Albert Tatlock

Albert Tatlock
Coronation Street character
Portrayed by	Jack Howarth
Duration	1960–1984
First appearance	Episode 1 9 December 1960
Last appearance	Episode 2381 25 January 1984
Classification	Former; regular
Created by	Tony Warren
Introduced by	Stuart Latham
Book appearances	Coronation Street: The Complete Saga Coronation Street: Keeping The Home Fires Burning Coronation Street: The War Years
In-universe information Occupation Town Hall clerk (retired) Father William Tatlock Mother Emmeline Tatlock Brothers Alfred Tatlock Wife Bessie Vickery (1919-1959) Daughters Beattie Pearson Grandsons Bill Pearson Grandfathers Alfred Tatlock Grandmothers Louisa Tatlock Uncles Horace Duckworth Aunts Mary Osbourne Ada Broadbent Nieces Joyce Tatlock Valerie Barlow Other relatives Peter Barlow Susan Barlow Ken Barlow

Albert Tatlock is a fictional character on the British ITV television soap opera Coronation Street. Actor Jack Howarth played Albert from 1960 to 1984. The character became something of a cultural icon, so much so that grumpy older men were sometimes nicknamed Albert Tatlock.

A veteran of World War I, Albert settled back into civilian life by marrying and starting a family. However, his wife Bessie died in 1959 and he retired from his job at the Town Hall the following year, before taking up a new occupation as the street's resident grumpy old man, forever complaining about the struggles of old age and living on the low income from his pension.

Although Albert was never close to his daughter Beattie, he maintained close ties with his brother Alfred's family, particularly his niece Valerie, who married Albert's neighbour Ken Barlow in 1962. With Val's death in 1971 and Beattie's continued absence, Ken eventually moved into No. 1 and took care of Albert in his twilight years until his death in May 1984.

Storylines

Albert is delighted when his niece Valerie (Anne Reid), daughter of his brother Alfred, comes to stay with him, and begins to see neighbour Ken Barlow (William Roache); Albert is even more delighted when the pair decide to get married in 1962. Pleased to have family ties in the street, he is a frequent visitor at No. 9.

Not idle in his retirement, Albert gets a job as a school crossing warden and acquires an allotment from the Council to grow his vegetables. In 1965, Albert asks Clara Midgeley (Betty Hardy) to look after his house while he made an extended visit to his daughter Beattie Pearson's (Gabrielle Daye), and upon his return, he soon realises that Clara is interested in him. Clara proposes to Albert, but he turns her down, saying he is too set in his ways.

Money is always a great concern of Albert's, in 1967 he briefly buys items in bulk with Ena Sharples (Violet Carson) to cut costs and later takes a live-in assistant job at the Fusiliers' Museum, working for his old friend Harry Dunscombe. Effie Spicer (Anne Dyson) looks after No. 1 while Albert is living elsewhere. Effie leaves the house abruptly upon Albert's return as he has increased her rent because he hates the decorations she has placed as a surprise for him.

In 1969, Albert finds himself warming up to the idea of remarrying, so he will have someone to spend his old age with. He proposes to Alice Pickins (Doris Hare), who has been pursuing him for nearly a year, however, as the guests gather for the wedding, the vicar is delayed, and Alice thought it is a bad sign and decides not to marry Albert after all. Further misfortune comes for Albert in 1971 when Ken and Valerie decide to emigrate. Just as he is coming to terms with their departure, Valerie dies in an accident in the Barlows' maisonette, and a distraught Ken decides to stay in the country. Even though Ken is not a blood relative, Albert has come to accept him as part of his family and eventually lets him lodge at No. 1, although he has made his disapproval that Ken has decided to send his and Val's twins Peter and Susan (Robert and Katie Heaneu) to live in Scotland with Val's parents, Alfred and Edith Tatlock (Clare Kelly) clear.

In the meantime, Albert's financial woes continue. He takes a job as co-caretaker at the local Community Centre and in 1973 suggests to his friend Minnie Caldwell (Margot Bryant) that they should marry for financial reasons (Minnie is also struggling with money). After months of being engaged, Minnie pushes Albert to set a date for the wedding. However, when her friend Ena points out that as a couple, they would earn less than they would separately, Minnie calls off the engagement. Both are relieved, as they are starting to get on each other's nerves.

Albert celebrates his 80th birthday in August 1975. To his surprise, the neighbours throw a surprise party for him. They have contacted his old regiment who sent along a bugler. In 1976, Albert has a dispute when he wins money at the bingo with Bertha Lumley (Madoline Thomas), as she does not share her winnings with him despite their agreement. Albert is threatened by Bertha's husband Nat (Eric Longworth), so he decides to leave them alone.

Albert is very proud of his war record and takes a dim view of Minnie's friend Handel Gartside (Harry Markham) when he finds out he is a conscientious objector, and even at one point refused to let Handel in his house. In 1980, Albert sells his Military Medal to go to London for Remembrance Day, to pay tribute to his war friend Monty Shawcross. When Ken sees how upset Albert is that he has sold his medal, he buys it back for him.

In the late 1970s, Albert spends his days taking care of his allotment, though he fears the council will take it from him because of his age. Ken has re-married but is now back at No. 1 after being widowed. However, in 1981, Ken marries for a third time, to Deirdre Langton (Anne Kirkbride). Ken and Deirdre plan to move out although Ken feels an obligation to take care of Albert, as Albert's daughter Beattie continues to visit him only a few times a year. Albert wants to stay in No. 1 but knows that if he leaves the house to Ken and Deirdre in his will it will upset Beattie, so the Barlows decide to buy it from him instead (although Beattie is still upset by the news). Albert agrees to move into the front parlour so that Deirdre's daughter Tracy (Holly Chamarette) can take his room.

