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Elizabeth (Lizzy) Fairchild. (Appears in ‘Rachel’, ‘Sisters’, ‘Roisin’, ‘History Girls’, ‘Debbie’s Gift’, ‘Fracture’, ‘Wyeburn Station’ and ‘Millie’. Mentioned in ‘Carol’) She was the original keyboardist in Roisin and Hazel’s band, ‘Fauld’. She was a third year classically trained music student when they met. She is very slightly plump and about 5′ 4″, but she suits the rounded form and Tina and Hazel both find her beautiful. She has bright, naturally curly ginger hair which she wears half way down her back. She is from Perth in Scotland and Hazel loves her soft accent. She is a brilliant musician and the best friend of Rachel Holmes. She eventually leaves to have a baby. She later has a child with Roisin Fauld’s ex-husband Colin and leaves Fauld, but becomes a great friend and musical collaborator with Annie Roberts.  She acts as her best man (well woman), when Annie marries Hazel. She is still working with Annie years later when Tina finds her at Wyeburn Station when she takes Millie and Nidhi to watch a steam train.  Millie, then 11, takes something of a shine to her son Malcolm, by then 17, who’d tagged along with his Mum.

Diane Fastlane. (Appears in ‘Haze’ and ‘Annie’). She is a member of Annie Roberts’ Lower Sixth class. She is a distinctly big girl, not fat, just powerfully built, but she is very short sighted which means that in hockey, when playing without her glasses, she is sometimes known to head down the pitch the wrong way. Hazel says that when in goal she could almost lean on both goal posts at the same time so she ought to be a brilliant keeper, being virtually a human dam. However, she is also rather timid and tends to flee if the ball heads her way.

Andrea Sofia Fauld (née Martínez). (Appears in ‘Daughters’, ‘Rachel’, ‘Sisters’, ‘Roisin’, ‘Fracture’, ‘Debbie’s Gift’ and ‘Wyeburn Station’. Mentioned in ‘Haze’ ). She is Hazel, Sofie, Dannie and Roisin’s maternal Grandma. She was born in Spain around 1931. Her mother Sofia Martínez was a humanitarian heroine during the Spanish Civil War, rescuing orphaned children from war zones. Andrea was orphaned herself in 1937 when her mother was killed in a bombing raid and an Uncle smuggled her out of the country. She got to Warrington in Britain in 1938 and eventually married George Fauld. They had three children: a boy, Leo, followed by two girls Connie and Martine who is the youngest. She taught them all Spanish and the four still speak it when they are together. Andrea worked for years as a personal financial adviser.

Prof. Constanza (Connie) Sofia Fauld. (Appears in ‘Daughters’, ‘Rachel’, ‘Debbie’s Gift’, ‘Wyeburn Station’, ‘Sofia’ and ‘Millie’. Mentioned in ‘Haze’, ‘Sisters’ and ‘Roisin’). She is Martine Fauld’s older sister, born in 1953, the second of Andrea and George Fauld’s three children. She has never married,. She is a University ‘Business Studies’ professor, and business consultant. She can appear rather staid, bottled up and even a little snooty, but she has a secret, she had an illegitimate daughter at 16, Isabella Sofia, who was adopted against her will. The sadness of her loss turned a fun loving girl into a rather cold and sombre adult. To her delight though, she later encounters her daughter, and discovers that she has two grandchildren. The father is Roy Saddler and he and Connie renew their passionate relationship after a mere 35 year break when mother and daughter are reunited. By the time of ‘Sofia’ in 2021 she and Roy still aren’t married, although very much still together.

Danielle (Dannie) Sofia Fauld. (Appears in ‘Rachel’, ‘Carol’, ‘Sisters’, ‘Roisin’, ‘History Girls’, Debbie’s Gift’, ‘Fracture’, ‘Gold’, Wyeburn Station’, ‘Sofia’ and ‘Millie’). Nicknamed Mariposa (Spanish for butterfly) she is the youngest of the two daughters born to Debbie Fauld (née Stewart) on 28th March, 2004. eight days after her due date of 19-3-04, having been conceived on 27-6-03. Her birth weight was 8lbs 7oz, some two and a half pounds more than her slightly premature older sister Sofie. She is a gentler, shyer quieter soul than her boisterous sister Sofie. She is physically more like her father (and Martine and Hazel) and less like Debbie in appearance, being darker, more robust. Her father, by AI, is Martine’s older brother Leo. She has very dark hair like Marty and Hazel, not blonde like Deb and Sofie’s. She has it in a bob in infancy but grows it once she goes to school.  By the time she is in her mid teens it is very long and perfectly straight.  She is a rather good hockey player at school.  She also starts her own string quartet.  When she is 17 she gets a serious boyfriend.  He is called Ryan Trent and is the viola player in her string quartet.  Dannie stages a tongue in cheek coming out scene with the Mums, in which formally she comes out as straight!  Her best friend at school is Becky Ward, who unlike her is tiny.  Becky is the violinist in her quartet.  The two also do a comic ventriloquist act called Big and Little (Becky being Big and Dannie Little).  Becky plays the part of her dummy.  She often gets roped into Sofie’s music and sometimes also Annie and Lizzie’s.

George Fauld. (Mentioned in ‘Haze’, appears in ‘Daughters’, ‘Sisters’, ‘Roisin’, ‘Martine’, ‘Fracture’ and ‘Wyeburn Station’). He is Martine’s father and the grandfather of Roisin, Hazel et al. He is married to Andrea Sofia Martínez and a specialist teacher for dyslexic children. In Martine’s teenage years the two were somewhat at odds because Martine is dyslexic but George had trouble accepting that, despite usually being a wonderfully supportive teacher. By the time of the series, however, the two are firmly reconciled and he dotes on his grandchildren.

Hannah Sofia Fauld (Usually called Sofie, or Monster in the family). (Appears in ‘Annie’, ‘Daughters’, ‘Carol’, ‘Rachel’, ‘Sisters’, ‘Roisin’, ‘History Girls’, ‘Debbie’s Gift, ‘Fracture’, ‘Gold’, ‘Wyeburn Station’, ‘Sofia’ and ‘Millie’. Mentioned as unborn in ‘Haze’). She is the older of the two girls born to Debbie Fauld (née Stewart). She is very Deb in appearance: ice-blonde, waif-like and very pretty. Even as a baby she has a wicked sense of humour and a tendency to play up that earns her the family nick name ‘Monster’. Her father, by AI, is Martine Fauld’s older brother Leo. The Hannah in her name honours the daughter Debbie miscarried just after she was widowed. Sofie was born on her mother’s 46th birthday: 14th May, 2002. She was 18 days early, being due on 1-6-2002. All the Fauld women have Sofia as a middle name, but Sofie is the only one who uses it as her given name. She is quite precocious, ahead of her target dates for most things. At 9 months she has a sort of proto name for her teddy: ‘Buh’. Her first proper word is ‘Dada, sadly directed at Martine. .  She speaks with a definite lisp, which is very cute, although the family aren’t convinced she’s not putting it on as she gets older.  She likes to tease.  In particular, so insists on calling her oldest sister Roisin “Aunty Roshie”, but she can be surprisingly nurturing at times, especially with little Danielle.  She loves to draw pictures.  She’s left handed and actually draws with a crayon in each hand. As she grows the lisp disappears but she demonstrates very early on the family musical talent.  She is also gregarious and not in the least shy, even at a young age, but as a musician she prefers to work as a solo artist, rather than in a band, although she sometimes worked with her cellist sister Dannie.  She is a genius with loopers.  She is not very sporty at school, not really seeing the point, but is OK at gymnastics and absolutely loves ballet.  Later, she dances vigorously with her music.               From the moment she starts at play-group she becomes close friends with a little boy called Andrew.  Over time they become genuine friends then lovers.  But bi-sexual Sofie falls for her school friend, Amber.  The friendship continues though.  Andrew has girlfriends, but they remain close as friends who always respect one another.  When Emma breaks up with Sofie and his girlfriend breaks up with Andrew they show signs of getting back together.  Then Sofie falls for Lady Tara Jackerman- Prodnoze.  She’s in love, but torn at the prospect of losing Andrew until it turns out that Tara dreams of a ménage à trios and in ‘Millie’ the three get married (sort of) at a ceremony conducted at Dowchester Old Hall, conducted by Dame Evadne.

