Sugden family

The Sugden family are a fictional family in the popular ITV soap opera Emmerdale. They are a traditional, Christian family of farmers who originate from rural Yorkshire, the Sugden family have been farming in Yorkshire for generations and still do. The Sugdens have been the core family since the very first episode in 1972 and they still are but focus has also been shared with the Dingle family. Current Sugdens on the show include: Diane Sugden, Robert Sugden, Victoria Sugden, Sarah Sugden Jr. and Jack Sugden Jr.. Several others are considered Sugden's through marriage, including the current; Victoria's husband Adam Barton, Robert's ex-wife Chrissie White and Robert's fiancé Aaron Dingle.

Family members

Backstory

The Sugden family in the first episode

The Miffield estate was the biggest employer in the village of Beckindale, Emmerdale Farm was on the edge of the village and during the 1850s, the Crimean War was raging, during the war, Josh Sugden sacrificed his life to save Lord Miffield's son from death. Lord Miffield, out of gratitude for the great sacrifice, gave the Sugdens Emmerdale Farm which was a farm on the edge of Beckindale.

Josh Sugden's grandson was Joseph Sugden, who with his wife (Margaret) had a son, whom they called Jacob Sugden. Jacob married the daughter of farmer, Sam Pearson, she was called Annie Pearson and the two married in 1945 and one year later in 1946, Annie give born to a son who they named John Sugden but who was called Jack for short. In 1948, Annie gave birth to a baby girl who went on to be called Peggy Sugden, a year later Jacob got another son who they named Joseph Sugden and the family all lived and worked together at Emmerdale Farm in the farmhouse.

In 1964, when Jack was around the age of eighteen, he had a very heated argument with his father, Jacob. Jack wanted to get away from Beckindale and explore the outside world, Jack then left Beckindale for London, leaving the rest of the family to cope alone. Things became tough at Emmerdale, due to Jacob's continuing visits to the Woolpack drowning the hard money that the family had worked so hard for.

1970s

Jack Sugden returns to Emmerdale Farm

After Jack left, Jacob visited the Woolpack more regularly where he would often become drunk, Jack kept in contact with his family through letters and Peggy later married an orphaned farmer, Matt Skilbeck (in 1968) who also worked very hard on the farm. Jacob battled his addiction to alcohol for years but he was fighting a losing battle, as the farm was losing a lot of its profits due to Jacob using a lot of money on alcohol. In 1972, Jacob finally lost the battle with alcohol and died, leaving the farm in need of money. Jack returned but didn't attend the funeral, he looked over the farm and had a drink in the Woolpack whilst waiting for the family to return to the farm. Peggy greeted Jack with hostility when it was discovered that Jacob had left Jack everything, Annie was also slightly bitter with Jack but allowed him to stay on at the farm but Annie and Jack later formed a closer relationship.

The family were also curious about Jack's time in London and the amount of money he had, they eventually discovered that Jack had written a novel which had proved successful, at the same time Jack and Joe were both competing for the affections of Marian Wilks, Annie accused Marian of playing the two off against each other and eventually Jack formed a relationship with her, much to the annoyance of Marian's father, Henry Wilks who had had run ins with Jack in the past. However Henry did believe that Joe was the right man for Marian and after Joe was involved in a car crash, Marian tried to encourage Joe to learn more and study for exams, however Joe saw it as an opportunity to prove that he could be smarter than Jack but he eventually gave up on this and chased after Janie Harker, Ruth Merrick's younger sister.

While Jack and Marian had a relationship, Tom Merrick was employed at Emmerdale Farm, Tom however had discovered that Jack was the father of his supposed son John "Jackie." Tom had looked closely at photos of Jack and Jackie, they resembled each other as well as the fact that Ruth had named him John after Jack. When Matt complained that Merrick wasn't working very well, Jack confronted Tom who threatened to tell Marian of his secret. Jack sacked Merrick anyway and Tom did tell Marian but they stayed together and married.

With money being down, the family gathered together to discuss the future of the farm, they suggested selling the family farm which would result in the family going its separate ways. Annie told Jack that if he wasn't willing to run the farm then they would sell up, Annie would become a housekeeper and rent a cottage, Matt and Peggy would go to the city and Grandad would go to a senior citizen's home. Jack refused to allow this to happen and stated he would run the farm.

However, Peggy who had fallen pregnant was getting annoyed with Jack's attitude as a manager of the farm, Peggy had claimed that Jack had changed for the worse and insisted on her and Matt leaving to work in the city so they could live in their own home. Matt wanted to stay working on at the farm but Peggy was insistent.