Albert Tatlock died of a heart attack while sitting in his chair at 11 am on 14 May 1984, aged 88, after paying a visit to Beattie. His death mirrored the death of the actor who played him, Jack Howarth, who had died in hospital six weeks earlier. In 2014, Albert's medal is featured in a further storyline, when Tracy sells it. Deirdre is furious and demands she gets it back or else she will kick her out of No. 1.

In January 2019, Ken's long-lost son Daniel Osbourne (Rob Mallard) and his wife Sinead (Katie McGlynn) have a baby boy whom they name Bertie, after Albert.

Creation and development

Personality and identity

To those who did not know him, Albert could be perceived as a very bitter person, as he was constantly complaining about nearly every aspect of his life and seemed to think that his problems amounted to more than anyone else's, however trivial they were. Although he was never chatty or chirpy, in the 1960s Albert was more accepting of the troubles life threw at him. However, as the years went by and Albert became more set in his ways, he became grumpier, sounding off about his problems to anyone who tried to engage him in conversation.

To his family and closest friends, as well as anyone willing to indulge him in recollections of his war stories, Albert showed a softer side. Although a pessimist, he was also nostalgic, and easily grew attached to things that were important to him. Unfortunately, this occasionally manifested itself through stubbornness, especially in family matters, as he tended to think he knew what was best for people and would not hesitate to tell them, even if he knew they disagreed with him. Likewise, when let down by his family, he was prone to feeling sorry for himself until his indignation was validated.

Community involvement

Despite his advancing years, Albert was very active in the community in Coronation Street, acting as chairman of the Over 60s Club in 1961, organising an Over 60s bazaar in 1964, and a trip to the Preston Guild in 1972.

In 1962, he formed the Mission Hall Players, through which the residents performed pantomimes such as Lady Lawson Loses in the Mission, with Albert himself playing the role of Manders. Almost without exception, Albert participated in all subsequent plays performed in the Mission and Community Centre, playing Baron Hardup (Cinderella) and the Genie (Aladdin) as well as Robb Wilton in a 1940s show in the Rovers and reciting "The Girl I Kissed on the Stairs" at a Christmas concert.

Having worked at the Town Hall, Albert was also pressed into action by the residents for several causes, including investigating the possibility of Coronation Street being demolished. He also started a petition to stop the street from being renamed. Albert also served the community by working as a caretaker at the Mission after Ena Sharples lost the job in 1961, even though the job required him to move out of his beloved No.1 and into the Mission vestry. He later gave up the job so that Ena could be reinstated.

Family and friends

Albert was closest to those who took the time to visit him. His daughter Beattie rarely did so, usually turning up only when she was needed. Albert did not feel close to her and refused his doctor's recommendation that he move in with Beattie and her husband Norman Pearson, as he knew they did not want him so he would never be at home. Beattie liked to think of herself as the perfect daughter to Albert and overcompensated for her inactive role in his life during her fleeting visits, such as when she guilted Jerry Booth into paying £5 compensation when Albert was gassed by a faulty cooker fitted by Jerry, despite Albert making it clear that he did not want the money.

His best friends in Coronation Street were the Barlow family, who lived next door at No.3. Both Ken and David Barlow were frequent visitors at No.1, with Ken, in particular, seeking solace in Albert's house when he needed to get away from family pressures. Albert could not have been happier when Ken married his niece, Valerie. After a while, Ken even started to call Albert "Uncle Albert" as Val did. Albert thought of the Barlows as his extended family and was upset when David married Irma Ogden while he was away, as he had not wanted to miss the wedding.

Ken lived with Albert for periods during the 1970s and from 1976 onwards. As Ken tried to forge a new life after Val's death, Albert was very critical of his decisions, especially those relating to his love life, as he did not think any girl was worthy of following Val. He eventually gave his approval of Ken's overnight marriage to Janet Reid, and he was upset when they separated. It took a long time for Albert to warm to Deirdre Langton, as he resented the fact that she had a daughter from a previous marriage whom Ken was spending more time with than his children, however, he later changed his mind and encouraged them to live at No.1 when they got married.

Even over those of his father Frank Barlow, Ken recalls Albert's words when he recounts the fatherly advice he received in the past. A photograph of Albert remains on the mantelpiece at No.1.

Albert's closest friends in Coronation Street were Rovers landlord and landlady Jack and Annie Walker, Mission caretaker Ena Sharples, and one-time fiancée Minnie Caldwell. All four friendships lasted decades and they were among the few people who indulged Albert when he was on a tirade.

Hobbies and interests

Albert's main topics of conversation were the war and his allotment. He enjoyed nothing more than talking about old times and especially old battles. In 1968, when he believed the author of a book about the Battle of Lys got his facts wrong, he planned to expose him, until it was discovered that Albert had got lost while out on patrol and missed the battle himself. In 1971, BBC Manchester interviewed Albert about the war.

Albert's allotment provided something to do in his later years. When he feared the council was going to take it off him, the neighbours agreed to help out, although he was furious when Ray Langton carved "Albert rules OK" into his marrow. Furthermore, salad from his allotment was the cause of sickness in the street when it was sold at the Corner Shop in 1978.

Albert was also a cricket fan and hoped to go and watch the West Indies team play. A rum drinker, his catchphrases in the Rovers Return were "I'll have a rum." and "Eeh by gum."

References

This page was last edited on 14 March 2024, at 01:46