In 1968, the attractive young blonde arrived in Weatherfield from London in search of her sister Monica, who had written to her telling her that she was staying with Dennis who was "a bit square but a nice guy".
Whilst there she had to fend off the unwanted advances of waiter Maurice Rowe, and when Dennis stood up for her he realised his affection for her.
To stop her, Dennis persuaded Minnie Caldwell to take her in at No.5, though they were surprised that the kindly pensioner was just as uncompromising about letting them sleep together as Elsie was.
As Monica was marrying a bank manager, Ernie supported that union and Dennis had to borrow money to pay for his and Jenny's nuptials.
The Tanners were happily married until 1973 when Dennis was sent to prison for posing as a salesman in a scam to con old age pensioners.
Maggie's storylines included her life with alcoholic husband Les Clegg (John Sharp), whom she divorced in 1969, her adoptive son Gordon (Bill Kenwright), her sister Betty Turpin (Betty Driver) was his birth mother, and a further marriage to reformed alcoholic, Ron Cooke, on 10 July 1974.
She emigrated to Zaire after the wedding but made a brief return to the street in December of the same year when Gordon found out that Betty was his mother.
A photograph of her was seen on the shelf in the background when Gordon, Emily Bishop (Eileen Derbyshire), Rita Sullivan (Barbara Knox) and Stella Price (Michelle Collins) went to Betty's house to sort through her belongings.
He and his wife Maggie (Irene Sutcliffe) buy the Corner Shop from David Barlow (Alan Rothwell) in 1968.
Lucille took some convincing to agree to go out with Gordon, as she thought he was too mothered by Maggie, but he impressed her when he fought for her attentions with Gary Strauss and Ray Langton (Neville Buswell).
Ashamed of his actions, he took a job at the head office of an accountancy firm in London and upset Maggie by moving there permanently.
The Hopkins' were determined to get a good deal on the shop and they found Gordon's birth certificate behind a sideboard, revealing his true mother's name.
Gordon was stunned by the news and reacted initially by warning the Hopkins', who did a midnight flit, and going out to celebrate the fact that Les was not his father.
Gordon went through her things with Emily Bishop (Eileen Derbyshire), Rita Sullivan (Barbara Knox) and The Rovers landlady Stella Price (Michelle Collins).
On the day of the funeral, they told Gordon about the letter but he knew that his mother was happy working at the pub although she had turned down the offer.
Gordon handed barman Sean Tully (Antony Cotton) another letter from Betty, containing her secret hotpot recipe.
Eighteen-year-old Dickie, and his fiancé Audrey Bright (Gillian McCann) move into number three shortly before they wed in 1968.
Rejected, Dickie informed Ray's fiancé Sandra Butler (Patricia Fuller) of what had been going on, before leaving Weatherfield for good.
Shortly after arriving, 16-year-old Audrey married Dickie Fleming (Nigel Humphries) and they set up home at number three.
Ray was committed to Sandra however, and after stringing her along and effectively ending her marriage, he let her down and Audrey fled Weatherfield.
In June 1968, Linda Cheveski (Anne Cunningham) and Jenny Tanner (Mitzi Rogers) sent Gary to Weatherfield to keep Elsie company as her son Dennis (Philip Lowrie) had just moved to Bristol and she was now on her own.
Gary arrived from down south where he had been staying for three months with his Auntie Ethel, who had recently suffered a nervous breakdown.
Gary left Weatherfield in the Jaguar a week later, before Elsie could sell it; she had crashed it into Ken Barlow's (William Roache) car while trying to get to grips with the vehicle.