Lorna Young was a background character appearing from episodes #002 - #692.
Lorna Young
Lorna was one of the longest serving background characters, first appearing in the second episode and also the final episode.
1979 Season
Usually only having a line or two, Lorna attends Bea's and Mum's Farewell Party (2). Lorna took part in Franky’s Riot (3-4).
1980 Season
Lorna was given the task of stockpiling food and hiding it in cells in preparation for a strike (120). During the subsequent sitdown strike in the recroom, she breaks strike due to her weak bladder (121).
1981 Season
Covers for Kathy Hall when she steals food from the kitchen (215). A few episodes later fights with Doreen Anderson in the rec room over the TV (218), but they both turn on Alison Page when she calls Lorna "mad". (219).
1982 Season
She takes part in Sandy's Riot (247-249). Also taunted Officer Janet Conway with Marie and Mouse (250). She seems to side with Marie Winter over Bea Smith during the power struggles of the Sandy Edwards era, stating that she reckons Bea and Sandy Edwards planted the drugs or lagged on Marie (253). She shared a cell with Lizzie Birdsworth at this time. Joan Ferguson is later able to get Lizzie drunk and make her reveal her secret distillery racket as Lorna is in hospital, leaving Lizzie alone in the cell (300).
1984 Season
After this, she only had minor contributions to the story, She operates the press, when everyone else is out of action (418). She takes part in Marie Winter's Riot (466-467).She evacuates the building during the Bomb Scare (481).
1985 Season
She witnesses the downfall of Reb Kean (506). She buys a number of Lou Kelly and visits Judy Bryant in solitar (514). She is one of the people taken hostage during the terrorist siege (549-552).
1986 Season
She takes part in Lou Kelly's Riot (599-601). She manages to find springs for a bomb, to be used in a plan to embarrass Joan Ferguson (629).
Lorna was one of the prisoners who witnessed Joan's downfall in the final episode (692)
Speculation
As Lorna appeared more or less throughout the whole series, it's assumed Lorna is a "lifer" like Bea Smith. Unlike other background characters who are lifers, Lorna is quite mild mannered most of the time, suggesting her crime mustn't have been violent, however, extreme enough to get life (Minimum of 10 years at the time). Her crime could have been euthanasia, or even just murdering someone non-violently.
Notes
- Barbara Jungwirth who played Lorna, appeared from the second episode and right throughout the series, making her one of the longest background characters during Prisoners 8 year run.
- When Prisoner producers and cast knew Prisoner would be ending, it was Elspeth Ballantyne (Meg) who arranged to have Barbara and other long serving extras to be the only extras used where possible.
- On the occasions Lorna did speak, it was usually a line or two but in #215 she tells Doreen that she only "dishes it up" when she complaines about the food and later in the episode she gets to have an argument with Doreen over the TV.
- In #417 Lorna gets to work the press and looks pleased as punch as Minnie, Pixie and Judy leave the laundry to visit Lizzie in hospital.