Robert Croft was the leader of a hippy commune which squatted at 11 Coronation Street in 1968.
Robert was put onto the dwelling when Lucille Hewitt coaxed Dennis Tanner into having a rave-up there and invited Robert and his hippy friends. The house was empty apart from Dennis as Elsie had emigrated to America just after Christmas 1967. Dennis cancelled the party but when the hippies were forced to move on from their encampment in Union Street, Robert led them to No.11.
The hippies - Robert, Monica Sutton, Keith, Roy and Vanda - sprung themselves on Dennis on New Year's Eve, invading No.11 with their blankets and paraphernalia and nicking Dennis's food - at least, those among them who ate. Dennis firstly assumed that they'd come looking for Lucille, and it only dawned on him gradually that the hippies had designated No.11 their new dosshouse. Mostly this was because of the quiet and placid demeanour of his guests; Robert was the most cognizant and straight-talking of the hippies, but like the others he was practically mute, spending most of his time thinking, smoking and staring into space. His talent was improvised poetry.
Although a little put out at first when the hippies came to stay, typical Dennis enjoyed the ruckus it caused in the street. They announced themselves to the neighbours with their psychedelic music and gongs played through the night, upsetting Hilda Ogden. The main opposition, however, came from Annie Walker. Lucille joined their fold as soon as she heard the hippies were in the area, leading Annie to try anything and everything to get her away from the "vagrants". After Jack Walker and Emily Nugent failed to bring Lucille home, Annie entered the fray herself. She arrived to the sight of Robert burning incense, and Lucille wearing Monica's "false hair", Lucille having changed into the hippies' most extreme gear just to shock her. Robert then led the chanting hippies around the house, frightening Annie into hightailing it home.
The following day, Dennis received a visit from his landlord Alfred Wormold, who had been alerted to the "layabouts" at No.11 by Annie. As the hippies slept during the day, his knocks went unheard the first time but he returned having been advised by Annie to keep at it until sparks flew off the knocker. Just as offended by the sight of the hippies as Annie, Wormold demanded their removal and evicted Dennis for good measure. They hippies left shortly thereafter, Lucille included, though Lucille left them to return home once she decided to forgive Annie.