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Percival "Percy" Sugden was the resident caretaker of the Community Centre from 1983 to 1988. Following his forced retirement, he moved into 3 Coronation Street as Emily Bishop's lodger and stayed until 1997.

Percy became a widower upon the passing of his wife Mary in 1978. They had no children together. In Coronation Street, he was generally seen as opinionated and nosy; many sympathised with Emily for putting up with him for so long. He frequently lectured the younger residents of the Street, often making reference to his years in the Royal Army Catering Corps during the Second World War, when he drove a mobile canteen across the Western Desert. Even in his advancing years, Percy was a soldier, applying military precision to all aspects of his life.

While Percy was undeniably overbearing at times, he was very loyal to Emily and was a great help to her when she had a nervous breakdown in 1992. He left the Street in 1997 to get away from noisy neighbours the Battersbys, preferring the calm of Mayfield Court old folks' home.

Percy's friends in the Street were Maud Grimes, to whom he was briefly engaged, and Phyllis Pearce, his long-time admirer who Percy spent much of his time avoiding. His greatest companion though was Randy, his faithful budgie.

Biography[]

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"Ken, do something!"
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1922-1983: Early life[]

1983-1988: Caretaker of the community centre[]

Percy Sugden arrived in the Street in 1983 as the new caretaker at the Community Centre. Old soldier Percy had been a cook in the Army and his proudest boast was: "When you've made gravy under shell fire, you can do anything!" Percy briefly knew fellow war veteran Albert Tatlock upon his arrival in the Street.

In 1983, Percy suggested to Mavis Riley that his pet budgie, Randy, should mate with her pet budgie, Harriet. However, Mavis was not happy with the idea. In 1984 Percy set up a Neighbourhood Watch scheme but was arrested after being accused of being a peeping tom, however this was proven to be a mistake when his neighbours vouched for him.

Percy was well-meaning, but bossy and interfering. He had little family, but was close to his niece, Elaine Prior, who married Bill Webster in 1985.

In 1987, Percy formed the Percy Sugden Formation Dancers, containing such local notables as Hilda Ogden and Phyllis Pearce. He groomed them to an enter a local dance contest. Fed up with his bossiness, the dancers finally ousted Percy and elected a new chairman. An outraged Percy reacted by cancelling the group's entry in the dance contest, and informing them that new entries were no longer being accepted.

Also in 1987, Percy decided to be a good neighbour, making regular visits to Alf Roberts, who was recovering from a heart attack. Alf was horrified when insensitive Percy told him stories of other heart attack victims who had not been so lucky to survive!

1988-1997: Retirement and move to No.3[]

Upon reaching retirement age in 1988, Percy was forced to leave his flat at the Community Centre and move out of the Street. Miserable at being away from the neighbourhood, he slumped into lethargy until Emily Bishop took pity on him and moved him in as her lodger at No 3. Percy was delighted, but Mavis Riley, an old friend of Emily's, initially reacted with some jealousy.

When Mavis married Derek Wilton later in 1988, Percy was thrilled to act as best man - although nobody had actually asked him - and took upon himself the duty of ensuring that Derek made it to the wedding this time.

Like Albert Tatlock and Ena Sharples before him, Percy was disappointed by many of the "doings" of the younger generation. When Brian Tilsley was stabbed and killed outside a nightclub in 1989, Percy blamed it on "Acid Drops" (Acid House), stating that in his day people attending George Formby concerts hadn't come dashing out stabbing folk!

Percy had unwanted female attention thanks to Phyllis Pearce and Maud Grimes. Phyllis pursued him for most of the 1980s and into the 1990s, and sought to make him jealous by being seen around with other local pensioners, including Sam Tindall and Arnold Swift. But Percy was quite unmoved.

1997-1998: Moving on from Coronation Street[]

Episode 4285

1997: Percy bids farewell to Emily before his move to Mayfield Court, ending his reign as her difficult lodger of almost ten years.

In 1997, Percy's happy life in the Street was shattered when the Battersbys moved in next-door. A couple of months later following them moving in, Percy faced another dilemma when he believed that Emily was secretly an alcoholic when he found empty bottles stashed around the house, and also wrongly believed that she was moving stuff around the house as a prank. Unknown to Percy, Battersby patriarch Les was responsible, as he was secretly breaking into the house to mess with Percy. Remaining under the illusion that Emily was now a heavy drinker, Percy took the decision to move to Mayfield Court, where Maud had moved into two weeks earlier. Emily made no attempt to stop him from leaving, and saw him off when Ken gave Percy a ride to the home and the pair parted ways.

Emily visited him the day after his move and reported back that he was settling in well and already busy helping other residents. At Christmas 1997 Maud commented to Emily that Percy had taken charge of the Mayfield Court Christmas dinner, giving regular advice to the cook on the preparation of the turkey.

By 1998, Percy was still living in Mayfield Court.

Personality[]

Duckworths 1983
"If you've owt to say, spit it out before it flamin' well chokes yer"
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Relationships[]

Duckworths 1983
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Hobbies and interests[]

Duckworths 1983
"If you've owt to say, spit it out before it flamin' well chokes yer"
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Background information[]

Duckworths 1983
"If you've owt to say, spit it out before it flamin' well chokes yer"
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Please edit this article to fill in the missing parts and remove this message when done.

First and last lines[]

"Morning. Just called to introduce meself, Percy Sugden, new caretaker at t'Community Centre, you'll be Mrs Roberts?" (First line)

---

"Alright, you do. Bye now. Right, Kenneth." (Final lines)

Appendices[]

Duckworths 1983
"If you've owt to say, spit it out before it flamin' well chokes yer"
This article or section is unfinished.
Please edit this article to fill in the missing parts and remove this message when done.

List of addresses[]

Address Duration
Community Centre flat August 1983 to May 1988
3 Coronation Street 25th May 1988 to 18th July 1988
11 Parliament Street 18th July 1988 to 3rd August 1988
3 Coronation Street 3rd August 1988 to 29th July 1991
NorWin, Seedley Close 29th July 1991 to 2nd August 1991
3 Coronation Street 9th August 1991 to 20th October 1997
Mayfield Court 20th October 1997 onwards

See also[]

External links[]

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