Jack eventually bought an old mill after battling with Henry Wilks over the land and moved into it, he meanwhile divide the farm between himself, Annie, Joe, Peggy and Grandad. Grandad however didn't want the responsibility and sold his share to Henry Wilks for £500. Peggy was now satisfied and agreed to stay on at Emmerdale Farm.

In early 1973, Amos feared that the brewery wanted a husband and wife team to run the pub together, in fear, Amos cycled over to the farm and proposed to his close friend, Annie Sugden. Annie was amused but turned Amos' offer down. Later in the year Peggy gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. Matt and Peggy named the babies Sam and Sally Skilbeck, they also converted a barn on the farm into a small cottage for them to live in near the family. However a huge tragedy was to strike the Sugden family in July, just three months after the twins were born, Peggy unexpectedly suffered a brain haemorrhage and died. The family were devastated and Matt sent the twins to live with his Aunt Beattie and her husband so that they could give the twins full-time care as Matt had to work on the farm. Peggy was buried next to her father, Jacob.

In early 1974, Jack and Marian Sugden decided to leave Beckindale, to write his second novel in Italy. Devastation would later occur for Matt again when the twins died along with his aunt when her car collided with a train. Joe fell in love with Christine Sharp and married her, Christine started to work on the farm but the hard life of farming stressed her out and she left Joe after just five weeks. Jack later came back in 1976, after suffering from writer's block, he came to visit Annie and the family after his divorce from Marian, after getting the boost he needed, he left for Italy to finish off his second novel.

In 1976, Joe formed a relationship with Kathy Gimbel, a local farm girl who like Joe had recently split from her spouse however their relationship got too complicated and they split up. Later on, Joe's estranged wife, Christine Sugden, returned and wanted to give their marriage another go but Joe insisted on having a divorce. Christine's dad, Robert Sharp wanted Christine to get half of Emmerdale farm in the divorce settlement but Henry Wilks suggested to Joe that if Sharp claimed half of the farm then Joe could claim half of his dairy farm. With this in mind Sharp did not claim any of the farm and the divorce went through. Meanwhile, Grandad Sam proposed to his old flame Nellie Radcliffe who turned him down, claiming they were too old to marry. Sam later thought to keep Nellie in her cottage when NY estates tried to force her out. Joe and Kathy reconciled later in 1977 and moved into 3, Demdyke Row but Kathy's dad committed suicide after his wife and kids left him. Kathy felt guilty and depressed and left Joe again. Matt meanwhile, had found love again in the form of Dolly Acaster in 1977, they eventually made plans to marry and did so in June 1978. Dolly later fell pregnant but misscaried in early 1980.

1980s

Clive Hornby as Jack Sugden after the recast and when he returned in 1980

In February 1980 Jack Sugden returned to Beckindale after finishing his novel in Italy, when Jack returned, he became serious about farming and wanted to run the farm, but Joe had also considered himself to be the manager of the farm and joined NY estates as assistant manager of Home Farm. This made Annie and Sam quite sad at Joe's departure from the farm. Soon after Jack's return, his old flame, Pat Ruth Merrick returned to Beckindale with her son Jackie and daughter Sandie after she left her controlling husband Tom for good.

Pat and Jack renewed their relationship and she and the Merricks moved into the farmhouse. In 1982, Pat and Jack married; the Sugden family was growing as finances for the family were improving. Joe left for France for a two-year period between 1984–1986 visiting every now and again. As for the Skilbeck branch of the family, Dolly gave birth to Samuel Skilbeck in December 1982. The following year, Sandie gave birth to a daughter but she gave it up for adoption in 1984 with the support from her gran, Annie and step-dad, Jack.

In 1986, Pat Ruth Sugden gave birth to Jack's second son by her; they named him Robert, however 4 months after, Pat died in a car crash.

The 1980s saw several tragedies for the Sugden family, with the deaths of Sam Pearson in 1984, Pat in 1986 and Jackie in 1989.

In 1988, Jackie married Kathy Bates who even after his death remained close to the Sugdens. The Hughes family moved into the farmhouse in 1989 after Kate Hughes and her children Rachel and Mark moved into Beckindale in 1988. The Hughes Family arrived which consisted of Kate and her children, Rachel and Mark, after some time Kate and Joe married.

In November 1989, Emmerdale Farm became Emmerdale. The Tate family arrived at Home Farm at the same time.

1990s

The late 1980s and early 1990s saw the departures of Sandie Merrick, Matt Skilbeck, Dolly Skilbeck, Samuel Skilbeck and Kate Sugden. These departures took place between 1989–1991.

The Sugdens were also supplanted by the Tates after 17 years 1972–1989 of being centre stage. The Beckindale air disaster however threw the family back into the limelight when Jack became the hero of the hour but it also killed Joe's stepson, Mark and Annie's husband of 5 weeks; Leonard were killed in the disaster.

