Big Arthur was the leader of a gang of local crooks, one of whom, Nobby Harris, tried to persuade Eddie Yeats to help them rob a supermarket on Christmas Day, acting as the getaway driver. Eddie, not tempted by the offer of a £300 share, refused but he did take advantage of knowing that the power would be cut in the area to enable the robbery to take place to buy the corner shop’s stock of candles and selling them at a profit when Coronation Street was plunged into darkness.
He then became involved when the gang stored part of their takings - tins of ham - in Minnie Caldwell’s coal hole. The police however were on to the gang and Big Arthur, Nobby and heavy Roland called on Eddie at No.5 as they suspected him of grassing them up. Big Arthur was then revealed to be somewhat smaller than his associates, moustached, smoking a cigar and communicating his intentions with snaps of his fingers that Nobby then translated into words of English. When Big Arthur did speak to remonstrate with Eddie for “interrupting” him, his accent was that of a New York gangster as opposed to that of the northern accent expected of him. Eddie managed to convince the Mancunian Mafioso of his innocence.