Jack "Jacko" Ford was a widower and father of Corner Shop assistant Norma Ford. He arrived in Weatherfield in June 1972 after serving 16 months at Strangeways Jail and went to see Norma, but found that Norma didn't want to see him, having been let down by him all her life. When he came under suspicion of carrying out a break-in at a jewellers in Longsight, Norma believed he had done it, but he was cleared when the real crook was caught. Slowly, Norma began to accept Jacko in her life and shop owner Maggie Clegg let him sleep in the stock room at the shop.