A pic of Martin Downes, right.
Martin Downes (Ne Lynch) was a character in Coronation Street in 1974. He was the son of Bet Lynch whom Bet gave up for adoption when he was a baby. Martin was killed while serving in action in 1975 aged just 18.
Biography[]
Backstory[]
Martin Lynch was born on the 13th October 1956 to single teenage mum Bet Lynch, who had become pregnant 9 months earlier after a fling with Joe Mason. Bet's mother Mary Lynch forced Bet to give the baby up. In late October 1956, when he was just weeks old, baby Martin was adopted out to a Mr and Mrs Downes. Bet always remembered the day the adoption agency took baby Martin away. As he grew up, Martin always wanted to trace his birth mother. In 1973 when he was 16, he went to London to find out more, and obtained a copy of his birth certificate. Martin found out that his birth mother was Elizabeth Lynch and was now working in Weatherfield as a barmaid. He even found out what school she once went to. So he decided to pay a visit to Weatherfield to track her down.
1974[]
Martin and his mate Steve Baker began scouring the pubs of Weatherfield for a barmaid called Elizabeth Lynch, aged around 35. They came across the Rovers Return and drank in there. They learned that the 2 barmaids working there were called Bet and Betty. Steve heard that Betty's maiden name was Preston, so Betty was ruled out, plus she was older. Annie Walker referred to Bet as "Miss Lynch". Martin then realised that Bet Lynch must be his mother. Martin saw Bet arrive for work, and saw her being flirty and slightly crass with the customers and he did not like this. Martin then left, not telling Bet who he was.
Death in 1975 and aftermath[]
In March 1975, Martin was killed in a car crash. As Martin was adopted, his birth mother Bet was not notified by the authorities. Steve Baker already knew who Bet was from his and Martin's previous visit to Weatherfield to track her down, so in late March 1975, Steve told Bet. Bet was devastated and contemplated suicide but Eddie Yeats talked her out of it.
In March 1988, 13 years later, Bet found that she was pregnant again, at almost 48 years old. This was a full 31 years after she had given birth to Martin. Due to being pregnant again, Bet remembered Martin and how he was killed. Bet sadly miscarried, so her 2nd chance of being a mother was scuppered.
In September 1990, Ivy Brennan claimed to be getting messages from the dead about a Martin who died in a car crash, and an Elizabeth was mentioned. Martin Platt confronted Ivy, saying she is terrifying a pregnant woman, Gail. Bet heard the chat and thought it referred to her son Martin who died in a car crash, and Bet's full name in Elizabeth.
In 1994, Bet told her then boyfriend Charlie Whelan about Martin, and how he died young in a car crash.
Memorable info[]
Born: 13 October 1956
Died: March 1975
Full Name: Martin Downes (Born Lynch)
Parents: Joe Mason and Bet Lynch
Siblings: None
Grandfathers: Patrick Lynch
Grandmothers: Mary Lynch
Trivia[]
Bet was left quite upset by her son's death, and Martin was referred to several times after his death. Bet referenced him in 1988, and he was again referred to in 1990, and in 1994.