Albert Tatlock

Infobox soap character
series=Coronation Street
color=#F0E68C
name = Albert Tatlock
portrayer = Jack Howarth


caption1 =
first = 9 December 1960
last = 25 January 1984
born = 10 August 1895
death = 13 May 1984
siblings = Alfred Tatlock
nieces/nephews = Valerie Barlow
spouse = Bessie Pearson
children = Beattie Pearson
occupation = Retired
creator = Tony Warren
books = Coronation Street: The Complete Saga

Albert Tatlock is a fictional character on the British television soap opera "Coronation Street". Albert was played by actor Jack Howarth from 1960 to 1984. The character became something of an institution, so much so that grumpy old men were sometimes nicknamed "Albert Tatlock".

Character's background

Albert Tatlock originally lived alone in No. 1 Coronation Street; his wife Bessie had died some years before. Albert had a daughter, Beattie, but she was sent away to Blackpool during the War and she resented having to come back to Manchester, so she was never close to Albert or Bessie again.

In 1961, his niece Valerie came to town to live with him. Val fell in love with Ken Barlow and they later married. Ken and Val lived in a separate house on the Street until her death from plugging in a faulty hairdryer in 1971. It was at this time that he bought No. 1 from Albert, paid off all his outstanding debts, and had Albert live with him.

At one time, Albert considered marriage to local pensioner Minnie Caldwell, but after a while they both realised the relationship would not work, as they were both too set in their ways.

Ken was very protective of Albert and eventually started calling him "Uncle Albert," as Val had. Albert continued to live with Ken while he courted and eventually married Janet Reid, even though Janet didn't care for Albert and wished he would live somewhere else. All round, Janet made Albert unhappy most of the time and Ken's decision to kick Janet out was partly based on Albert's unhappiness.

In the early 1980s, Ken married Deirdre Langton, whom he had courted for some time. Albert approved of Deirdre and was glad that Ken had finally chosen a woman as worthy of his hand in marriage as his niece was. Albert lived with Ken and Deirdre until his death of a heart attack while reading the newspaper in 1984, at the age of 88. This occurred offscreen while Albert was staying with his daughter. By this time, he was one of only two surviving members of the original cast.

When Ken's son, Daniel Osbourne was born in 1995, Albert's name was given to him as a middle name.