Vera Duckworth was a long running character in Coronation Street from Ep 1418 - 19 Aug 1974 to Ep 6733/6734 - 18 Jan 2008, followed by an appearance in Ep 7463/7464 - 8 Nov 2010 as a vision to her dying husband Jack Duckworth. Originally portrayed as the loudmouth wife of Jack, they mellowed as years went by. Vera once even was told that she was related to royalty. Vera was played by actress Liz Dawn.
Biography[]
Backstory[]
Veronica Burton was born on the 3rd September 1937 to Amy Burton and an unknown father, although one candidate was Joss Shackleton, who had a brief fling with Amy around the time Vera was concieved. Vera met Jack Duckworth and they married in August 1957 when he was 20 and she was 19. In the autumn of 1963, Vera had a brief affair with another man, this was around the time she fell pregnant. Jack found out and saw the man off by beating him up. On the 4th June the following year, 1964, a baby boy Terence Edgar Duckworth was born. Vera never knew that Jack knew about her affair, and she suspected Terry's paternity. However, as Terry got older, Jack noticed Terry looked like him and had many mannerisms so was sure Terry was his blood son.
1974[]
In August 1974, Vera was still working at the Mark Brittain Warehouse in Coronation Street. She was good friends with Edna Gee. also, at the time Vera was not as loud and brash as she would come across as later on. Edna perished in a fire at the warehouse later in the year. The destruction of the warehouse rendered Vera out of a job, and she wouldn't be seen in the area for almost two years.
1976-2008[]
Vera returned to the street in July 1976, and had a drink with her friend at the Rovers. She caught up with Edna's widowed husband Fred Gee and they flirted with each other. They grew close and planned to spend the night with each other at the Rovers Return Inn. Although his boss the Rovers landlady Annie Walker seemed to happy for Fred to bring someone round, she didn't approve when he realised it was someone "common" like Vera Duckworth. Nothing else came from their relationship following a disastrous night.
Vera got a job at Baldwin's Casuals and was once again working alongside her friend Ivy Tilsley from the Mark Brittain Warehouse days. Vera would frequently socialise on the street with the residents. Her husband Jack wouldn't be seen for the first time until 1979, in which she brought him along to the wedding of Ivy's son Brian to Gail Potter. Jack would rarely visit the street, although eventually became a regular visitor from 1981 onwards.
Vera, Jack and their son Terry were facing eviction from their house on Inkerman Street in 1983 and looked to move into 9 Coronation Street. They moved into the house in September 1983, and Vera spent the first day arguing with neighbour Hilda Ogden. Terry eventually left the household in 1987.
In January 2008 the couple planned to move to Blackpool, however Vera passed away in her armchair, much to Jack's devastation.
Aftermath of death[]
Vera was mentioned in 2009, a year following her death, when Jack befriended a woman named Connie Rathbone. Tyrone was worried that Jack had moved on too quickly from Vera and took a disliking to Connie, although changed his mind when it turned out it was simply a friendship and Jack wasn't prepared to find anyone else to replace Vera. Jack would leave the street to live with Connie in September 2009.
In October 2010 it is discovered that Jack has incurable Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He returns home in order to die there. On the day of his birthday, Jack returns back home and rests in his chair. As he passes away, he witnesses Vera, waiting to take him away. The pair kiss, and then share a dance.
Gallery[]
Behind the Scenes[]
- Similar to Ivy Tilsley, Vera was slowly woven into the show and wasn't an actual resident of the street from the get go, instead worked at the warehouse (later factory) across the road. The character initially appeared for one episode in August 1974, reappeared for a further two episodes in July 1976, and then returned in December that year on a more permanent basis. Vera wouldn't become a resident of Coronation Street until 1983, nine years after her original introduction and seven years after her full time return.
- Elizabeth Dawn quit the role in 2007 after 33 years due to health reasons. The character departed in January 2008. When her co-star Bill Tarmey quit in 2010, she made a special return as a ghost/vision of Vera for Jack Duckworth's death scene, bringing complete closure to a popular and well loved couple.
- Liz Dawn wasn't completely done with Coronation Street, as in 2012 she appeared as the ghost of Vera as part of a sketch for the Text Santa charity. The special featured many former co-stars appearing as ghosts of their deceased characters. Tarmey was originally intended to return as Jack, however sadly passed away before filming his scenes. Instead archive audio of Bill Tarmey as Jack is inserted into the episode.
Trivia[]
- In Ep 3201 - 18 Mar 1991, Vera was told by her putative father Joss Shackleton that he was the great grandson of Edward VII as his great gran was his servant and she was seduced by him, so Joss' father was the illegitimate grandson of King Edward VII. This meant Vera was Edward VII's great, great granddaughter. Jack understandably refused to believe this. Vera sent off a letter to The Queen, but the letter never reached her and Jack sent her a card back pretending to be the Queen. Vera was gullible enough to fall for it. Vera kept up the belief that she was related to royalty and described Prince Charles as a relative. When Prince Charles was said to be visiting the area Vera was excited and said "Cousin Charles".
Appendices[]
List of addresses[]
| Address | Duration |
|---|---|
| 20 Inkerman Street | late 1960s or early 1970s to 4th May 1981 |
| 5 Coronation Street | 4th to 20th May 1981 |
| 20 Inkerman Street | 20th May 1981 to 5th September 1983 |
| 5 Coronation Street | 5th to 12th September 1983 |
| 9 Coronation Street | 12th September 1983 to 3rd November 1995 |
| Rovers Return Inn | 3rd November 1995 to 22nd January 1999 |
| Park Road B&B | 22nd January 1999 to 4th October 2000 |
| 9 Coronation Street | 4th October 2000 to 18th January 2008 |
Employment history[]
| Role | Institution | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Warehouse worker | Mark Brittain Warehouse | 1974 |
| Machinist | Baldwin's Casuals | 1976 to 1989 |
| Retail worker | Bettabuy | October 1989 to June 1995 |
| Landlady | Rovers Return Inn | 1995 to 1998 |
| Manageress | Park Road B&B | 1999 to 2000 |
| Waitress | Roy's Rolls | 2000 to 2007 |
Memorable info[]
Appearances: 19 August 1974, 19–21 July 1976, 13 December 1976–18 January 2008, 8 November 2010
Born: 3rd September 1937
Died: 18th January 2008 (Aged 70)
Full Name: Veronica Duckworth (Nee Burton)
Parents: Joss Shackleton (never confirmed) and Amy Burton
Siblings: None
Grandmothers: Lilian Burton
Spouse: Jack Duckworth (1957-2008)
Children: Terry Duckworth (1964)