Katrina (Kattie) Mary Fauld. (Appears in ‘Daughters’ and ‘Rachel’. Mentioned in ‘Haze’, ‘Sisters’, ‘Roisin’ ‘Debbie’s Gift’, ‘Fracture’ and ‘Sofia’). She is the wife of Martine Fauld’s older brother, Leo. She is a very career driven accountant and has avoided motherhood as a result. Her husband supports her ambition, but has gradually developed a yen for fatherhood and has been delighted at the chance that acting as AI donor for Debbie has brought.  He adores his baby daughters, Sofie and Danielle.

Leo George Fauld.  (Mentioned in ‘Haze’, ‘Annie’ and ‘Sofia’. Appears in ‘Daughters’, ‘Rachel’, ‘Sisters’, ‘Roisin’, ‘Wyeburn Station’ and Millie’).  He is the oldest of Andrea and George Fauld’s three children, and the older brother of Martine.  He is also Debbie Stewart’s daughters’ (Sofie and Dannie) father, via AI.  His wife Katrina doesn’t want children, but he does and his children with Deb give him that chance.  He was the donor from Deb’s earlier attempts at motherhood when she and Marty were first married, but before the fertility treatment that actually allowed her to carry a pregnancy to term and has been delighted at the chance that acting as donor for Debbie has brought.  He adores his baby daughters.  He is four years older than Marty and the manager of a textile firm that makes most of Faulds’ clothes. He gives Sofie away at her unofficial wedding to Tara and Andrew, despite a certain amount of doubt.

Martin Fauld.  (Appears in ‘Wyeburn Station’ and ‘Sofia’).  Born in 2012, he is the first child of Roisin and Rachel, who are now a married couple.  Rachel is his birth mother and he was conceived by AI from an unnamed sperm donor.  He is named in honour of Roisin’s mother Martine and as far as Marty and Deb are concerned he’s their grandson.

Tanya Fauld.  (Appears in ‘Sofia’).  She was Roisin and Rachel’s second child and we see her learning to read, pre-school age in ‘Sofia’.  She’s an affectionate little thing, somewhat irritated by her big brother’s antics.

Tracy Fielding.  (Mentioned in ‘Carol’).    She was the St. Ann’s school hockey captain in 2005/6.  She was two years below Hazel and Tina at school and Tina hardly remembers her, except that she has very curly hair.  But Games teacher Carol Baxter is very impressed with her talent.

Miss Monica Fitch.  (Mentioned in ‘Annie’ and ‘Daughters’).  She is St. Ann’s school’s Music and Drama teacher.  She is also the school librarian.  She plays piano for the hymn sung in morning assembly.

Steven Foley.  (Appears in ‘Sisters’).   He is a little boy in Wyeburn who is the only child in the village who is almost exactly the same age as Danielle Fauld (her cousin Angela being six months older).  As a toddler Dannie is a teensy bit smitten with him and has a way of taking crisps and the like to share with him at children’s parties.

Dr. Diane Frazier (aka Dr. Di).  (Appears in ‘Sisters’, ‘Roisin’ and ‘Debbie’s Gift’. Mentioned in ‘Wyeburn Station’).   She is the Scottish doctor who runs the Coronary Care Unit in St. Quentin’s Hospital, in London when Annie was there.  She is a workaholic who often looks exhausted, and both patients and staff worry that she might need her own services if she doesn’t stop working such insanely long hours.  She hints to Hazel that she is a lesbian, although when she would have time to see a girlfriend is a mystery.

Patrick Frazier.  (Appears in Debbie’s Gift’).   No relation of Dr. Diane, he is a fellow student of Musical Composition when Annie starts at university.  He’s a Scot, with a soft purring accent and at first everyone on the course loves him.  But, although good looking and superficially charming, he’s a predator, a man with a strong sense of entitlement towards women, and sets his cap at Annie.  It doesn’t go well for him.  He is eventually forced out of the university after attempting to date rape another fellow student.

Frieda.  (Appears in ‘Sofia’).  We never do learn her surname.  She is what Mo Collins jokingly calls a Sappho’s Docker ‘the next generation’.  She and Sofie become friends and sort of date, but both are tomboy and ultimately not what the other finds attractive.

Mr. Arthur Frobisher.   (Appears in ‘Haze’, ‘Annie’ and ‘Daughters’. Mentioned in ‘Rachel’, ‘Carol’, ‘History Girls’, ‘Debbie’s Gift’, ‘Gold’ and ‘Wyeburn Station’).   He is St. Ann’s one man modern languages Dept, who teaches French, Spanish and German – after a fashion.  Hazel and Tina regard him as totally incompetent and it later turns out that Carol Baxter’s opinion is not much better.  Her ex Angela Glynbourne is a French teacher, but when she spoke to him in French at a staff social, she got nothing but blank incomprehension.  Hazel thinks he is better at French than the other languages he supposedly teaches because he once went to France on holiday.  Hazel considered doing Spanish as she feels that she should learn the language because of her family link with Spain.  However, apparently he hasn’t been there on holiday yet, so is even worse at Spanish than French.  He is aged about 50 at the time of ‘Haze’.

Mrs Doris Fulbright.  (Appears in ‘Sofia’. Mentioned in ‘History Girls’).   She is Dame Evadne’s irascible but devoted house keeper.  She is slightly older than her employer and thoroughly disapproves of her passion for getting covered in oil mending cars and motorbikes and especially leaving the bikes in the kitchen. She is still around at the time of ‘Sofia’, loyal and grumpy as ever.

Betty Furnival.  (Appears in ‘Gold’).  She is the elderly widow of Bartaley farmer Eustace Furnival.  She is a client of Burns & Son and likes Tina to come over at regular intervals to tinker with her will.  Really she’s just bored and wants a cup of tea and a chat with the ‘nice young lady from Burns’.

