The Tony Warren Archive

Box 1

Seven, Bessie Street - a script by Tony Warren for a soap opera in a terraced street that pre-dates Coronation Street. THIS ITEM IS NOT TO BE TAKEN OUT OF ITS FRAME.

Tony Warren's MBE with certificate, presented in December 1994.

Presentation copies of articles written about Pat Phoenix by Tony Warren and published on 21st September, 28th September and 5th October 1986.

Tony Warren's This Is Your Life book, programme broadcast 11th October 1995.

Box 2

Additional items: -

One additional copy of Episode One of Florizel Street

One additional copy of the camera script of Episode One Coronation Street

Stills from the dry runs of Florizel Street, recordings of Episode One where parts were played by some actors who would go on to play the same roles in Episode One of Coronation Street and some who would not.

Storyline documents: Episodes 1768 and 1769 of Coronation Street December 1977 and documents covering period of October 1977 to January 1978, when Tony Warren was still involved in story lining for Coronation Street,

Box 3

Additional items:

Various scripts from Tony's time as a child actor (Tony Simpson) on-BBC Radio Children's Hour.

Box 4

Additional items:

TV Times features about Coronation Street and Tony Warren from 1961.

The Forces Sweetheart written by Tony Warren for The Daily Mirror, published on 16th August 1976, a short story pre-dating Coronation Street, about one its original characters, Elsie Tanner.

Interviews given by Tony Warren to The Sunday People, published June 1st and gth 1980 to coincide with the 2000th episode of Coronation Street.

Articles written by Tony Warren for The Sunday People, published on 28th September and 5th October 1986, about the life and death of Pat Phoenix. The 'right' to write them had been bequeathed to him by Pat Phoenix.

Article about / Interview given by Jean Alexander, written by Tony Warren, for the Sunday People, published on 6th December 1987, in response to Jean Alexander leaving Coronation Street.

Poster for the above article.

Invoice from Tony Warren to Mirror Group Newspapers, dated 3rd December 1987, for part 1 of the interview with Jean Alexander.

Articles written by Tony Warren for The Daily Mirror, published on 3rd and 4th December 1990, two parts of a five-part series written for Coronation Street's 30th anniversary on 9th December 1990.

Explanatory notes:

Each page of the copy for Jean Alexander's story signed by her, to indicate her approval of what Tony Warren had written

6 x official designs of Coronation Street postcards.

Coronation Street official items' various invitations to anniversary celebrations of the programme and awards, official Coronation Street Christmas card for 1961 signed by Tony Warren.

Coronation Street stationery.

Box 5

Explanatory information:

All My Burning Bridges, first volume of Pat Phoenix's autobiography, inscribed to Tony Warren.

Additional items:

Love, Curiosity, Freckles and Doubt, second volume of Pat Phoenix's autobiography, inscribed to Tony Warren.

Box 6

Explanatory information:

Flyer and letter from Tony Sympson. Tony Warren was born Anthony McVay Simpson. The actor, Tony Sympson, was mistakenly sent a letter for Tony Simpson (Warren). The letter was forwarded and the two became friends. It meant that Tony Simpson needed to change his stage name to Warren.

In the section for notes in Spotlight Contacts, there is the name Margaret Morris. It was at a meeting with Granada Television's head of casting, Margaret Morris, where Tony Warren ceased to be an actor and became a full-time writer. It was at this meeting that Margaret Morris revealed that Granada needed writers and so began Tony Warren's writing career at Granada Television.

The Sunday People article, dated 2nd January 1994 tells the story of Tony Warren asking June Brown for her autograph in 1947 and the autograph book in this box is the one he used.

Additional items:

Medallion from Manchester Metropolitan University for Tony Warren's Honorary Doctorate.

Passes for Tony Warren at Granada Television / ITV from 1959-2016 -

Various communications / invoices from Tony Warren's early career.

Letter from Fenella Fielding dated 6th March 1959

Three additional letters from Sir John Betjeman to Tony Warren

Two photographs of Tony Warren with Sir John Betjeman on the set of Coronation Street.

Letter from Tony Blair, from 10 Downing Street, postmarked 4th December 2000, offering congratulations to Tony Warren on the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of Coronation Street.

Copy of Street Dogs, a collection of drawings by Harold Riley, with an original sketch drawn as part of an inscription to Tony Warren.

A sketch drawn by Harold Riley and inscribed to Tony Warren on a menu for a charity event in 2002.

Box 7

Photographs in (roughly) chronological order.

Signed photographs to Tony Warren (at top) from: Fenella Fielding; Liz Dawn (Vera Duckworth in Coronation Street); Christine Hargreaves (Christine Hardman in Coronation Street)

Box 8

Typed manuscript for The Lights of Manchester.

Transcript for the documentary Based On An Idea By... produced by Granada Television, broadcast 1993.

Script for Dying To Tell You, a short story performed by Jean Alexander, BBC Radio, 1996.

Publicity material for The Lights of Manchester and invitations for the novel's launch on 4th November 1991 at Manchester Town Hall.

Visitors' book for the launch of The Lights of Manchester, signed by members of the cast of Coronation Street at the time of the launch and former cast members, including Doris Speed.

Invitations to London and Manchester book launches of Foot of the Rainbow, November 1993.

Daily programmes from the QE2 1st and 4th April 1994, where Tony Warren was guest speaker.