Minnie Caldwell

Minnie Caldwell (née Carlton) lived in Number 5 from 1962 to 1976. As one of Coronation Street's resident pensioners, Minnie struggled to live on her pension money and took in many lodgers. Minnie's best friend was Ena Sharples, and the pair were often seen bickering in the snug of the Rovers Return.

Before 1960
Minnie Carlton was born on 28th September 1900 to Bob and Amy Carlton, and lived in Jubilee Terrace, around the corner from Coronation Street, until 1962. During her schooling days at Hardcastle's Factory School, she met some of her lifelong friends including Handel Gartside, Ena Schofield and Martha Hartley. Though she married young, Minnie was also widowed young when Armistead Caldwell died in 1935, and the couple never had children. By 1960, she was taking care of her elderly mother after retiring from Earnshaw's Mill.

Triumvirate
When Minnie started collecting her pension, most of her time was spent either looking after her mother in Jubilee Terrace or spending time with Ena and Martha, who by now were also both widows. Generally they could be found drinking milk stout in the Rovers Return snug, slyly but shamelessly passing judgement on their neighbours (as well as each other). Minnie was the quietest of the three, and her voice was often drowned out by sharp-tongued, decisive mission caretaker Ena and gossipy cleaner Martha.

When Ena quit her job at the Mission Hall in 1961, she moved in with Minnie and her mother, and quickly dominated the house. It wasn't for a few months that Ena was offered her job back, and she went home, tired of Minnie's bossy mother and her cat, Bobby. In the coming months, Minnie's mother's health declined, and she died in her bed a short time later, aged 94. Unwilling to go on living in the same house, Minnie moved to 5 Coronation Street with Bobby.

Facing a rent increase, Minnie's finances were strained until she took in Jed Stone as a lodger. Childless Minnie's life was brightened by Jed's presence, even though he had a criminal past (which gave Ena a reason to dislike him). Jed looked upon Minnie as a mother figure and called her "Ma", and when he returned home to Liverpool, he didn't know how to tell Minnie and did a midnight flit. Minnie was devastated that "Sunny Jim", as she called him, had left so suddenly and left her in financial difficulty again.

In 1964, Minnie briefly took over Martha's job at Viaduct Street Social Club while Martha was away. Owing to dodgy building work, Minnie fell through the bannister and tore a ligament. Minnie was fine, but the guilty party paid for a holiday for Minnie while her solicitors sued Len Fairclough. An out-of-court settlement was reached, but while Minnie was away at the seaside Martha died of a heart attack. Minnie returned in time for the funeral.

Money troubles
Shortly after Martha's death, Minnie took in comic Charlie Moffitt as a lodger. With him came his greyhound Titch, six rabbits, and eight pigeons. Minnie enjoyed mothering the accident-prone, unfunny comedian, but wasn't pleased when he and Stan Ogden started brewing beer in her front room, telling her it was tonic wine. She and Emily Nugent opened one of the bottles and proceeded to get drunk, but were more than startled when all the remaining bottles exploded. When Charlie left to pursue a career in show business, Minnie was adamant that she wasn't going to have any more lodgers, as it upset her too much when they left.

1966 was a struggle for Minnie, who had spent her pension on a new coat instead of paying for enough coal for the fire to heat her home. She hid away from Ena, who would only disapprove of her spending habits, choosing instead to sit in a cold house. Ena found out and offered to pay the money she owed for the coat, but Minnie wouldn't let her. Eventually Jed returned and paid the money back with Ena's help. Unfortunately, Jed didn't stay long this time, as the police had a warrant for his arrest for handling stolen blankets. With Minnie confined to bed for exhaustion, Jed stayed until she was better, planning to leave after her birthday party the next day, but the police caught up with him at Number 5. To avoid upsetting Minnie, Jed convinced the police officer to pretend to be a friend of his, and that he was leaving to visit a friend. Though she was devastated, Minnie pretended to be fooled so Jed wouldn't feel bad.

Things started to improve for Minnie when she auctioned Jed's belongings, as Jed had requested, and a brooch turned out to be worth £15. Later that year, Minnie applied for a supplementary pension, allowing her to support herself without needing a lodger. However, in 1967, when Minnie's insurance policy matured and she received £72, Minnie was conned by two men who posed as plumbers to fix her chimney before taking £52 of the money when she wasn't looking.

Gambling
In 1968, the Mission and the vestry were demolished, leaving Ena homeless. Minnie took Ena in, but she got on Ena's nerves again, and thought her mind was on Bobby the cat too much. Ena was frustrated because the demolishing of the Mission Hall had forced her into retirement. Ena's stay was a brief one, and she moved into one of the maisonettes across the street.

Bobby went missing later in the year, but Minnie took in a stray cat, calling it Sunny Jim (after Jed). Minnie was going through a phase where she was regularly going to the betting shop and betting on horses. Though she occasionally won, Ena made it clear how she felt about it, and was worried for Minnie. The local bookie Dave Smith encouraged Minnie, incurring Ena's wrath, but he put a stop to it when Minnie had run up a debt of £10 and was unable to pay it back. Elsie Tanner convinced Dave to drop it, but when Ena rowed with him for picking on an old woman, he changed his mind and gave Minnie 24 hours to pay the money. Ashamed, Minnie fled Weatherfield. Ena found Minnie in hospital, suffering from pneumonia after sleeping rough. Dave arrived at her bedside, flowers in hand, telling her he was wiping the slate clean, but that he was limiting her betting to two shillings a week.