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Gaia García.  (Appears in Carol’, Sisters’, ‘Roisin’ and ‘Debbie’s Gift’. Mentioned in ‘History Girls’ and ‘Fracture’).   She is the Fauld family’s Spanish au-pair in 2005/6.  Hannah Sofia is to learn Spanish from her and Martine.  Like many of the Faulds’ au-pairs, Gaia is gay.  The Faulds let the agency know that they would be happy to take a lesbian au-pair as they have heard that openly gay women have trouble getting placements.  As a nanny Gaia is strict, but Sofie worships her.  She has short, dark hair and is quite thickset. She comes from Leon in the north. She dates Jenny Marlow and when Gaia returns home at the end of her year with the Fauld’s, Jenny goes with her to learn the language, but comes home early when the two break up.

Brenda George.  (Appears in ‘Daughters’, ‘Rachel’, ‘Roisin’, Debbie’s Gift’, ‘Fracture’, Fracture’ and ‘Wyeburn Station’. Mentioned in ‘Sisters, ‘Gold’ and ‘Sofia’).  Nicknamed ‘Weird Brenda’, she is a member of Hazel Fauld’s year at school.  She does ‘Art & Design’ A-Level with Hazel and is a very talented artist, specialising in distinctly disturbing, dystopian oil paintings.  She is a fellow Goth when out of school uniform and loves Hazel’s dress designs.  She is frustrated by the lack of life drawing in straight-laced St. Ann’s.  Eventually she and Hazel agree to model for each other.  Her previous model was Katie, who used to date her older brother.  Her life sketches lack the horror of her paintings and tend to be gently reflective.  She is tall with long dark hair and dark brown eyes and an almost whispery voice. In 2006 she models Hazel’s terrifying Queen Solani dress. .  When Hazel visits her as a fine art student in London, she is in a relationship of convenience with her bed-sit neighbour a distinctly posh boy called Sebastian, who is looking rather unsuccessfully for a Minty (a posh girl) who’s not too hung up to give him a halfway decent time.  She just wants him for the odd hour to ‘shag and then to get out of my way so I can work.’ as she puts it.  In their 2nd year at University Brenda models a vampire dress Haze and Amy have designed for a horror film.  She so impresses the film’s producer that she is asked to play the role after the actress originally cast is injured in a riding accident.  This brings her a successful career as a horror film actress, playing evil baddies.  Meanwhile Hazel models for her for a book she’s illustrating on female mischief spirits and then another on benevolent female spirits. Later, Hazel and Aimee dress her for a number of other horror film roles.

Donald (Don) George.  (Mentioned in ‘Rachel’, ‘Roisin’ and ‘Fracture’).    He is Brenda George’s 18 month older brother.  He is away at University by the time we hear of him, but he used to date Katie Ralstrick.  He is a keen amateur actor and knew her from High School plays and am-dram groups.

Gerry and Cyn.  (Appear in ‘Haze’ and ‘Annie’).  They are the bouncers at ‘Cheapies’.  They are a married couple, but Hazel says they look like shaved bears, so festooned with muscle that it’s hard to tell him from her.

Heather Glomar.  (Mentioned in ‘Rachel’ and ‘Roisin’. Appears in ‘Sisters’).  She is the not very good drummer of Rachel Holmes’ old band ‘Lex Feminarum’.  But band leader Fi Capnall won’t fire her (because they are having an affair).

Miss Jenny Glover (later Benson).  (Appears in ‘Gold’. Mentioned in ‘Haze’, ‘Annie’, ‘Carol’, ‘Daughters’, ‘Roisin’, ‘Sandie’ and ‘Fracture’).  She was the Games/gym mistress at St. Ann’s before Carol Baxter and is remembered fondly as a sweetie, full of well meant enthusiasm, who liked to ‘jolly along’ her pupils rather than bully them like Carol.  However, she left to get married at the end of Tina, Hazel and Rosie’s Forth Form year, being six months pregnant at the time.  Hazel, Tina and Rosie were sad to see her go, mostly because they hate Miss Baxter.  Her married name is Benson and she has a daughter, April.  She takes over the training of the ‘Specials’ when Carol is away at sporting events such as the Olympics..

Angela Glynbourne.   (Appears in ‘Annie’, ‘Carol’, ‘Daughters’, ‘History Girls’ and ‘Gold’.  Mentioned in ‘Rachel’, ‘Red’, ‘Sisters’ and ‘Fracture’).  She is Carol Baxter’s ex girlfriend.  She is a French teacher at a different school and two years older than Carol, making her 28 at the time of ‘Red’.  Carol describes her as ‘cute, plump and curvy’, with ‘gorgeous honey coloured curly blonde hair’.  She is almost militantly gay and she doesn’t care who knows it.  She didn’t think it was anyone else’s business.  She said that her sexuality wasn’t what defined her.  The two broke up on New Year’s Eve at the end of 2004, just days after Carol had proposed to her on boxing day.  However, she continues to hold a very bright candle for Carol.  Since leaving she has moved into a shared house (34 Burton Lane, Saltbury) with two other female teachers (both straight) and is still unattached. Later she gets involved with the Prodnoze history project. When Carol and Tina become a couple she tried to stir up trouble with St. Ann’s by claiming that the two were already lovers when Tina was still Carol’s pupil.  It doesn’t work and Angela is actually relieved.  In July 2005 she began a relationship with Jenny Marlow’s girlfriend June Brassington, not knowing June was with Jenny.  She lost faith in her when she found out and eventually dumped her in favour of Susan Tredgold, the curator of Saltbury Museum.

Cleo Goldsmith.  (Mentioned in ‘Rachel’ and ‘Yvonne’).  She was the girlfriend of the evil Zara Browning.  She is the one person Zara truly loves (almost to the point of dangerous obsession, in fact).  But she becomes increasingly scared of her love.  And rightly so.

WPC Alice Gove.  (Appears in ‘Gold’).  She is a Probationary Woman Police Constable in Saltbury Police, partnered to Tina’s old school ‘friend’, cheeky Dorothy Brightbank.  She responds with Dorothy when Tina and Carol are burgled.  The two make quite the comedy double act.  Alice defers to Dot, who is a full Constable and is (believe it or not) officially training her, even though the two banter a good deal.  She calls Dot Skipper, or just Skip.

Marlene Graham.    (Appears in ‘Roisin’ and ‘Fracture’. Mentioned in ‘Annie’, ‘Daughters’, ‘Rachel’, Wyeburn Station’ and ‘Millie’).    She is a member of Hazel and Tina’s class at St. Ann’s.  She goes to the same 1st Aid course (taught by Miss Winton) that Hazel Fauld and Jenny Marlow also go to.  In the 6th form she is a member of the school hockey team. .  Her parents are farmers at Summerston Farm, just outside Saltbury and have converted some old stables into holiday cottages.  When they were 14/15 the girls used to have sleep-overs in one.  She is a powerfully built girl, but kind and thoughtful. Later, she plays for the St. Ann’s old-girls hockey team.

