Minnie Caldwell

Infobox soap character
series=Coronation Street
color=#F0E68C
name = Minnie Caldwell


caption1 =
first = episode 2,
14 December 1960
last = 5 April 1976
born = September 1900
parents = Bob Carlton (deceased)
Amy Carlton (deceased)
spouse = Armistead Caldwell
cousins = Bertha
occupation = Retired
residence = Whaley Bridge, prev. No.5 Coronation Street
portrayer = Margot Bryant
creator = Tony Warren

Minnie Caldwell (neé Carlton) was one of the original characters of the long-running British soap opera, "Coronation Street".

Caldwell, played by Margot Bryant from 1960 to 1976, was a timid woman who paled in comparison with her loud friend Martha Longhurst, and her louder friend Ena Sharples. Minnie was known to be very indecisive, which usually led Ena to label her as slow-witted, or usually just "daft".

From 1960 to 1962, Minnie lived with her bossy mother, Amy Carlton. When Amy died, Caldwell moved from Jubilee Terrace to No 5 Coronation Street, where she lived with her cat, Bobby. Bobby, an orange tabby, was played by many cats over the years, and it was even explained on the show that it wasn't the same cat; the character Albert Tatlock accidentally killed the real Bobby in 1969 and replaced it so Minnie wouldn't be devastated.

She considered moving in with, and eventually marrying, Albert in 1974 but realised that she would be financially burdened by Albert, as Ena told her that she would receive just £1,250 for a married couple while she already received £775 in pensions as a single occupant. She also found that Albert annoyed her considerably. To mutual relief, Minnie called off their engagement.

An old flame, Handel Gartside, came back to woo her after he had made much money in a business venture in Quebec. She flirted with him for a while but he was eventually driven off by crooked business with Billy Walker (son of Annie Walker). In 1970, Minnie's old lodger, Joe Donelli, came back to the Street and held her at gunpoint, as he became nervous about being prosecuted for the murder of Steve Tanner. Stan Ogden came to Minnie's house, ready to fight with Joe as he had had a dalliance with his daughter Irma. Joe made Stan sing Christmas carols at gunpoint, and eventually Joe shot and killed himself.

In 1976, Handel Gartside returned and Caldwell accepted his offer to live with him in Whaley Bridge. She left her friend Ena and was never seen on the programme again.