Stanley Fairclough was Len Fairclough's son. In 1961, when Stanley was at Bessie Street School, teacher Ken Barlow made him go out in the snow with a bad chest. Len threatened Ken when he suggested Stanley was a liar. By his own admission, Len was a bad husband and father, and he often ignored Stanley and Nellie to drink and socialise. In December 1962, Nellie decided she'd had enough and left home to live in Nottingham with insurance agent Harry Bailey, taking Stanley with her. Len didn't stop them but asked Ken to keep an eye on Stanley at school for him.