Dennis Granby.    (Appears in ‘Haze’, ‘Daughters’, ‘Annie’ and ‘Rachel’. Mentioned in ‘Sisters’, ‘Roisin’ and ‘Wyeburn Station’).  He teaches Art and Design at St Ann’s School for Girls.  He is a great believer in Hazel Fauld’s talent and is amused rather than annoyed by her tendency to sketch other designs in spare spaces among the things she is meant to be drawing.  He is the ideal teacher for Hazel because he always treats her with respect and is happy to teach anything from fine art to industrial design.  He is just as supportive to Brenda George, who he is convinced will be a famous painter one day.  Hazel says he speaks in a slightly sing song voice.  He is mid forties in age and has sandy hair with a few grey threads starting to appear.  Once Hazel starts playing with ‘Dark Portal’ and ‘Fauld’ after leaving school, he becomes a regular at her Saltbury gigs.

Seth Greenaway.   (Appears in ‘Fracture’. Mentioned in ‘History Girls’)   He is the boyfriend of Tim Cottrell who is 30+ years younger than him.  He tends to like very young men.  He can be a nasty piece of work too, sometimes violent.

Simon Greffin.    (Appears in ‘Haze’ and ‘Annie’, mentioned in ‘Daughters’ and ‘Rachel’).    Simon is a boy from Wyeburn.  He is a year below Roisin Fauld in school and two years senior to Hazel.  He is in the Upper Sixth when we first meet him in ‘Haze’.  He fancies Annie Roberts, who was a year below her, but she is expert at flirting and flattering him, without letting him get anywhere.  His father has a bookmakers shop in Star Street, Saltbury, which he joins on leaving school. His friends joke that he knows nothing whatever about horses and once fell off Roisin Fauld’s little pony, Sugarlump.

Ruth Gregory (later Guptah).  (Appears in ‘Aleyse’ and ‘Loren’. Mentioned in ‘Haze’, ‘Annie’, ‘Daughters’, ‘Rachel’, ‘Sisters’ and ‘Roisin’).  She was born on 9th Nov, 1950, so is 5-6 years older than Debbie.  She was born a Londoner, but her parents moved to Devon to escape the rat-race when she was a little girl and she grew up on the fringes of Dartmoor.  She is a great guitarist and songwriter, being one of the few writers Debbie Stewart truly respects as an equal and likes to write with.  She was offered the chance to become a permanent member of ‘Xeroed’.  But, she has her own band ‘Sboorial’, and wanted to make it on her own.  She is gay and is married to bassist (and amazing beautician) Aleyse Guptah.  They also, years later, rescue the ‘Sappho’s’ gay club from bankruptcy and run it almost as a paying hobby.

George Gresley.  (Mentioned in ‘Carol’ and ‘Gold’).   Along with Beryl Armitage, he is the Games teacher at Saltbury High School and so Carol Baxter’s opposite number. The three cooperate to make best use of the schools’ shared sports facilities.

Charlotte Grousemere.  (Mentioned in ‘Roisin’ and ‘Debbie’s Gift’).  She is the actress scheduled to play the evil vampire Queen Solani in the film ‘The Secret of the Deadly Queen!!!’ and yes the three exclamation marks are part of the title.  She is 6′ 3″ and cast to make the queen stand out.  Eventually she has to drop out after breaking her leg and amazingly Weird Brenda gets the part without even asking.

Pippa Grünfeld.  (Mentioned in ‘History Girls’ and ‘Gold’).   She is a remarkable Black-Austrian athlete, a sporting giant who dominated the 800m event c. 2006.  She wins Gold in the 2006 European Championships with Carol Baxter getting Silver. .She later wins Gold in the event at the 2007 World Championships.  Carol feels honoured just to race her.

Sebastian Grunyard.  (Appears in ‘Roisin’. Mentioned in ‘Debbie’s Gift’ and ‘Wyeburn Station’).   He is a very posh spoken rich-boy, now a student in London.  He lives in a shared student house across the corridor from Weird Brenda.  They are ‘friends with privileges’ with an on/off sexual relationship which is all she is prepared to have.  He is tall with short very curly blonde hair and has a distinctly cut glass accent.  He is always dating somewhat vacuous posh girls that Mummy and Daddy will approve of.  Brenda never bothers to learn their names and refers to them all with the generic term of ‘Minty’.  He finds Brenda vastly more exciting, but she is only interested in friendship and eventually gets fed up with him.

Aleyse Guptah.  (pronounced Aleysher) (Appears in ‘Annie’, ‘Daughters’, ‘Carol’, ‘Rachel’, ‘Sisters’, ‘Roisin’, ‘History Girls’, ‘Aleyse’, ‘Loren’ ‘History Girls’, ‘Fracture’ and ‘Gold’. Mentioned in ‘Haze’, ‘Chantel’, ‘Sofia’ and ‘Millie’).  Born in London on 5th Feb, 1952 of first generation Indian immigrants.  She is strikingly beautiful and quite tall for a woman at a little over 5′ 7″. She is fit and lithe and a really great swimmer. Aleyse is a qualified beautician, and great at stage make up.  She is such a miracle worker that Martine Fauld recruits her to do the models’ styling and make up for her ‘Faulds’ Fashions’ photo shoots.  But her real career is as a musician.  She plays bass with an original liquid style which both Debbie Stewart and Ruth Gregory love.  She plays in Jilly Evans’ band ‘Mother’s Arms’, and in Debbie and Jilly’s band, which is named ‘Aleyse’ after her, purely because they like the sound of the word.  She is also in her wife Ruth’s band ‘Sboorial’.  They later, rescue the ‘Sappho’s’ gay club from bankruptcy and run it almost as a paying hobby. She’s still make-up artist for Faulds when Millie Baxter starts modelling.

Ruth Guptah (nee Gregory).  (Appears in ‘Aleyse’ and ‘Loren’.  Mentioned in ‘Haze’, ‘Annie’, ‘Daughters’, ‘Rachel’, ‘Sisters’, ‘Roisin’, ‘Debbie’s Gift’ and ‘Sofia’).  She was born on 9th Nov, 1950, so is 5-6 years older than Debbie.  She was born a Londoner, but her parents moved to Devon when she was a little girl and she grew up on the fringes of Dartmoor with her Dad the village school teacher and her mother the doctor.  She is a great guitarist and songwriter, being one of the few writers Debbie Stewart truly respects as an equal and likes to write with.  She was offered the chance to become a permanent member of ‘Xeroed’.  But, she has her own band ‘Sboorial’, and wanted to make it on her own.  She is gay and is married to bassist (and amazing beautician) Aleyse Guptah.  They also, years later, rescue the ‘Sappho’s’ gay club from bankruptcy and run it almost as a paying hobby.

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Geoffrey Halton-Smith.  (Appears in ‘Martine’ and ‘Wyeburn Station’. Mentioned in ‘Daughters’, ‘Annie’, ‘Sisters’ and ‘Debbie’s Gift’).  Nicky’s father, and thus Debbie Stewart’s former father-in-law.  He is a kindly soul supportive to his son and Deb.  After Nicky’s death he, like his wife, continue to regard Deb as a daughter and is treated as a grandfather by her children.

