EastEnders created the Beale and Fowler family, drawing on his own background. His mother, Ethel Holland, was one of four sisters raised in Walthamstow. Her eldest sister, Lou, had married a man named Albert Beale and had two children, named Peter and Pauline. These family members were the basis for Lou Beale, Pete Beale and Pauline Fowler. Holland also created Pauline's unemployed husband Arthur Fowler, their children Mark Fowler and Michelle Fowler, Pete's wife Kathy Beale and their son Ian Beale. Smith used her personal memories of East End residents she met when researching Victorian squares. Ethel Skinner was based on
Ruth Fowler be a single parent and returns to Scotland, rejecting Mark and Conor as she leaves. Soon after, Conor and Mary leave Walford, looking for Ruth. Ruth was introduced in 1994 by Series Producer Barbara Emile as a love-interest for Mark Fowler (Todd Carty), who was HIV positive in the serial. Her storyline focused upon the marriage of the couple, and in particular the difficulties that they faced due to Mark's HIV status (Ruth was HIV negative). In 1998, executive producer Matthew Robinson axed a large number of characters from "EastEnders", among them Ruth Fowler. An "EastEnders" spokeswoman said, "In any