Later that year, the residents went on a coach trip to the Lake District, but the coach crashed on the way back. Minnie was one of the worst hit, still unconscious when most of the others had been discharged. Ena, who had only suffered bruising, prayed at her bedside until she came to.

Minnie was thrilled in 1970 when her old flame Handel Gartside returned after 30 years living in Canada and briefly lodged with her. Ena had never been keen on Handel, but Minnie liked his company and was disappointed when he said he only wanted to be friends with her. Surprisingly, Albert Tatlock was jealous of Minnie's affection for Handel. When he left, Minnie took in Joe Donelli, who had been demobbed from the US army. Minnie didn't know that in 1968 Joe killed Steve Tanner, Elsie's husband, and wasn't of a sound mind. After threatening Irma Barlow, Joe took refuge in Number 5, holding Minnie hostage, scared of being prosecuted for Steve's murder. Minnie and Sunny Jim (now called Bobby) were freed when Stan Ogden offered to remain in her place. Rather than face arrest, Joe took his own life.

Unwilling to live alone, Minnie stayed with Albert for a while. Albert's jealousy was brought back when Handel returned to check on Minnie after the ordeal, ultimately offering to move in with her. Again, he only stayed briefly, returning to Whaley Bridge when she was settled back into her house.

Later years in the Street
In 1971, Minnie swore she'd never take another lodger again, but this, coupled with the confusion brought on by decimalisation, made this a difficult time for her. Ena started spending long periods away from the Street, so Minnie spent more time with Albert. In 1973, Albert popped the question, hoping that if Minnie and he were married and living in the same house their money troubles would be sorted. Minnie wanted to ask Ena first, but in a misunderstanding Ena thought Albert was proposing to her, and accepted! Minnie said yes to Albert, glad to have someone to spend her old age with. After three months of engagement, Minnie asked Albert to fix a date for the wedding, but Ena warned her that despite what they thought, they would be financially burdened, receiving less as a married couple than individually. Already growing annoyed by Albert's habits, Minnie told him she didn't want to marry him anymore. After hearing about the money situation, Albert was happy it was over.

Late in 1974, Minnie was expecting a visit from Sunny Jim himself, Jed Stone, but his cellmate Eddie Yeats, on parole, showed up instead and told her Jed couldn't make it. Remembering Jed fondly, Minnie took Eddie in. Well-meaning Eddie made extra money by burgling houses, but Minnie didn't know about it and inadvertantly shopped Eddie to the police by handing over a suitcase containing stolen goods.

In the mid-1970s, Minnie visited Handel Gartside in Whaley Bridge more and more often. After one visit in 1976, she never returned to Coronation Street - she decided to stay with Handel and sell No. 5, all without telling Ena, who was horrified to see a 'for sale' sign go up in the Street. Handel visited Weatherfield and told Ena that Minnie was afraid that if she came back, Ena would talk her out of it. As he took Minnie's belongings out of her old house, he told Ena he would take care of her.

Personality

 * "I know folk think I'm simple. What I say to them is that I'd rather be simple and 'ave my pleasures than know everything and be miserable, like Ena." - Minnie Caldwell

Minnie Caldwell appeared most of the time to be a quiet and simple old lady. Concerned mainly with her friends and her cat, Minnie tended to obsess with matters others thought trivial at best, especially if they were important to her. Despite her many hardships, what affected Minnie most was the loss of something that held fond memories for her. Much to her friend Ena’s frustration, Minnie had aspirations to improve her lifestyle that were perhaps foolhardy and weren’t practical, such as making major purchases even though she couldn't afford it. Her gambling phase started from her desire to live out her lifelong dreams.

A vulnerable person, Minnie didn't like conflict or confrontations, but she wasn't afraid to speak her mind if she felt her words needed to be heard. Most of the time, she had a smile on her face and was a fixture in the community in Coronation Street, regularly helping her neighbours if they needed it.

Relationship with Ena

 * "She bullies me. She always has... in the name of Christianity." - Minnie, about Ena

Minnie was a year below Ena Sharples at school, and their friendship dated from that time. As pensioners, Ena and Minnie had many disagreements, brought on by the fact that both were so different. Whereas Minnie had a rather simple view of the world and went out of her way to help people, Ena was a cynic and thought Minnie was naïve. Ena tended to boss Minnie around, mainly to talk her out of her daft ideas, but Minnie thought Ena was too closedminded and interfering. When Martha Longhurst was alive, Minnie often sided with her against Ena when the pair had a falling out, if only because she got along better with Martha.

Though their friendship was a constant battle, Minnie and Ena were always there for each other and whenever Ena was ill, or was unable or unwilling to live at the Mission, Minnie provided her with a bed, though always hoped it was temporary!