Molly Halton-Smith.  (Appears in ‘Martine’, ‘Debbie’s Gift’ and ‘Wyeburn Station’. Mentioned in ‘Haze’, ‘Daughters’, ‘Rachel’, ‘Annie’ and ‘Sisters’).  She is Nicky’s mother and in many ways became Debbie Stewart’s mother too after her family threw her out.  She took Deb in and let her and Nicky live as a couple.  Even before that, it had been Molly not her own mother who advised her, got her onto the pill and so on.  After Nicky’s death the relationship continued, despite Deb miscarrying what was their only chance at a grandchild.  Even the middle aged Deb often calls her Mum, and Molly treats Deb and Marty’s children as grandchildren.  Deb took Marty to see her very early in their relationship, as if taking her to meet her parents and almost to get their blessing (which was duly given).  In many ways Martine is a female Nicky, tall, physically strong and protective, if with a temper sometimes.  Molly understands the parallel.

Nicholas Geoffrey Halton-Smith (Nicky).  (Appears in ‘Martine’. Mentioned in ‘Haze’, ‘Annie’, ‘Daughters’, ‘Carol’, ‘Rachel’, ‘Sisters’, ‘Roisin’, ‘Wyeburn Station’ and ‘Sofia’).  He was born on 29th Oct, 1955.  He was Debbie Stewart’s best friend from play-group when they were four.  They went through school together and he was later her boyfriend, band-mate and soul mate and eventually husband.  They formed ‘Xeroed’ together, along with drummer Charlie Hides and all three were actually lovers briefly.  The couple married in Rome on Saturday, 11th of May, 1974, whilst on tour there.  He was tall at 5′ 11″, fit strong and good looking.  He had a bit of a violent streak.  Mostly he used this to defend Deb, from when they were very small children, but he once beat her up when he thought, wrongly, that she’d been unfaithful.  He died in 1974, in an air crash in Seattle.  He was taken from the wreck alive, but died in hospital before Debbie could reach him.  She was two months pregnant at the time, and miscarried some weeks later.  He played guitar in the band, but wasn’t in the same league as Deb and their song writing partnership consisted of Debbie writing and Nicky telling her when what she had done wasn’t good enough.  Nevertheless it was still a partnership that worked well and after his death she was  initially very uncertain whether she would still be able to write well enough without him.  Like Debbie, he was an only child.  Unlike Debbie he had doting, supportive parents in Molly and Geoffrey.

Dominic (Dom) Hargreaves.  (Appears in ‘History Girls’ and ‘Debbie’s Gift’. Mentioned in ‘Annie’, ‘Daughters’, ‘Carol’, ‘Rachel’, ‘Sisters’, ‘Roisin’, ‘Gold’, ‘Wyeburn Station’ and ‘Millie’).  He is a model agent in his fifties who acts, i.a. for Roisin Fauld, Tina Burns, and Annie Roberts.  He is a rather sleek and suave metropolitan sophisticate, always with a carnation buttonhole. But he is good at what he does and in a field with all too many sharks, he is exceptionally trustworthy with his clients.  Hazel says he looks gay, but isn’t. When Annie is recovering from her two year waking coma, with her balance shot, he is one of the first to believe she can still model. When Annie is recovering from her two year waking coma, with her balance shot, he is one of the first to believe she can still model.  He is sad when Tina gets pregnant and gives up modelling and tried to persuade her to model maternity clothes.

Chief Superintendent Grestly Harper.  (Mentioned in ‘Yvonne’).  He was the head of the Saltbury Police in the last days before homosexuality was legalised.  He was gay himself and in a long term relationship with the Mayor, so the two combined to shield the community.

Miss Edith Hartwell.  (Mentioned in ‘Haze’, ‘Annie’ and ‘Daughters’).   She is the rather elderly Maths teacher at St. Ann’s School for Girls.  She is much loved by her pupils.  Annie Roberts calls her a great teacher.  Hazel Fauld says she is the only person who could make quadratic equations fun.

Henry (Edward Hastings), 9th Earl of Dowchester.  (Mentioned in ‘Loren’, ‘History Girls’, ‘Gold’ and ‘Millie’).  Known to his friends as Teddy, he is the aristocratic father of Carol Baxter’s first girlfriend, Loren.  He developed a sneaking respect for Carol in the two years the pair were together, largely because of the way she coped with his difficult, wayward daughter.  His wife is Lady Sybil Hastings. He attends Tara’s wedding to Andrew, but not the later ceremony when Sofie unofficially marries both.

Major, the Viscount Gerald Algernon Henry Montgomery (Gerry) Hastings.  (Mentioned in ‘History Girls’ and ‘Loren’).   He is the son and heir to the Earl of Dowchester, being the younger brother of Carol Baxter’s difficult ex-girlfriend Loren.  In theory he is an officer in the Guards, it’s just that in practice he seldom seems to go anywhere near the army.  He is unmarried, much to the worry of his father, who wants to see the line perpetuated, but then as his aunt Dame Evadne says: “he seldom seems to do anything much except fishing.”

Loren Hastings.  (Real name Lady Arrabella Hastings) (Appears in ‘Loren’, ‘Gold’, ‘Sofia’ and Millie’. Mentioned in ‘Red’, ‘Carol’, ‘History Girls’ and ‘Fracture’).  She was Carol Baxter’s first girlfriend who she met at Queen Anne’s University, where Loren read PPE.  Carol described her: ‘she was a work of art, pretty as a picture.  She had long blonde hair that fell down in waves, a mischievous smile and ‘a figure to die for’.  She was tiny, like a little waif, but a fellow athlete, a sprinter, who ‘ran like the wind and when she did she moved like an angel.’  When Carol went to university she was still confused about her sexuality.  She suspected she might be gay, but had been sold such a negative image of what that meant that she was unable to identify with it.  Loren was able to show Carol who she was.  She came from a wealthy titled background (her father is the Earl of Dowchester) and Carol says that she had a voice so posh it would etch glass.  She has an air of effortless superiority and a certainty that she is the most important person in any room she enters.  She went to a private girls boarding school and a Swiss finishing school where, Carol says, she leaned ‘which knife was which and how to address an ambassador’.  Despite this, and helped by their mutual love of athletics, they fell genuinely and deeply in love, and were a couple for their first two years at University.  Loren, however, was part of a small group who essentially saw themselves in terms of the Übermensch myth, i.e. that their sporting prowess made them superior.  Carol initially found the idea attractive.  It made her feel special for the first time in her life, but she now finds these ideas repulsive and broke up with Loren.  Thereafter she tends to look back on her with a degree of anger and loathing, but Loren was still a hugely formative influence, who allowed Carol to face up to who she is and take pride in it. Loren never fell out of love with Carol and continues to be haunted by her many years later and despite her air of supercilious arrogance, she’s actually a far more complex individual than she appears. Perhaps the hatred she now feels is because the love was genuine, but Carol feels she was led into something about which she is now hugely embarrassed.  She can be pretty ruthless at times.  At one point she upset Carol by pretending to be back with her old girlfriend Clara, just so that she could then walk away to get her own back on Clara. In ‘Gold’, Loren, now 30, reappears as an investigator for the International Sport Drug Testing Agency (UK Division).  She thinks she can prove that Gordon was robbed of his due by drug cheats.  She also thinks she has solved Svetlana’s riddle in the relay baton.  In the process, her and Carol’s long enmity is finally brought to an end as the two are reconciled.  It is very clear that Loren is still very much in love with Carol, but she cares enough to realise that Tina is exactly what Carol needs and makes no attempt to get her back, even though she is rather patronising to Tina. Loren never fell out of love with Carol and continues to be haunted by her many years later and despite her air of supercilious arrogance, she’s actually a far more complex individual than she appears.  Even much later her continued ability to get over Carol ruined her romance with Tara Jackerman-Prodnoze. When Carol and Tina decide they want a baby she tries hard ti persuade Carol to be the one to get pregnant.  She’s trying to breed another great runner.  But when she finds the pair are adamant that Tina will be birth mother, she suggests Gary Baxter be father, to add Baxter blood.