It also lead to some more departures throughout 1994–1995.

Joe Sugden pondered on the fanciful idea that the Sugden family had been cursed as he totted up the number of deaths in the family in the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s. Shortly afterwards, he was killed in a car crash.

By 1997 the number of Sugdens had decreased whereas a decade earlier. There was not a family in the village that were not related either by step-family, blood or marriage to the Sugdens. In 1994 Jack and Sarah married and had a child; Victoria Anne Sugden and went on to adopt Andy Hopwood that same year Rachel Hughes went on to marry Chris Tate who was previously married to Kathy Merrick who was also married to Rachel's Step-cousin; Jackie Merrick.

By the late 1990s farming was no longer the shows issue so the Sugdens were pushed further to the back burner while other families took over. The 1990s ended on an unhappy note when Jack's step-niece Rachel was murdered by her lover Graham Clarke as the 2000s (decade) would start on an unhappy note as well.

2000s

In 2000, Jack and Sarah's marriage had hit the rocks, the family was short of money and the farm was failing. At this time Sarah had fallen in love with her lodger, Richie Carter, together they began an affair behind Jack's back. When Jack discovered he threw Sarah out of the house, Sarah later tried to get back with Jack. The effects of the separation had got to Andy, who saw the farm failing. Andy realised that he could burn down a barn, pretend it was an accident and then the family could claim it on the insurance. However, when Andy set the barn a light, he didn't realise that Sarah was meeting Richie to talk. The barn burned, Richie made it out and Jack tried to save Sarah but he couldn't and Sarah was burned alive. Andy tried to put the experience behind him and formed a relationship with fellow student Katie Addyman.

November 2003 saw the arrival of Andy's half-brother; Daz Eden and in 2005 Andy's lover Debbie Dingle gave birth to his daughter; Sarah Dingle, Robert left that same year and Katie came back in 2006 to reconcile with Andy.

In 2007 Andy started an affair with Jo Stiles which Katie later discovered, Andy later chose to be with Jo and divorced Katie. Around the same time Jack and Diane began to become distant due to Billy Hopwood returning to try to build a relationship with his sons. Jack resented Hopwood trying to interfere with his family when he tried to block Jack and Diane's application to adopt Daz. Jack and Andy doubted Hopwood had changed but Daz gave him a chance, Hopwood even managed to save Victoria's life when his lorry crashed into a lake with her inside. In all this time Diane showed sympathy for Billy and helped him rebuild his life, their feelings escalated and Billy wanted to start a relationship with her, Diane resisted but admitted she had feelings for him. Billy asked Diane to choose but she couldn't and fled to Brighton. Billy followed her there by stealing a car but he soon got arrested, after he was released, Billy and Diane discussed their feelings which was heard by Victoria who told Jack.

Jack beat Billy to the ground, Jack and the rest of the family shunned Diane and blamed her for what had happened to the family. However Billy later revealed to Victoria that Jack had killed her mother Sarah, Victoria investigated further and checked with her mum's ex-lover RIchie Carter who confirmed the story. In a rage, Victoria went back to Annie's Cottage and covered the furniture in petrol. Jack and Andy later returned and Victoria demanded the truth, Andy eventually admitted that he caused the barn fire that killed Sarah although he didn't mean it. Victoria tripped down the stairs and wounded her head, Jack went to the bathroom to wet a flannel, however this triggered an explosion which caused the cottage to go on fire. Andy and Victoria were trapped in her bedroom however Andy managed to get her out, Jack collapsed in the bathroom but Hopwood broke in and got Jack out.

Jack later decided to sell the cottage to a new couple in early 2008, with him and Victoria moving into Butler's Farm with Andy, Jo and Sarah. Jack was amused at Victoria's behaviour around the young new farmhand and continued to help Jo out at the farm when Andy was sent to prison. Jack was still hesitant to repair his marriage as he felt betrayed but was more pleasant with Diane. Jack later received word from Spain that Annie was very ill and he departed in late February to care for her (offscreen), entrusting Diane with the care of Victoria and the rest of the family. Jack stayed there all year and invited the family over to stay for Christmas and intended to recpncile with Diane however flights where unavailable.

Katie Sugden later agreed to be a surrogate for Grayson and Perdy Sinlair, the treatment was successful and she fell pregnant with Grayson's baby, as a result she moved in with them, however Perdy left Grayson for Matthew and Katie was left with Grayson. They both eventually started an affair and planned to keep the baby for themselves, Grayson eventually proposed to Katie who destroyed evidence incriminating Grayson for fraud. Eventually Katie was shocked to learn that Grayson had slept with Paul whern he was married to Perdy but Katie believed that Perdy was lying. However Katie discovered it was true and was hurt by Grayson's dishonesty, she eventually gave her baby to Perdy so Grayson wouldn't be able to go near the baby. Grayson was arrested after trying to shoot Katie and life continued.

