Jack (Arthur Leslie) and Annie Walker were a popular couple in Coronation Street, and made a good team as landlord and landlady of the Rovers.

Annie was an active member of the community and in 1966 her aspirations turned political, when Mrs Arkinstall (Lally Bowers) of the Federation of Women's Associations agreed to sponsor her application to stand as an independent candidate in the Council by-elections.

Annie, unsure of where Jack was staying, got the mistaken impression that he was sleeping over at Elsie Tanner's (Pat Phoenix) house, and convinced herself they were having an affair.

In 1968, Lucille became involved with Gordon Clegg (Bill Kenwright), an accounting student whose protective mother Maggie Cooke (Irene Sutcliffe) had recently bought the Corner Shop.

Annie was thrilled in 1969 when brewery rep Douglas Cresswell (William Fox) offered her and Jack a pub in Majorca, while she was there after winning the 'Perfect Landlady' competition arranged by Newton & Ridley.

It was the chance she had been waiting for years, and for her sake Jack was also willing to go, however they were turned down at the last minute when Cresswell's boss decided they were too old to run the Majorca bar.

Annie was distraught but despite her grief was able to carry on with her job, taking over as licensee of the Rovers Return, with Billy moving to Weatherfield to keep an eye on her and help out at the pub when needed.

After gaining good qualifications, Lucille grew into a lazy young woman who worked when it suited her, and when she did have a job, it tended to be somewhere Annie disapproved of, such as the Aquarius disco club, which to add insult to injury, was a Newton & Ridley house like the Rovers.

Annie's big moment finally came in 1973 when incoming Mayor of Weatherfield, Alf Roberts (Bryan Mosley), asked her to be his Mayoress and she accepted it graciously.

Billy decided to leave Weatherfield to rebuild his life in Jersey, while Annie told the brewery she was retiring as there was now nothing left for her at the Rovers.

Later in the year, two thugs, Les Grimes (Mike Grady) and Neil Foxall (Terence Budd), broke into the Rovers in the night in search of valuables and money.

The thugs left after searching the place and finding nothing of value, and despite telling friends and staff she was fine Annie fell down the stairs the next day and was admitted to hospital.

The brewery then discovered Annie's true living situation, however she was held in high enough esteem that she was offered the tenancy of a pub in Cheshire, rather than retirement.

When informed of the brewery's decision by Warren Coates (Peter Settelen), an unflappable Annie immediately telephoned Douglas Cresswell, who put a stop to the plans.

At 67, Annie decided to learn to drive, and to pass her test after fewer than 86 lessons - the number her friend and rival Nellie Harvey (Mollie Sugden) had taken.

In 1981, Annie went on a cruise and left temporary manager Gordon Lewis (David Daker) in charge of the Rovers, as she didn't have faith in Fred to run it.

After relieving Gordon from his post, she had to earn back the respect of Betty and Bet Lynch (Julie Goodyear), who were angry that Annie hadn't trusted them.

After Speed's death, an appreciation of the character was published by The Guardian, in which Annie Walker was compared to former prime minister Margaret Thatcher, who had been nicknamed The Iron Lady, and the latter's son Mark: Nobody answered her back and stayed to finish their pint.