Douglas Haigh Pickins was the son of Alice Pickins, the fiancée of Albert Tatlock in 1969. A Royal Marine Commando Training Instructor, he arrived in Weatherfield in August 1969, sceptical about his mother’s plans to re-marry as she had trod this path before, having had intentions to wed Gilbert Earnshaw and Lionel Finch but those plans came to nothing. Although not entirely taken with Albert, he became convinced that this time his mother was serious and turned up in dress uniform for the wedding. Unfortunately the ceremony did not take place as the Reverend Vernon Lingard’s car broke down on the way and the couple took this as a sign that their wedding wasn’t to be.
Alice went on the honeymoon alone and Albert heard no more from her. Douglas remained in the area as he had been taken with Emily Nugent and, confusing her with Elsie Tanner had heard that she had a racy reputation. His confused romance with Emily lasted a few weeks and even involved calling at The Pink Posy flower shop that Elsie ran and asked her to send some flowers to herself! Emily was flattered by the mistake and went out with Douglas for an enjoyable evening before he had to return to his duties at Portsmouth.