Len Fairclough

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Coronation Street character

Len Fairclough

Portrayed by

Peter Adamson

Duration

1961-1983

Profile

Date of birth

5th November 1923

Date of death

December 1983

Status

Deceased

Occupation

Builder & Owner of The Kabin shop

Family

Spouse	Nellie & Rita Littlewood (1977-1983)
Children	Stanley Fairclough

Len Fairclough, was a fictional character in the British television soap opera Coronation Street . Played by Peter Adamson, Len was for 23 years the hard man of Coronation Street. He was never afraid to raise his fists if anyone crossed him, yet he maintained an intimate - almost brotherly - relationship with his next door neighbour Elsie Tanner, which showed his softer side.

Len was from Liverpool, born on 5 November, which many people thought was appropriate!^[who?] His parents were killed in the Blitz, after which Len joined the Merchant Navy. After de-mob, he came to Weatherfield, where he married Nellie and had a son Stanley (played by Peter Noone, later of the British pop group Herman's Hermits). The marriage was not a happy one, and, on 22 November 1963 (the day of the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy) Nellie told him she wanted a divorce. Nellie later died of cancer, and Stanley never forgave his father for how he had treated her - they were never reconciled.

A builder by profession - he owned his own yard - he also spent many years as an Independent councillor for Weatherfield.

Len's idea of a real woman was his next door neighbour, Elsie Tanner. Attractive, sexy, with a ribald sense of humour, she was more of a best mate than a girlfriend. However, when Len suggested that their relationship should go to the next level, Elsie always refused, not wanting to spoil the special bond they had. When Elsie re-married, to a handsome G.I., Master Sergeant Steve Tanner, he was consumed with jealousy, to such an extent that when Steve was found dead in suspicious circumstances, Len was accused of murdering him.

Len had reconciled himself to being on his own for the rest of his life - and then he met Rita Bates, who earned her living as a cabaret singer in the rather downmarket Gatsby Club. Although she claimed she was married to Harry Bates, they were in fact only a common law couple, her name was actually Rita Littlewood.

Rita had a lot in common with Elsie - and not just the flame red hair. She was feisty, independent and was never afraid to stand up to Len - everything that he loved in a woman. Elsie was initially very cool towards Rita, but they became firm friends later. After a rocky courtship, Len and Rita married and honeymooned in Tenerife, where Rita had a secured herself a singing job.

After a while, however, Rita started to feel frustrated by Len and his lack of motivation. Feeling he was taking her for granted, Rita left him, upon which Len went to pieces. Once she had agreed to return, the couple attempted to adopt a child, but were told they were too old. Instead, they fostered, first a young boy called John, then, on a more long term basis, Sharon Gaskell. Len was amused that she preferred wood work to dress making and that she liked playing football - this caused an instant bond between them, much to Rita's delight.

Sharon became the Fairclough's surrogate daughter, and Len was proud of her. When he came home unexpectedly one night and found a boy in the house trying to entice Sharon upstairs he threatened to hit him. Rita was angry, saying Len had mis-handled the situation, but he was able to say from the heart that he had only done it because he cared about Sharon.

Eventually, Sharon moved away, after getting a job as a kennel maid in Sheffield. Life seemed to be going well for the Faircloughs; they had two businesses, Len's building Yard and The Kabin (sic), a newsagents. However, Rita's world came crashing down when Len fell asleep at the wheel of his van and collided with a motorway bridge. He was killed instantly. Rita was devastated, but was comforted when Sharon came back from Sheffield to attend the funeral. Rita was later however, to discover that he had been on the way back from visiting his mistress in Ashton, which rather besmirched Len's memory.