Amy Burton was the mother of Vera Duckworth and maternal grandmother of Terry Duckworth.
Amy moved into Terry's freshly-vacated, freshly-decorated back bedroom - to the chagrin of Vera's husband Jack, who wanted to give the bedroom to nurse Wendy Farmer. Amy arrived from Rusholme, and Jack tried to persuade her that she didn't want to lose her independence, but Amy was determined to stay with Jack and Vera until she died. Jack wasn't pleased; he had a terse relationship with Amy, even blaming her for his marriage - he claimed Amy went complaining to Harry Duckworth that Jack got Vera pregnant. The pair married, but it turned out to be a false alarm.
Amy soon set her roots in [[Coronation Street, Weatherfield|Coronation Street], nagging Jack about his pigeons and developing an addiction for the slot machine installed in the Rovers. Vera wouldn't hear a bad word, from Jack or Ivy Tilsley, in face of Amy's abrasive behaviour. This led to Jack threatening to leave Vera, unless Amy left first. Vera was upset that the pair didn't get on, but refused to listen to Jack's argument. After pleading with Jack to give Amy another chance, and being refused, Vera decided that it was the lesser of two evils to throw Jack out into the street. The two did, however, reach a compromise and Jack slept on the sofa. However, Jack persuaded Amy to take on a job and get out from under his feet.
At Christmas 1987, Hilda Ogden quit her job at the Rovers, ahead of her retirement to Hartington, Derbyshire. Against Vera's wishes, Amy took over Hilda's cleaning job for Bet and Alec Gilroy. This horrified Jack, as it meant he spent his work and home life in the same building as his mother-in-law. Jack tried in vain to get Hilda to take her job back, but Hilda was adamant that she wouldn't return. Meanwhile, Amy caused trouble for the area's elder menfolk, accusing Percy Sugden of lechery, and telling Sam Tindall that he is "gorgeous". However, Amy herself fell into trouble when Sally Webster saw her shoplifting from the Corner Shop, and then giving the items to Vera as "presents". Audrey Roberts decided not to pursue the idea when Amy created a fuss, but trouble didn't end as Vera accused Alf and Sally of setting Amy up. Amy's problem worsened, especially when Jack found out she had been stealing bottles of stout from the Rovers. Jack was in charge of stocktaking and worried that Alec would accuse him of stealing. Vera refused to believe it, but eventually realised that he was right. When Vera challenged Amy, she was accused of turning on her. Amy accused Jack of being a terrible husband, and that he deserved to be thrown out. Vera finally saw Amy for what she was and lost her temper; Amy threatened to leave, and Vera called her out on it. Vera packed Amy's cases and dumped her on Amy's sister, Edie.
In 1991, Amy's other sister Cissie called Vera, breaking the news that Amy suffered a fatal heart attack while playing a game of bingo. Vera was riddled with guilt, having not visited Amy for some time. Jack tried to get out of the funeral, but made a genuine effort for Vera. At the wake, he reverted to type and made cracks about Amy's shoplifting. Cissie revealed to Jack and Vera that the only wish in Amy's will was that she took in Amy's friend, Joss Shackleton, who told Vera that he was her natural father.
List of appearances
1987
1988