Jamie Armstrong was the adolescent son of Tricia Armstrong. Along with his mother, who was separated from Jamie's abusive father Carl, Jamie lived at 1 Coronation Street, then at 5 Crimea Street and later the Rovers Return from 1995 to 1997.
An astute and crafty young lad, Jamie didn't always do as he was told but was just about kept in line by his mother. The family left the street to live with Tricia's partner Ray Thorpe soon after the birth of Jamie's half-brother, Brad.
Biography[]
1994: Jamie and his apologetic mother, shortly after he was caught with light fingers at Bettabuys
Jamie was born in 1984 to Tricia and Carl Armstrong. His father was physically abusive towards his mother and the couple later split up. He was first seen shoplifting from the Bettabuy supermarket in 1994, being caught by the shop's manager Curly Watts. When Tricia was called to the office, she flirted with Curly and dated him in an attempt to get her son off. Curly persuaded Jack Duckworth to babysit Jamie, but in the middle of the evening Carl turned up and, thinking Jack was Tricia's new man, thumped him and was duly sent back to prison.
By January 1995, Tricia and Jamie were looking for a new place to live. She made an offer on the flat above Jim's Cafe but, as there was only one bedroom, the owner Alma Baldwin instead convinced her husband Mike to allow the Armstrongs to move into his house, 1 Coronation Street, on a short-term tenancy. By April, however, this arrangement had become acrimonious to put it mildly when Mike decided to evict the occupants and sell up, and Tricia and Jamie closed ranks and refused to leave. They only vacated the house once Mike offered the Armstrongs alternate lodgings at his Crimea Street flats, and after Jamie had shown his defiance by emptying a chamber pot of water over Mike's head from the upstairs window in front of their delighted neighbours.
By January 1996, Tricia was having severe money problems, even binning final demand letters to avoid the issue. This inevitably ended with a visit from the police - Tricia had not paid her television license, and in her absence from court was sent to prison for a week. Jamie was put into foster care, but ran away and returned to the Crimea Street flats, deeply unhappy, and reluctant neighbour Deirdre Rachid ended up taking him in for the week. When Tricia was released, Bill Webster took Jamie to meet her at the gates, and mother and son shared an emotional reunion.
In May 1996, Tricia slept with Terry Duckworth and subsequently fell pregnant, although Terry disappeared from the area soon after. When Tricia visited Carl in prison to tell him, he hit her, causing the scales to finally fall from Jamie's eyes with regards to his wife-beating father. Afterwards Tricia and Jamie moved out of the Crimea Street flats into the Rovers Return pub, owned by Terry's parents Jack and Vera. The two made it clear that Tricia and Jamie would be looked after - they were family now.
On Valentine's Day 1997, Tricia went into labour in the Rovers backroom, and Jamie helped Betty Williams deliver his big brother, baby Brad. Brad was five weeks premature, and when Jamie overheard a conversation between Vera and Sally Webster he became convinced his brother would die. However, Brad healthily developed in the incubator and was soon well enough to come home.
1997: Jamie was far from impressed by Terry's reappearance - unlike his mother
Although Terry did return, Tricia eventually realised he would never be a decent father to her children, and made plans to leave the street with her children and new partner Ray Thorpe, who she'd met at a club. Jamie was at first very upset and didn't want to leave. However, after reassurances from Jack and Vera - by now his unofficial grandparents of sorts - and the promise of Manchester United football tickets from Ray, the family-of-four left to begin their new life.
Personality[]
1995: Jamie gives Mike Baldwin a nasty surprise when he tries to evict him and his mother from 1 Coronation Street - a soaking from the upstairs window
Cheeky and streetwise, Jamie wasn't afraid to use dirty tricks to get some hands on some extra cash. On multiple occasions he deliberately punctured a neighbour's bike tyre behind their back, then offered to fix it once they'd noticed, "earning" a monetary reward from the appreciative owner! However, his troublesome reputation backfired on him when he spotted someone stealing Josie Clarke's bike. He gave chase and returned it, only to be accused by Percy Sugden of stealing it himself. On a lighter note, when Mike Baldwin was attempting to turf the Armstrongs out of 1 Coronation Street, the neighbours were highly amused to see Jamie throw a chamber pot full of water on his head.
Relationships[]
Tricia Armstrong[]
Jamie's relationship with his mother was somewhat strained at times - the lad often rowed with and gave cheek to Tricia, while she wasn't afraid to punish his bad behaviour with a crack. However, Jamie was also very close to and protective of his mam. When Mike Baldwin was attempting to evict the Armstrongs from 1 Coronation Street, Jamie assured Tricia that he would sort him out for her, even threatening to get his dad to give him "a good going over". In addition, Jamie was very upset when Tricia was sentenced to seven days in prison for failing to pay her TV license in January 1996, going as far as to run away from his foster home and return to the Crimea Street flats where they lived. When Jamie cried for his mam, his social worker relented and allowed him to stay with reluctant neighbour Deirdre Rachid until Tricia returned. When Bill Webster escorted Jamie to meet his mam at the prison gates, Tricia was overjoyed and held her son tight.
Jack Duckworth[]
Jamie also became close to Jack Duckworth during his time in Weatherfield. Their paths first crossed in March 1994 when Jack babysat Jamie while Tricia was out on a date with Curly Watts, only for Jamie's dad Carl to show up and thump Jack thinking he was Tricia's new man. When Jamie and Tricia moved into Coronation Street, Jamie took an interest in Jack's pigeons, cooing and stroking them like Jack. However, the two became closest when Tricia fell pregnant by Jack and his wife Vera's son Terry, later giving birth to his half-brother Brad. The Duckworths took Tricia and Jamie under their wing, considering them family, and they moved in with them at their pub and home, the Rovers Return. When Tricia decided to leave the area with her family and new boyfriend Ray Thorpe, Jamie was devastated and asked Jack if he could stay with him. It took some persuading, but the Armstrongs eventually left the area to start their new life. Just before they departed, Jack confided in Tricia that he would miss Jamie very much.
Background information[]
Jamie, played by Joseph Gilgun and introduced alongside his mother Tricia, first appeared in March 1994 albeit for a stint of just two episodes. The two was introduced more long-term in 1995, with Jamie reappearing from Episode 3807 broadcast on 20th January.
Jamie was written out alongside his mother when Tracy Brabin decided to quit the programme to look after her new baby. The pair made their final appearances in Episode 4187, broadcast on 2nd May 1997.
In 2004, Gilgun was interviewed for the documentary The Kids from Coronation Street about his time on the programme, remembering the look of pride in his grandfather's eyes upon learning he'd got the part. He also recollected how on his first day of filming his mother had instructed the family accompanying him to the set to play it cool, only to go crazy upon spotting Julie Goodyear, well known for playing Bet Lynch. He also revisited the set with other former Corrie child stars, including Warren Jackson (Nick Tilsley) whom he had acted alongside.
First and last lines[]
"I'm off sick today." (First line, to Curly Watts)
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"Bye!" (Final line, to Vera Duckworth)
Appendices[]
List of addresses[]
| Address | Duration |
|---|---|
| Inkerman Street flat | late-July 1994 to 25th January 1995 |
| 1 Coronation Street | 25th January 1995 to 17th July 1995 |
| 5 Crimea Street | 17th July 1995 to 10th January 1997 |
| Rovers Return Inn | 10th January 1997 to 2nd May 1997 |