Rose Kelly is the mother of Marley, Earl, Sambuca, Denzil and Prince Kelly. She was also the former partner of Tom Clarkson.
Backstory[]
Rose didn't know the countryside existed until she was in her early teens. She lived and breathed the mile radius around her council flat and like most of the other girls around her, she was pregnant by the age of 16.
Rose was introduced in Series 4 as an anti-social alcoholic who bought a pack of troubled children with her, but with the encouragement and support of Rachel Mason and Tom Clarkson, she finally cleaned up her act; getting sober and landing a job in the school kitchens.
Rose loved her children dearly and wanted them to do well at Waterloo Road. Despite this, she was unable to parent them effectively. Her struggles with alcoholism eventually lead to her children being taken into care for a short period of time which left her devastated.
She was friends with Donte Charles's father Clarence Charles, whom she met through the adult education classes at Waterloo Road.
Series 4[]
Rose Kelly is introduced as a single mother of five, in a complete mess, poor and falling apart. Rose moves in next door to Tom Clarkson, Davina Shackleton, Chlo Grainger and Donte Charles. After numerous complaints from Tom, Rose is nearly evicted, and has her kids taken from her when Ralph Mellor reports them to social services.
The head at the time, Rachel Mason, notices the fact that Rose is an alcoholic and has near enough to no money in her pocket, so she offers her a job in the school canteen. Rose initially conflicts with Candice Smilie during adult education classes, but after Rose starts working with Candice in the canteen, they become good friends. They get into an argument over a business proposal, but when they win, this embarks the start of a friendship.
Earl Kelly, the second eldest of the Kelly children, fatally shoots his girlfriend Maxine Barlow and is imprisoned for life.
In the second half of Series 4, Tom Clarkson is a big help to Rose and helps her get back on track. They begin a relationship, and Tom becomes the fatherly figure in Rose's kids' lives.
During the Rwanda event in Series 4 Episode 19, Candice and Rose use out of date meat, which is believed to have caused diarrhoea in the pupils, however it is revealed that Philip Ryan had put laxatives in the brownies.
Series 5[]
Rose and Tom continue to date in Series 5.
When Josh (a John Fosters pupil who comes to Waterloo Road after the merger) is revealed to be Tom's long lost son with his college crush Georgia Stevenson, Rose tries to be supportive, but Tom begins to not spend as much time with her or the kids anymore. Sambuca in particular feels left out when Tom pays more attention to Josh than he did her. This leads to Tom and Rose having a break from their relationship.
When the new Healthy Schools Co-ordinator Adam Fleet arrives at Waterloo Road in the second half of Series 5, Rose feels insulted and tries to convince Rachel that they don't need him. Adam has lots of new ideas for the canteen that Rose doesn't agree with.
Series 6[]
Rose makes a brief appearance in Series 6 Episode 6, when Amy Porter accuses Rose's daughter Sambuca of being in possession of drugs.
Rose is clearly offended by the idea of this when she tries to change Karen's mind and let Sambuca stay at Waterloo Road. Chris and Karen aren't convinced, as it seemed fairly obvious to them that Sambuca was the one who brought the drugs in.
Sambuca then gets angry at Rose for suggesting that she'll take the issue to the Governors.
We see Rose again at the end of the episode, leaving the school with Sambuca. Lauren, who was also involved with the situation with Amy, comes to apologise to Sambuca after lying to Karen about who really was in possession of the drugs. Sambuca gets angry with Lauren and she tells her she is leaving Waterloo Road anyway because the only reason she was there because she had "a good mate".
Series 7[]
At the start of Series 7, Sambuca is suffering from migraines, nausea, a lack of concentration and poor eyesight. Later that day, Sambuca suffers a violent seizure on the grass outside their house. A desperate Tom Clarkson calls for Rose. Rose takes Sambuca for a scan. It is revealed that she has a serious, inoperable brain tumour. Rose frantically searches for alcohol and is found drunk by a furious Tom. Rose reveals to Tom that Sambuca has cancer. Both Rose and Tom support Sambuca throughout her final weeks. In Series 7 Episode 6, Sambuca dies in Rose and Tom's arms. Denzil, grieving her death, becomes angry after discovering that a new student, Scout Allen, had picked up Sambuca's hoody after he dropped it in class, he attacks her but is stopped by Rose and Tom. This is Rose's final appearance.
Series 8[]
Following the school's move to Scotland at the end of Series 7 and the tragic events that took place during the move, it is not known what became of Rose as she was not invited by Tom to Denzil's memorial service in Series 8 Episode 2.
Quotes[]
- "Yeah, I told you to open the window! Give him here. It's alright, darling, we're here now." (first line)
- "Kids. I'm doing my best here. Can you not make it any harder?"
- Rose: "Oh, there must be something else I could do! Peeling potatoes for a living - that's what immigrants are for!"
- Candice: "Yeah, Irish immigrants!" (Series 4 Episode 5)
- Sandra Fraser: "To be honest, you're not in a fit state to look after them, we've got to remove your children to a place of safety."
- Rose: "Oh what are you on about, they're safe!"
- Steph: "They've been caught in the toilets together at school!"
- Rose: "Oh, come on, don't tell me you've never had your arse up against a bog door!"
- "How could he do that? To his own brother? And what does that say about me? That-that I brought him up to do something like that? They should just lock me away as well. It's the best place for me. Well away from my other kids where I can't hurt them any more." (after finding out Earl framed Denzil for having a gun)
- "You better get down to the kitchen and sort out this health co-ordinator of yours, cos if I have to listen to any more of his crap...! Just sort him out, Rachel, will you?!"
- Rose: "You're kicking her out? Are you serious?"
- Karen: "Under the circumstances, we have no option, Mrs Kelly."
- Rose: "Of course you do!"
- Chris: "Sam had the drugs on her. She was on school premises."
- Rose: "She already told you Amy Porter brought them in!"
- "Well, this is ridiculous. Sam's a kid. Kids don't get cancer."
- Tom: "I fell asleep."
- Rose: "Oh, so did she, Tom. She just went. But she had her folks with her." (after Sambuca's death)
- Rose: "Yeah, I'm fine. I've got Denzil and Prince to look after me."
- Tom: "You know where we are if you need anything."
- Rose: "Thanks." (final line)