In early 2009, Andy Sugden decided that he wanted to Sell Bulters Farm as he couldn't cope, his stepmother Diane urged him to re think the idea, however Andy was adamant on the idea. Diane and Andy later informed Victoria and Daz, Victoria was furious and told Andy that their dad Jack would fight to keep the farm if he were there, Andy said that if Jack cared so much about the farm than he would be there. Victoria ran off, upset and angry with Andy, Daz told her that she should go to see Jack in Spain as Diane wouldn't be able to stop her.

A phone call later came in at the Woolpack, it was from Spain. Jack had suffered a heart attack and had died in hospital that afternoon. When Victoria and Daz returned to the Woolpack, Diane broke the news of Jack's death, both were heartbroken at the loss of Jack and broke down in tears. The next day, Diane tried to keep busy by cleaning the Woolpack, she told Val that Andy isolated himself as it was his own way of coping with the grief. Meaniwhile, at Butler's Farm, Andy walked around the farm quietly but was offered condolences from Mick who stated that he was sorry about Jack as he was an old friend of his. He reminisced about when Jack returned from Italy and how Jack knew the land better than anyone, Mick reassured Andy that the farm was safe in his hands.

The news quickly spread around the village, the Dingles were shocked at the news and wanted Andy to break the news to Sarah of Jack's passing. Andy's ex-wife Katie Sugden later went to the farm and told Andy that he needed to arrange the funeral, Andy was still angry and asked her to leave. Katie returned to the Woolpack and informed Diane that Andy was not helping, Diane then packed and left for Spain asking Daz to look after Victoria. Diane also asked Val and Pollard to deal with the funeral arrangements. Val ordered Andy to step up and be the person who holds the family together during the difficult time. Diane Sugden later returned with her mother-in-law Annie with husband Jack's body.

2010s

From 2009 to 2014, the Sugden family went into a period of decline following Jack's death and Daz's exit, and a lack of storylines for Diane, Andy and Victoria but during 2014 and 2015 the Sugden's were brought back to the front of the show, featuring in many new exciting storylines. In October 2014 Robert Sugden returned to the village as part of the wealthy White family who moved into Home Farm, upon his return Andy punched Robert reigniting their feud. Later on Robert began an affair with Aaron Livesy which he did his best to hide, as he was desperate to cling onto the money of the White family which he would gain by marrying Chrissie White. Also during this time Katie and Andy remarried on Christmas Day, however their happy marriage did not last long. Katie discovered that Robert was having an affair but no one believed her, determined to discover the truth she became more obsessed, then on Robert and Chrissie's wedding day she caught Robert and Aaron kissing and she took a photo of it, but Robert trapped her into a room and refused to let her leave. As the argument became worse Robert pushed Katie and the floors gave way, causing Katie to fall to her death. Robert managed to cover up his role in her death for the time being. Andy, Victoria and Diane were all distraught at Katie's death though and Andy tried to commit suicide, but Robert managed to talk him out of it with Aaron's help.

Meanwhile, Victoria and Adam Barton got married but unknown to her, Adam had a one night stand with Vanessa Woodfield, when the truth came out Victoria argued with Adam and drove off in her car but accidentally ran down Ashley Thomas.

When Chrissie eventually found out about Robert's affair with Aaron, she set fire to his car which caused the helicopter crash which killed Robert's aunty Val Pollard and two other people, however Robert comforted Chrissie as she struggled with her guilt. Diane and Victoria both mourned the death of Val. Andy later on in the year realised that Robert was responsible for Katie's death but no one believed him thanks to Robert's impressive lying skills. Andy then organised for Ross Barton to shoot Robert, but Robert survived.

In November 2015 Diane was stabbed by Chas, who thought she was an intruder, Diane survived and the doctors also found a cancer, but thanks to it being caught early they removed it easily. Diane later thanked Chas because by stabbing her she had saved her life. In January 2016, Robert discovers Aaron's darkest secret; Aaron was repeatedly raped by his father Gordon Livesy in his childhood. Gordon denies Aaron's accusations but Robert believes Aaron over Gordon. In March 2016, Andy started a fling with Chrissie. In April 2016, after getting closer again when Aaron went through his ordeal, Aaron and Robert reunite and agree to restart their relationship after Gordon is sent to prison. After they become involved in car crash, Aaron accepts Robert's marriage proposal and they get engaged.

As of 2016 the Sugdens remaining in the show are Diane Sugden, Andy Sugden's children Sarah and Jack, Robert Sugden, Victoria Barton and her husband Adam Barton.