His birthday has been 25 January (Sixty Five Today), 10 February (Steptoe and Son Ride Again) and 26 September (A Perfect Christmas).

He was born at the home in Oil Drum Lane where he and Harold reside throughout the series, and was possibly the tenth of fourteen children.

Albert appears to have joined the army underage at the beginning of the First World War and is seen wearing the Mons Star medals to prove it.

He claims that he was hit by a grenade in 1917; when it didn't explode, he threw it back to the German trenches with devastating effect, especially on the canteen: sausages and sauerkraut went flying into the air.

Shortly after the war, he married his wife Gladys Mary Bonclark (referred to as Emily in Seance in a Wet Rag and Bone Yard) and they had a son, Harold.

Steptoe and Son in Murder at Oil Drum Lane provides closure to the show, establishing that Harold accidentally killed his father while he was on the toilet.

He often feigns heart attacks in order to keep his son around, but despite their disagreements and bitterness, the two maintain an essential connection and family loyalty to one another.

This is shown in several episodes, such as Full House in which Albert wins back Harold's money in a game of cards against Harold's manipulative group of friends,[3] and The Seven Steptoerai when they are menaced by a local gangster running a protection racket and team up with some of Albert's friends to fight off the gangster's thugs.