Concepta Regan (née Riley, previously Hewitt) was a barmaid of the Rovers Return Inn in the early 1960s, and married Harry Hewitt in 1961. Their son Christopher was born in 1962, and Concepta wanted the Hewitts to move to her native Ireland after believing that where they lived in Coronation Street wasn't good enough to raise a family. Eventually she won over Harry over the objections of his daughter from his first marriage, Lucille, who stayed in the UK.
Harry was killed in a motoring accident in 1967 during a visit to their old friends in Coronation Street. Concepta's second husband was Sean Regan. They met in Ireland.
Biography
1926-1960: Early life
Born 15th January 1926 to an Irish Catholic family, by the 1960s Concepta Riley had a room above the Rovers Return Inn in Weatherfield and worked there as a barmaid under landlords the Walkers.
1960-1962: Concepta and Harry
After an extended stay with her family in Ireland, Concepta returned to Weatherfield. She enjoyed a flirtation with bus driver Harry Hewitt, and was thrilled when he invited her to the Bus Depot Dance, but vied for his attentions with Florrie Lindley, and briefly tried to make him jealous by dating Michael Regan. Harry proposed to Concepta on a Street picnic in Blackpool and she accepted. Concepta's family were initially wary of her marrying a non-Catholic but gave their blessing when Harry said that any children of the marriage could be raised Catholic. They were married on the 1st October at St. Theresa's church, a local Catholic church. Harry's daughter Lucille was a (somewhat reluctant) bridesmaid and Len Fairclough was best man. The Hewitts took their honeymoon at the Isle of Man. After marrying, Concepta left her job at the Rovers, but occasionally helped out when they were short-staffed.
Concepta moved into 7 Coronation Street but was unhappy to be sharing the same bed with Harry that his first wife had. In an attempt to placate her, Harry bought a new suite of bedroom furniture, neglecting to buy the all-important new bed. Concepta understood that Harry had not done this on purpose and realised they would never see exactly eye to eye.
Concepta soon found out that she was pregnant and was filled with conflicting emotions. Though glad to finally be a mother she was concerned that, at 35, she was too old to be pregnant for the first time. Christopher Hewitt was born on 6th August 1962.
Concepta is frantic after baby Christopher goes missing
Subsequently, Concepta doted on Christopher and left Lucille feeling excluded and unwanted. Ena Sharples intervened and pointed out to Concepta that she had two children. A party thrown to celebrate the first anniversary of the Hewitt marriage ended in drama when Christopher, who had been taken for a walk by Lucille, went missing. Concepta was distraught and wandered the streets searching for her son and crying out his name. She was taken home and sedated by the doctor. Christopher was found and returned unharmed.
Concepta took a dislike to Harry's whippets and told him to get rid of them. He swapped the pair for a greyhound Lucky Lolita, which Concepta took to instantly, but since Harry intended to sell it when it did well, Concepta was the only resident of the Street pleased when it lost a race. Her neighbours had lost money but it meant the Hewitts kept Lolita.
1963-1967: Leaving Weatherfield
Concepta began to believe that living in a city suburb was damaging Christopher's health when he developed a chesty cough. Concepta became convinced that living on the Irish countryside would be better for him, though it took a long time to persuade Harry of this as Lucille was against it.
When her father retired from his garage business Harry was eventually persuaded to move to Ireland to take over the family business at a garage in the village of Castleblayney. Concepta, Harry, and Christopher moved to Ireland but Lucille opted to stay behind to finish her exams.
It was on a return visit to Weatherfield in 1967 that Concepta became a widow. Returning to attend Elsie Tanner's wedding, Harry was crushed to death whilst attempting to fix Len Fairclough's van. Concepta was left a grieving single mother and returned to Ireland to raise Christopher surrounded by her family. Concepta and Christopher were occasionally visited in Ireland by an orphaned Lucille.
1967 onwards: Concepta and Sean
Concepta in her final episode in 1975.
Concepta returned to visit Annie Walker in 1972 and announced that she was to re-marry, this time to Sean Regan. In 1975, she and her husband were visiting Weatherfield when, unbeknownst to Concepta, Regan made a pass at Bet Lynch. Concepta told her old landlady Annie Walker that she knew Sean had cheated on her before, but let Bet believe that she thought Bet had made a play for Sean. This was her last visit to Weatherfield.
Other information
Following the death of barmaid Betty Williams in 2012, the last will and testament of Annie Walker was discovered among her possessions. Dated 1984 (The year of Annie's retirement), the document cited Concepta as one of the beneficiaries.
Background Information
Concepta was one of the 21 original characters created by Tony Warren and had debuted in the fifth episode on the 23rd December 1960. In 1964 she was axed from the series and departed alongside on-screen husband Harry Hewitt. She made numerous short returns in 1967, 1972 and 1975.
Quotes
"If you must know I've come by aeroplane." (First line).
"Harry and me were married on October 1st 1961, and it happened a few months later." (Last line, to Len Fairclough).
See also
External links
| Original characters | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ken Barlow | Frank Barlow | Ida Barlow | David Barlow | Jack Walker | Annie Walker | Elsie Tanner | Dennis Tanner | Linda Cheveski | Ivan Cheveski | Harry Hewitt | Lucille Hewitt | Concepta Riley | Ena Sharples | Minnie Caldwell | Martha Longhurst | Albert Tatlock | Christine Hardman | Florrie Lindley | Esther Hayes | Leonard Swindley |