Barlow Family Tree

Ken Barlow. Longest serving character.

Since 1960, members of the Barlow family have been major characters in Coronation Street. Their family tree is quite complex due to Ken Barlow (pictured, right) being a bit of a ladies man. Here is a Barlow family tree.

Current Barlow family members living on the street consist of Ken Barlow, his children Peter Barlow, Daniel Osbourne and Tracy Barlow and grandchildren Adam Barlow, Simon Barlow and Amy Barlow.

The original Barlow family first seen in 1960 included Frank Barlow, his wife Ida Barlow, their son Ken of course, and Ken's brother David Barlow.

Brief History

Frank Barlow and wife Ida moved into Number 3 Coronation Street in 1938. Their son Ken was born in 1939, followed by a second son David in 1942.

When Ken attended university, his snobbish behaviour and embarrassment of his roots caused tension between him and his dad. In 1962, Ken's neighbour Len Fairclough had a row with Ken about shunning his roots, and when Ken insulted Len, they had a fight. David left the street in 1961 due to starting a football career, and that same year Ida died after being hit by a bus. Around this time, Ken began dating Valerie Barlow, the niece of neighbour and family friend Albert Tatlock. In 1962, Ken and Valerie married.

In 1964, David returned to the street, whilst Frank moved away. In 1965, Ken and Valerie had twins together, Peter and Susan.

David married Irma Ogden and left the street in 1968. But in 1970, David tragically died in a car accident along with him and Irma's son, resulting in Irma returning home to be with her family. Ken would suffer another loss after Valerie was electrocuted by a faulty hairdryer in 1971 and died in a fire at their apartment. He sent his twins away to live with her parents, being unable to cope.

At some point in-between 1971 to 1975, Frank passed away.

Ken began looking for a new wife to become a mother figure to the twins, and had a quick and surprising wedding to Janet Reid, but it didn't last long as she wasn't interested in raising children and opted to send them to boarding school. Ken later began dating Deirdre Langton, who herself had a young daughter named Tracy. The pair married in 1981.

Ken and Deirdre's married live was quite rocky, as she opted for excitement and got bored of Ken. He also wasn't willing to provide her with children, as he felt he had enough. This caused Deirdre to have an affair with local businessman Mike Baldwin, and considered leaving Ken for him. But Deirdre changed her mind, and reunited with Ken. He would later officially adopt Tracy in 1986.

When Susan returned to the street in 1985, she began dating Mike, and they married in 1986. Mike wanted Susan to have his children and the following year she felt pregnant. She claimed to have an abortion, and ended up leaving Weatherfield after Mike chucked her out. She secretly had their son, Adam, in 1988, a secret which she would keep for the next 12 years.

In 1989, Ken had an affair with Wendy Crozier, resulting in Deirdre throwing him out and divorcing him.

In 1990, Peter married a woman named Jessica off-screen.

In 1994, Ken entered a relationship with Denise Osbourne, resulting in her becoming pregnant. This upset Deirdre (who had hoped for a reconciliation with Ken), and also angered her as she had wanted kids with Ken, but he always turned down the chance. In 1995, Ken's son Daniel was born, but Daniel and Denise ended up leaving in 1997. Another kid Ken barely had contact with.

Ken and Deirdre did later reunite.

In 1996, Tracy married Robert Preston and moved down to London with him.

In December 2000, Peter returned to the street, having served 20 years in the Navy. He had recently split from Jessica, as she had an affair behind his back. Peter bears a resemblance to his late grandfather Frank.

Family Tree

Sidney Barlow married Edna Unknown c1909

Parents of:-

Marjorie Barlow born 1910 and Frank Barlow born 1913

Frank Barlow married Ida Leathers in 1938

Parents of:-

Ken Barlow born 1939 and David Barlow born 1942

Ken Barlow had relationship with Susan Cunningham 1960

Parents of:- Lawrence Cunningham born 1961

Ken Barlow married Valerie Tatlock in 1962

Parents of:-

Peter Barlow and Susan Barlow born 1965

Ken Barlow had relationship with Denise Osbourne in 1994

Parents of:-

Daniel Osbourne born 1995

David Barlow married Irma Ogden in 1965

Parents of:- Darren Barlow born 1968

Peter Barlow had relationship with Lucy Richards in 2002

Parents of:- Simon Barlow born 2003

Susan Barlow married Mike Baldwin in 1986

Parents of:- Adam Barlow born 1988

Daniel Osbourne married Sinead Tinker in 2019

Parents of:- Bertie Osbourne born 2019

Trivia

A 107 year old Frank Barlow in 2020, looks quite well, seems Ken was lying about Frank being dead in 1975 as he did not want to take Peter to see him, maybe he was too lazy to.

Ida Barlow was the first of the original Barlow clan to die, as she was run down by a bus in September 1961. David Barlow died in a car crash in Australia in 1970. By 1970, only Ken and his dad Frank were still alive out of the original clan, and Ken had 2 children by then, plus an illegitimate son he knew nothing about for decades. Frank was still alive in February 1971 when he attended the funeral of Ken's first wife Valerie (yes another death in that cursed Barlow family). Frank returned to Chester and died by April 1975 when Ken said his dad was no longer alive. However, the Coronation Street 60th Anniversary book by Abi King, published in 2020, implies that Frank is still alive at the grand age of 107. His year of death has not been listed in the Barlow Family Tree section, and says (b.1913) whereas all other deceased characters have been given their death year. However this is probably because Frank's exact year of death is unknown, but it was either 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 or 1975, as Ken said Frank was dead by April 1975. If Frank was still alive in 2020 aged 107, which is highly unlikely, Ken would mention his very elderly father and go and visit him.