Harry Hewitt

Harry Hewitt was a resident of Coronation Street in the 1960s. A widowed bus driver, he initially struggled raising his daughter Lucille, and in 1961 married Concepta Riley.

Before 1960
The son of Thomas and Mary Hewitt, Harry had lived in 7 Coronation Street all his life. He served during the second World War in the Lancashire Fusiliers, signing up in 1940. Living with his father after his mother had been institutionalised owing to mental health problems, Harry was orphaned in 1947. He lived quietly until a relationship developed with Bus Conductor Lizzie Hewitt. Their daughter Lucille was born in 1949. Harry became a widower when Mary died in a road accident in 1959. Despite help from his neighbours Harry felt unable to properly support Lucille and so applied to the council to take her into care.

The Returns of Lucille and Concepta
Lucille, unwilling to spend Christmas in the orphanage, walked all the way to Coronation Street in late December 1960, convincing Harry to let her stay at least until after Christmas. Harry arranged with his neighbour Esther Hayes to look after Lucille when he was away at work. For a short while the following year Harry's sister Alice moved into his home to help look after Lucille, but the arrangement did not work out. Harry was not short of female attention though, as local shopkeeper Florrie Lindley and one of his colleagues Eileen Hughes fought over his attentions. Harry was not romantically attracted to either lady.

The Irish barmaid of the Rovers Return, Concepta Riley, also returned to Weatherfield from Ireland in 1960. A flirtation sprang up between Concepta and Harry, and whilst on a coach trip to Blackpool Harry proposed to Concepta, who accepted. Despite her family's initial reservations, the couple were married on the 1st of October 1961. Lucille was bridesmaid and Len Fairclough was best man. The couple honeymooned on the Isle of Wight.

Harry did not settle down easily into his second marriage. Arguments over furniture and Harry's tendency to spend the evenings drinking with Len followed.

Concepta found she was pregnant and Harry found himself father to a son, Christopher. During a party to celebrate the first wedding anniversary of Harry and Concepta, Christopher went missing while in Lucille's care. Eventually he was found, healthy and well, having been kidnapped by Joan Akers.

Harry became ill with a chesty cough in 1963, leading Concepta to believe it would be better to move to the Irish countryside. Harry originally agreed to emigrate but Lucille temporarily persuaded him to stay in Weatherfield.

Leaving Weatherfield
Concepta finally won the argument over leaving England, and in 1964 Harry arranged for his family to move to Ireland, where he would take over his father-in-law's garage business. Lucille stayed behind to finish her exams. Harry arranged for Lucille to live at the Rovers Return until the following summer.

Harry returned to Weatherfield the following year to escort Lucille to her new family home only to find that his daughter, now a young, independent woman, had a job and no intentions of leaving Lancashire.

Harry returned to Weatherfield one last time in 1967, to attend the wedding of Elsie Tanner to Steve Tanner. On his way to the wedding, the vehicle he was travelling in, Len Fairclough's van, broke down. Whilst he was repairing it the jack gave way and Harry was crushed to death. He died on the 4th September 1967.

Hobbies and interests
Harry was always fond of dogs and had kept a pair of whippets when he lived alone. Concepta, who thought them smelly and dirty, ordered Harry to get rid of his beloved whippets. He swapped them for a greyhound, Lucky Lolita, who initially did very well at the Dog Track, winning several races. With the residents of Coronation Street backing her heavily, Lolita lost an important race at White City.

Quotes
"'Fraid she's frettin', love." (First line - to Annie Walker's enquiry after Lucille.