List of Coronation Street characters (1969)

Coronation Street characters
1960 1961 1962 1963 1964
1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974
1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984
1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
2010 2011

Contents


Betty Williams

Main article: Betty Williams (Coronation Street)

Cyril Turpin

Cyril Turpin
Coronation Street character
Portrayed by William Moore
Introduced by H.V. Kershaw (1969)
Brian Armstrong (1972)
Eric Prytherch (1972)
Duration 1969–70, 1972
First appearance 4 June 1969
Episode 882
Last appearance 19 July 1972
Episode 1201
Classification Former; regular
Book appearances Coronation Street: The Complete Saga
Profile
Date of death February 1974
Occupation Policeman

Cyril Turpin is played by William Moore. Policeman Cyril arrived in Coronation Street with his wife Betty Turpin in 1969, to stay with his sister-in-law Maggie Clegg. The Turpins set up home in Weatherfield and in 1971 Cyril left the police force for an office job. After 1972 Cyril wasn't seen on screen, only spoken about by Betty. In February 1974 Cyril was to attend Len Fairclough's and Rita Littlewood's engagement party in the Rovers Return, but he died on his way there.

Janet Barlow

Janet Barlow
Coronation Street character
Portrayed by Judith Barker
Introduced by H.V. Kershaw (1969)
Leslie Duxbury (1971)
Eric Prytherch (1973)
Susi Hush (1975)
Bill Podmore (1977)
Duration 1969, 1971, 1973–74, 1975, 1977
First appearance 16 June 1969
Episode 885
Last appearance 21 February 1977
Episode 1680
Classification Former; regular
Profile
Date of birth 28 November 1942
Date of death 21 February 1977
Occupation Clerk

Janet Louise Barlow (née Reid) is played by actress Judith Barker from her debut in 1969 until she was killed off in 1977. Janet worked as the town clerk in Weatherfield. Always portrayed as an upwardly mobile homewrecker, she first came into the picture as a love interest for Len Fairclough, but she finished their relationship. In 1971, she set her sights on Alan Howard, but his wife, Elsie, saw Janet for what she was and confronted her in the corner shop, telling her exactly what she thought of her; Elsie's big heart, however, made her realise that Janet was a bleeding heart, who just wanted to be loved.

The Janet character was used as a plot device for the Ken Barlow character, so his storylines would become more interesting. Barker was quoted as saying, "She was used as a device, in the Ken relationship, and people were encouraged to hate her. I used to go about being terribly nice and pleasant to everybody in the hope that people would like her more."

In that year, Ken and Janet were wed, but the two clashed many times, most notably when it came to Ken's twins from his previous marriage to Val. Janet didn't want to raise children, while Ken wanted them to return to Weatherfield (they were sent to live in Scotland after Val's death). Another key showdown came when Valerie's Uncle Albert, who had since moved in with Ken, told him that he did not like Janet, as she disapproved of the twins. In May 1974, Janet left Ken, telling him that she had no faith in him, that he had no drive or ambition. The day she left, Ken was offered a high-powered job at the Mark Brittain Warehouse opposite the Street.

While separated, Janet and Ken did not divorce; they did, however, date other people. Ken met Janet's new partner, a taxi driver, and the three of them got on very well. However, he too was to tire of Janet's forthright behaviour and he left her. In February 1977, Janet came to Ken's house and begged for him to take her back. He refused, but allowed her to stay the night in their bed - Ken slept on the sofa. Rejected by the one person she thought would never forsake her, a distraught Janet took an overdose of sleeping pills. Ken discovered her dead in bed the following morning, and the situation was complicated when Ken was initially suspected by the police of murdering her in order to avoid a divorce. Ken had lost his mother, father, brother, nephew and his first wife, and now he had lost another - all at a relatively early age.

Sandra Butler

Sandra Butler
Coronation Street character
Portrayed by Patricia Fuller
Introduced by H.V. Kershaw
Duration 1969–70
First appearance 17 November 1969
Episode 928
Last appearance 31 August 1970
Episode 1003
Classification Former; regular

Sandra Butler is the niece of Elsie Tanner, played by Patricia Fuller. She made her first appearance on 17 November 1969. Sandra was looking to become a hairdresser and soon after arriving, Elsie got Sandra a job at the local salon owned by Alan Howard, along with her brother Bernard. As the Butlers settled in Weatherfield, Sandra met Ray Langton and took care of him while he recovered from a serious accident. The pair became involved and eventually got engaged, setting the wedding for May, but it was called off when Sandra found out Ray had been unfaithful with their married neighbour Audrey Fleming. The Butlers were axed from Coronation Street just months after their arrival, and Sandra last appeared in August 1970.

Bernard Butler

Bernard Butler
Coronation Street character
Portrayed by Gorden Kaye
Introduced by H.V. Kershaw
Duration 1969–70
First appearance 17 November 1969
Episode 928
Last appearance 29 June 1970
Episode 984
Classification Former; regular

Bernard Butler is the nephew of Elsie Tanner played by Gorden Kaye between 1969 and 1970.

Alan Howard

Alan Howard
Coronation Street character
Portrayed by Alan Browning
Introduced by H.V. Kershaw
Duration 1969–74
First appearance 1 December 1969
Episode 932
Last appearance 16 January 1974
Episode 1357
Classification Former; regular

Alan Patrick Howard was played by Alan Browning. A local businessman, he first appears in December 1969 and quickly makes Elsie Tanner manageress at his salon. Alan makes it clear he is interested in Elsie, and when her old flame Bill Gregory rocks up after several years away, Alan makes his move and asks Elsie to move in with him. Elsie agonises over her choice, before turning Bill down. Elsie and Alan later split up however, when he says he doesn't want to get married again. Alan leaves the area following the split in March 1970.

In July, Alan makes a shock return and pleads with Elsie to take him back, telling her he is ready to commit. Elsie forgives Alan and the pair marry a couple of weeks later. However, it becomes clear after the wedding that Alan is in serious debt and after returning from their honeymoon Alan gets a rude awakening when rumours of a petition against him start circulating. He is forced to move into Elsie's house and start again while he pays off what he owes. Billy Walker gave Alan a job as a mechanic in his garage in September, and was promoted to manager when Billy left the area in 1971. He later bought the garage with a loan from his ex-wife Laura.

Alan was tempted in 1971 when Janet Reid made advances towards him. He tried to turn her down, but she was persistent. When Elsie found out, Alan denied anything had happened and she believed him, but warned Janet off him anyway. In 1972, despite Elsie's pleas, Alan starts a new venture going into partnership with Jimmy Frazer selling used cars. The workload becomes too much for him to bear and he turns to drink. Quickly falling victim to the addiction, he falls asleep one night after drinking and almost sets fire to the house. Elsie was devastated by his reckless actions, and Alan agrees to terminate the partnership with Jimmy in order to save their marriage and quit the alcohol.

In 1973, Elsie was offered a job in Newcastle and on Alan's advice, she accepted. The Howards moved away, and after tying up loose ends selling the garage back to Billy and renting out the house, Alan last appeared in January 1974. Alan and Elsie later split up and Elsie moved back to Weatherfield in the spring of 1976. They divorced a couple of years later when Alan wanted to marry again.