Mary Hastings.  (Appears in ‘History Girls’).  She was the youngest daughter of the Earl of Dowchester and was Elizabeth Prodnoze’s best friend in the 1820s.  She was intellectual and very beautiful, but had such a severe speech impediment that no-one could be found to marry her: a serious disability for a woman at the time.  She generally communicates by writing in a notebook.  Sir Jeremiah, rather patronisingly refers to her as ‘poor Mary’ but George Prodnoze enjoys her wit.

Lady Sybil Hastings.  (Mentioned in ‘History Girls’)  She is Lady Dowchester, wife of the 9th Earl and mother of Loren (Arrabella) and Gerry.  She is a close friend of Dame Evadne Jackerman-Prodnoze.

Grace and Norman Heron.  (Appear in ‘Carol’. Mentioned in ‘Loren’ and ‘Gold’).  They are a married couple who own and run ‘Saltbury Sports’, a sports shop on Bridge Street on the far side of the Medieval bridge from Saltbury Market Square.  Grace is Carol Baxter’s aunt, being the older sister of her mother Sheila.  She also used to be a pole vaulter and the couple met at the Saltbury athletics club.  Norman was a runner and close friend of Gordon Baxter.  Gordon rather liked the look of Grace and met Sheila by asking if she had a sister.  She did, and he fancied her even more, even though she wasn’t interested in sport.

Benjamin (Ben) Hides. (Appears in ‘Debbie’s Gift’, ‘Fracture’, ‘Wyeburn Station’, and ‘Sofia’).  Born in 2007, he and his twin sister, Little Debbie, were born as a result of gestational surrogacy.  Both are the true genetic children of Charles and Stevie Hides, but their birth mother was Debbie Stewart after whom Little Deb is named.  By the time of ‘Sofia’ they are in their teens.

Charles (Charlie) Hides.  (Appears in ‘Haze’, ‘Annie’, ‘Daughters’, ‘Rachel’, ‘Sisters’, ‘Roisin’, ‘Martine’ and ‘Debbie’s Gift’. Mentioned in ‘Aleyse’ and ‘Wyeburn Station’).  He is the drummer with both ‘Xeroed’ and ‘Aleyse’, being versatile enough to play the two very different musical styles.  He is Hazel Fauld’s godfather and dotes on her.  He taught her drumming, at first as a bit of a joke, but later out of conviction that she could be a truly great drummer.  He longs for children of his own, but his wife Stevie, can’t have any, so Hazel is pretty much the daughter he couldn’t have.  He is Debbie Stewart’s closest friend, apart from Johnny.  The two are the only survivors of the original four ‘Xeroed’ members, with Nicky and Nige, who founded the band, and there is a special bond between them, especially as they were briefly lovers.  Deb’s own trouble having children also gives them pain in common and Charlie is half thrilled, but also half saddened when Deb finally receives the fertility treatment that allows her to have Sofie and Dannie.  He is blonde, quite muscular as a drummer, but not very tall.  He has an easy laugh and a kind nature, and can be very patient in teaching drums.  He comes from a farming family in the same village, Mylford, that Deb and Nicky originally came from.

Deborah (Little Deb) Hides.  (Appears in ‘Debbie’s Gift’ and ‘Wyeburn Station’.  Mentioned in ‘Fracture’).  Born in 2007, she and her twin brother, Ben, were born as a result of gestational surrogacy.  Both are the true genetic children of Charles and Stevie Hides, but their birth mother was Debbie Stewart.  Known as Little Deb in the family (her birth mother being big Deb), Deb was the first born of the twins.  She also tends to be the more sensible of the two.

Stephanie (Stevie) Hides (née Minton).  (Appears in ‘Haze’, ‘Annie’, ‘Roisin’, ‘Martine’, ‘Debbie’s Gift’ and ‘Wyeburn Station’. Mentioned in ‘Daughters’, ‘Rachel’, ‘Sisters’ and ‘Aleyse’).  She joined ‘Xeroed’ to replace Nige, just before they became famous.  She is a year younger than Deb, Nicky and Charlie, so born in 1957.  Indeed, she had to wait several months after the band started to make it before she could legally leave school.  She was Charlie’s girlfriend and he recommended her as a good keyboard player, but actually she is a talented multi-instrumentalist, being good on violin, guitar, sax, clarinet and even trumpet.  Deb jokes that one day she’s going to write a song with a cor anglais part just to see what she does.  She has been happily married to Charlie for many years by the time we get to ‘Haze’, but her childlessness is starting to be a strain on their relationship as the biological clock ticks.  Stevie herself is not that bothered about children.  It’s Charlie who longs for them.  She is pretty and a natural diplomat.  She is often the darling of the fans even more than Deb because of this.  She is a semidetached member of ‘Aleyse’, but always refuses to be a full member as she thinks that Charlie should have something that’s his without her.  She has long honey-blonde hair and a rather more rounded figure than Debbie, who can look a little gaunt and underweight. She has an older brother, who never appears in the stories.

Felicity (Fliss) Holmes.  (Mentioned in ‘Rachel’, ‘Sisters’ and ‘History Girls’).  She is Rachel Holmes’ 3 year younger sister.  At the time Rachel becomes an item with Hazel Fauld she is still at school and living with her parents, so although supportive of her sister’s sexuality she daren’t speak out so publicly as their older brother Jason.

Jason Holmes.  (Mentioned in ‘Rachel’, ‘Carol’ and ‘Sisters).    He is the two year older brother of Rachel Holmes and an electrician.  He dotes on his sister and backs her to the hilt against their homophobic parents. He is the one member of the family prepared to come to Rachel and Hazel’s engagement party.  Rachel stays with him when she and Haze split up and Jason is resentful of Hazel’s treatment of his sister, understandably, even though Rachel is understanding.  He is a bit confused when she and Rosh start to become an item, thinking that the beautiful sister is likely to treat her even worse than ‘the plain one’.  But he comes round when he realises how utterly besotted Rosh really is.

Jessica Holmes.  (Mentioned in ‘Sofia’).  She is Rachel Holmes’ mother.  Initially homophobic, she bans Rachel from the house, but she comes round at the prospect of grandchildren.

Paul Holmes.  (Appears in ‘Wyeburn Station’).  He is Rachel’s father.  Like his wife, he is initially deeply shocked by his daughters lesbianism, but eventually comes round.

