David "Dave" Robbins was a teaching colleague of Ken Barlow at Bessie Street School in Weatherfield in the mid-1960s. In 1963, Dave and Ken organised a school play together. As Ken's house was close to the school, Ken volunteered its use as a base of operations for rehearsals. Dave and Ken scarcely noticed how put out Ken's wife Valerie was by Dave taking up so much of Ken's time, as the pair became friends, sharing an interest in politics and human rights. When Dave's landlady was in hospital, Dave turned up at No.9 with a suitcase, and Ken was only too happy to invite him to stay for as long as he liked.