Rachel (Rach) Holmes.  (Appears in ‘Rachel’, ‘Carol’, ‘Sisters’, ‘Roisin’, ‘Debbie’s Gift’, ‘Fracture’ and Gold’.  Mentioned in ‘Red’, ‘History Girls’ and ‘Wyeburn Station’).  She is a Londoner and comes from a relatively poor East End background, but has worked hard to succeed.  She becomes Hazel’s girlfriend at university, where she is also a design student, being rather more interested in industrial, rather than fashion design.  She’s also a talented bass guitarist.  She and Haze begin as friends when Rachel is with a girl called Fi in whose band Rach plays.  Fi, though, proves unfaithful and Rachel moves in with Hazel, at first purely as a flatmate and Rachel becomes bassist for ‘Fauld’, but they fall in love.  She is slightly more than a year older than Hazel, being born on 3rd March, 1984 and is in the year above her at University.  She is also taller at 5′ 6″.  She is very Goth, which is part of the attraction for Hazel.  She has long, almost frizzily wavy dark hair.  She has a rather shy smile but visibly worships Hazel.  The entire Fauld family come to love, especially little Sofie, who is delighted to keep her in the family when she becomes Rosh’s girlfriend.  She starts to call her Aunty’ as she does with Roisin.  Rachel was totally disowned by her parents when she came out as gay.  They think her disgusting and refuse to have anything more to do with either her or her girlfriends.  However, her older brother, Jason, is fully supportive.  Her younger sister Fliss is too, but still lives at home and has to be a little more circumspect. In ‘Wyeburn Station’ in 2012 she has a child, Martin, by AI and given the prospect of grandchildren her parents become reconciled with her and Roisin.  Three years later they have a daughter, Tanya.  Martin is named after Martine Fauld.

Clarissa Hornbeam.   (Appears in ‘Roisin’, ‘Debbie’s Gift’ and ‘Wyeburn Station’).    She is a former student of the Queen Ann’s University Fashion and Design Dept who now works for Mountain Range Films.  In concert with the Dept, she sets Hazel’s class a term assignment to design costumes for their planned film ‘The Secret of the Deadly Queen’.  Hazel describes her as: “One of those child-women who is somewhere between seven and forty seven.  She was a ‘rather breathless little thing, who clearly found the whole business ‘just too exciting!’ and assumed that we’d be even worse.  That said, there was an occasional glint of steel behind the giggles and I was quite glad she wasn’t my boss.” In fact, she comes to respect Hazel and Aimee’s ideas and brings them back to design for her after they quality.

George Henry Hunt.  (Appears in ‘History Girls’).  Born in Tonbridge in Kent in March 1849, he was a Saltbury Solicitor from 1871.  His father died young, but George was taken under his paternal grandfather John’s wing and eventually joined his solicitor’s practice, having also served his articles with his grandfather.  In 1931, as an old man of 82 and now no longer really able to keep on top of his workload, he took a newly qualified Arthur Burns into the practice (and soon into partnership).  Arthur being Tina Burn’s grandfather.  The two became very close.

John William Hunt.  (Appears in ‘History Girls’. Mentioned in ‘Fracture’).  Born in Saltbury in 1791, John was the founder of Hunt’s Solicitors in the town.  He had the good fortune to befriend Granville, 29th Baron Prodnoze by acting for him when he staged his coup against the 28th Baron, his spendthrift, gambling adicted father and landed Sir Granville and all subsequent Prodnozes (so far) as clients.  He was eventually joined in the firm by his grandson, George Henry Hunt, from 1871. The firm eventually became Hunt and Burns, when much later George took Arthur Burns as a partner, then later, Burns & Son, when George was dead and Desmond Burns joined his father.  It will eventually become Burns & Daughter when Tina is made a partner.

-I-

John Inger.  (Appears in ‘Annie’, Daughters’, ‘Sisters’, ‘Roisin’, Penny, ‘Aleyse’, ‘Martine’, ‘Debbie’s Gift’ and ‘Sofia’. Mentioned in ‘Haze’, ‘Rachel’, ‘History Girls’ , ‘Martine’ and ‘Debbie’s Gift’).  He is the singer and bassist with ‘Xeroed’ and a year older than most of the rest of the band (two years older than Stevie).  He is a distinct ladies’ man and was once highly promiscuous, with a distinct feeling of entitlement when it came to women.  He eventually fell for Debbie Stewart’s friend Jilly Evans, who is 14 years older than him.  They remain as a life-long on and off couple, never getting or really wanting to get married or even quite living together.  They have a son, Rob Evans, who is a year older than Hazel Fauld.  Before meeting Jilly, John tried for years to seduce Debbie Stewart, and many people thought they would get together after her husband Nicky’s tragically early death as the only members of ‘Xeroed’ who weren’t already couples.  But Deb would never countenance the idea, partly because she though it would damage the power balance within the band, because she thought he would lose respect for her if they slept together even once. He and Deb tend to still knock sparks off each other, even decades later, but Deb thinks the tension is actually part of what keeps the band fresh. When Debbie Stewart and the Hides are later out of action for a time after the birth of the Hides’ twins, he, Grant Annandale and Jilly Evans make an album under the band name the ‘Godparents’ and recruit Hazel Fauld as drummer.  Later, when Jilly has a stroke, he shocks everyone by leaving ‘Xeroed’ to care for her.  He is replaced by Roisin.

Adella Isherwood.    (Appears in ‘Annie’.  Mentioned in ‘Rachel’).   Normally called ‘Del, or ‘Della’, she was the drummer in the original, Manchester University incarnation of Roisin Fauld’s band, ‘Fauld’.  She was a first year when the band first formed.  She comes to greatly respect Hazel Fauld as a drummer and finds the sexism she has encountered when trying to get into local bands in Saltbury shocking.  When she and Roisin leave university it proves impossible for her to remain in the band and Hazel takes her place.

-J-

Sir Lawrence Jackerman.  (Mentioned in ‘History Girls’).  He was a very distinguished British diplomat and the much loved husband of Dame Evadne.  However, he was a good deal older than his wife and died relatively young, leaving her as a young widow who decided she valued her independence too much to ever marry again.

Dame (Yvelyn) Evadne Jackerman (née Prodnoze) J.P.)  (Appears in ‘History Girls’, ‘Sofia’ and ‘Millie’).  Dame Evadne, as she is called, is an almost painfully Upper Crust widow in her fifties.  She was married to a diplomat, Sir Lawrence Jackerman, who died young and since then she has been far too fond of the freedom widowhood has given her to ever seriously consider remarrying.  She is committee woman personified, apparently running more of Saltbury than the Mayor and Town Council.  Mostly, though, she is a fanatically keen local historian.  She is the latest head of the famous Prodnoze family, who were the local squires for centuries and she tends to use her ‘née Prodnoze’ very freely.  Sir Lawrence was the older brother of the Earl of Dowchester’s wife, Lady Sybil Hastings, and she is thus Loren Hastings’ aunt.  She is slightly older than the Earl, who she refers to as ‘Young Harry’, even if he is also in his fifties.  She is distinctly busty, wears tweeds, pearls, extremely sensible shoes, no make-up and a monocle, the latter mostly for effect.  She always carries a walking stick which she doesn’t need for walking but uses to point things out.  She drives an elderly Morris Traveller which she keeps in running order herself for fun, meaning that her tweed skirts often have oil stains.  The car has a special grill in the back to mark a space for her dog, a high energy Springer Spaniel called Daphne (Daffers), who is rather fond of getting wet and muddy, which adds mud to the oil on Dame Evadne’s skirts.  She has quite a collection of old cars and motorbikes and likes to scramble bikes cross country She has greying hair fair that is barely styled.  She is utterly unselfconscious, rather booming in her speech, not much given to tact, rather too given to issuing orders, but actually one who takes her research and desire to serve very seriously.  She would see public service as a sacred duty.  Interestingly, she is distinctly un-snobbish, except with fellow members of the upper class, as she suspects that Lady Sybil married beneath herself.  She is writing ‘A history of Saltbury and its surrounding villages’, and has been for the better part of twenty years.  Amongst her many public services, she is a magistrate, and knows Tina Burns’ lawyer father well as a result.  She likes old fashioned expressions like tommy-rot, poppycock and balderdash.  She has a son called Rodney who lives in Monte Carlo and a granddaughter, Tara. Tara often stays with her over the school holidays and later comes to work for her at Old Hall Studios.  She approves of Tara, Andrew and Sofie’s thrupple relationship, much to other people’s surprise, and presides over the informal ceremony at Dowchester Old Hall, dressed as a Druidess when they marry.

Lady Tara Jackerman-Prodnoze.   (Appears in ‘Sofia’ and ‘Millie’.  Mentioned in ‘Fracture’).  Nicknamed, Taz or Tazzer, a regal, aristocratic beauty, Tara, is the daughter of Rodney Jackerman-Prodnoze and thus the granddaughter of Dame Evadne Jackerman-Prodnoze.  Like Grandma she is a huge motorbike fan.  Unlike her father, she adores Dame Evadne and spends as much time as she can with her.  On the other hand she regards her Dad with a degree of (albeit affectionate) contempt.  She is a professional recording engineer, who eventually takes over as resident engineer at her grandmother’s Old Hall Studio just as Sofie Fauld is about to start making her second album.  At first, Monster finds her patronising.  Tara is six years older than her and treats her a bit as a child, deferring more to Hazel, as drummer, and Rich Telford as co-producer.  She almost forgets it’s Sofie’s album and that she has been learning that studio since going in with her mother Debbie Stewart since before she went to school, and knows every detail of its workings.  A row soon clears the air though and the two become friends.  On a moonlit walk in the Old Hall grounds Tara admits to being gay.  She suspects Sofie is too. Tara asks if Sofie would take her to the ‘Gem’ sometime.  She doesn’t know anyone there and would feel happy with a few introductions.  The two have other night time walks after finishing recording for the day, including a boat trip on the Old Hall lake in Evadne’s row boat.  Monster hints that she wouldn’t mind a relationship with Tara.  They are getting close and Sofie loves Tara’s beautiful long auburn hair.  Tara tells her that she had her heart broken by a girlfriend who could never get over losing Carol, her true love.  It was made worse by the fact that the woman in question was someone she’d known all her life, Loren, a distant cousin.  It was of course Carol Baxter’s ex, Loren, i.e. Arrabella Hastings.  She can tell that Sofie feels the same about Amber and just doesn’t feel able to go through that again, however much she thinks Sofie is lovely.  She needs someone who will truly be hers and she doesn’t think Sofie could be.  They do start dating platonically though, and hovering on the brink of becoming more. Tara is tall.  She wears black leather biking gear and a black helmet with a mirrored visor.  She likes single malt whiskey and has the slight eccentricity of smoking big, expensive Cuban cigars.

Mrs Margaret Jardine.  (Appears in ‘Yvonne’).  She is an independent greengrocer with a shop in Saltbury High Street.  Julie Worth works here and Yvonne Wright had a Saturday job there, which is how she and Julie met.

Jeff and Moll.  (Mentioned in ‘Rachel’).  We never do learn their surname(s), but they run ‘Igor’s” a shop in the Cheapies building that sells all things Goth, from clothes to make-up and accessories, to plastic vampire teeth.  A teenaged Hazel looks longingly at the Goth dresses they sell, but can’t afford them and eventually finds she can make better ones herself.

Alexandra (Sandie) Jenkins.  (Appears in ‘Sandie’ and ‘Carol’.  Mentioned in ‘Red’, ‘Rachel’, ‘Sisters’, ‘Roisin’, ‘History Girls, ‘Fracture’ and ‘Millie’).  Born on 15th Sept, 1985, and 5′ 4″ tall, Sandie was Tina’s second girlfriend and first real love.  They met in Freshers’ Week at Saltbury University and mutually fell in love.  Sandie is an English Literature student.  They were roommates in hall and spent a passionate term together.  However, early in the following spring term Sandie abruptly broke off their relationship.  She had fallen for a man and decided that she could never really have been a lesbian.  Tina was heartbroken and returned to live with her parents.  Sandie and the man in question broke up after just a few weeks, but she and Tina never got back together.  Tina describes her as changing her hair colour on an almost monthly basis.  It was electric blue when they met, then emerald green shortly after.  Her eyes are naturally green.  She is just the tiniest bit plump, but it suits her.  It gave her a softer, more curvy outline, which Tina loves.  She has pierced ears with blue studs to match her hair.  She also wore a ring on her right hand and had a habit of turning it round and round on her finger when she was thinking.  She is pretty, vivacious, loves dancing and when Tina first met her she was actively proud to be gay and wants to show off her girlfriend, which was refreshing to Teen after years of secrecy with Rosie, even if it was also a bit scary.  She comes from a small village on the Norfolk coast but has come all the way to Saltbury University because she wants to study with Prof. Brenda Sibbald who writes a series of lesbian fiction novels that Sandy loves and who writes under the pen name Sapphire Breydon.  She has a brief relationship with Jenny Marlow after failing to get Tina back but it seems to have been a disaster We learn in ‘Millie’ that she and Tina totally lose touch when they left university.

Jingle.  (Appears in ‘Sofia’)  This is a nick-name and we never learn her real name.  She’s a University friend of Sofie’s girlfriend Emma Roland a lesbian who comes into the ‘Gem’ in a group with her.

Linda Johnson.  (Mentioned in ‘Carol’, ‘Fracture’ and Gold’).  She is the bar manager at the Saltbury Athletics Club and one of the club’s two employees. The other is Gordon Baxter, Carol’s father, the club coach. There is a dispute between Gordon and the Club committee because she is paid more than him.  He is a great fan of Linda’s and firmly believes in equal pay for women, but he also believes in equal pay for Gordon!

Denise Jones.  (Mentioned – not by name – in ‘Rachel’.  Appears in ‘Sisters’ and ‘Roisin’).  She is a cute little thing who takes a shine to Hazel in Sappho’s.  Haze does date her once, but found her rather insipid and didn’t do it again.  However, she didn’t quite get the hint, despite Hazel sleeping with half the dockers, then getting together with Rachel.  And when ‘Fauld’ start gigging she takes to going to every gig she hears about.  She actually threw her knickers at Hazel on stage at one gig at the ‘Jack Sprat’ leaving an embarrassed Hazel to disentangle them from her hi-hat.  Later when Haze and Rachel split up, she starts to date Rachel.  The relationship doesn’t last, to say the least.  She is a science student, although we are not told which science.