1919: Jack Ford returns from the Great War to the mining town of Gallowshields, on "leave pending discharge". He has no prospects, but a gift for making himself likable to all levels the highly stratified British classes and an eye for every opportunity--for Jack.
jack continues to work his way into the Seaton family - hard working Bill and his wife Bella, and their adult children Tom, Jessie and Billy. Bill is a miner but wants better for his family. Thanks to his hard work there is money for his daughter to train as a school teacher and son Billy to attend University and become a Doctor. Tom is not academic and so he works in the mines with his father, but he would prefer to work outdoors.
The miners have been on strike for a month, over a pay claim. Tom, now supporting a wife and son, borrows some money from Jack, who, despite being out of work for two months, doesn't seem to be short of a few bob. Jessie and Jack discuss having a baby, but Jessie says that her entire family is relying on her income. Jack claims that he's got money put by, and is supplementing this with "odd jobs".
With his wife Mary dying of TB, Tom Seaton starts a job as a strikebreaker in the local mine. Jack Ford continues his affair with Dolly Headley whom he visits while she is at work for Sir Horatio Manners, his army captain's father. Discovering that Manners likes swords, Jack goes off and buys a cheap one in order to present it to Manners by way of introduction. Manners sizes him up and offers him a job.
With the strike continuing people are forced to steal coal. When Jack Ford brings some coal round for the Seatons which he has bought off someone, Bill Seaton tells him to take it away as it is the same as paying the mine owners and is helping them instead of the strikers.
After eight weeks, the miners' strike is over, but the pitmen have settled without gaining anything. ("It was either that or starve", admits Bill). Empire Day ("the day that we remember our Empire. The British Empire. The greatest the World has ever seen") is celebrated at Jessie's school: the headmaster, Mr Ashton, leads the children in a spirited, patriotic rendition of Land of Hope and Glory.
Matt and Dolly nervously wait for Jack at the registrar's office. Jack arrives at the last minute, bearing a bouquet. Later Jack tells Matt and Dolly that he was delayed by a broken-down tram, and that had to hitch a ride with a passing rag and bone man. Jack gives Dolly the five pounds - the first five pound note Dolly has seen, telling her it's a wedding present (although he declines to tell her from whom). Matt and "Mr and Mrs Ford" share a bottle of champagne.
Mary has died. Jack is joined at the pub by an old army friend, black and tan soldier Sid Hepburn. Jack is surprised to hear that he's being paid ten bob a day, all found. Tom and Bill arrive, and Jack hears about Mary's death. Bill calls Jack a "fornicating bastard". Jack leaves. Sid is joined by a loutish colleague, Harry Bartram.
Tom tells his mother that he plans to marry Rosie, and move to Edinburgh for a fresh start. Rosie tells Tom that both their mothers are against the marriage, and that their opinion carries a lot of weight. Rosie tells Tom he must wait for a year: "I'll never forget me pitman". Mick's funeral is well-attended. It is partly funded by the union, who also provide the pallbearers.
Manners visits the recently-married Jack and Dolly. Dolly is heavily pregnant, but Jack looks leaner than Manners remembers. Manners offers Jack whisky and smoked salmon sandwiches, and a job: £20 for a week's work. He wants to buy a house from Lord Calderbeck, and wants Jack to act as a front-man.
Jack and visiting Glaswegian socialist lecturer Sandy Lewis visit The George Hotel bar, where Billy is working. Tom is there. The Seatons are going to Jessies that evening, to celebrate the New Year. Tom lurks at a the Conservative Unionist Women's Association annual shindig, where Richard Harley Evans is guest of honour, celebrating the party's recent election win. Tom sneaks into the cloakroom, stealing items of value. He is interrupted, and narrowly escapes capture, by slipping into Sandy Lewis's lecture.
Jack has arranged a safe route to the docks for Tom. Green and Edgar catch up with Tom, but they have a surprise in store: a "tin panning", which means they're hounded home by the womenfolk, bashing pots and pans. Jack returns home to find Dolly apologetic, and a hearty meal on the table. Lizzie arrives with a letter from Mr Gibson: she's been offered a cleaning job paying a very respectable "fifteen bob a week...half a man's wages".
After serving his sentence, Jack is released from prison. Matt has arranged for a welcoming procession, including a colliary band! Jack is paraded through the streets as a "The People's Friend", hammer in hand. Jessie tells Jack she doesn't entirely approve of his new-found power, or the way he got it, hoping that he won't forget the people he's going to represent. "Don't you worry, bonnie lass, they'll get their share... eventually".
Jack starts his new job as District Secretary but he has to contend with trouble from within his union and he meets up with his old friend Sir Horatio Manners.
Tom is released from prison, however, when a Scottish stranger comes looking for him and Jack there is going to be trouble.
Billy reeturns home as a qualified doctor whilst Jack has a visit from an old army pal who is in trouble.
Tom has moved out of home and into the local working man's hostel where he meets a Russian who is looking for Sergeant Ford.
Les Mallow wants Jack to help him expose a local scandal and help to secure him a place on the council and he is prepared to use any means to secure Jack's help.
Tom meets a rich lady who is looking for her father and agrees to help, meanwhile, Billy starts work as a doctor at the local surgery in Wellesley Street.
Sir Horatio Manners calls in his favour from Jack. Jack pays him back with interest.
Bill sets up another shop in Gallowshields and Jack and Dolly get ready for a night out with the Duke of Bedlington.
Jack develops a taste for the high life, but it proves too rich for Dolly.
There is an accidetn at the Lewis Bishop Ship Yard and one of the fitters is badly hurt.
Jack is in demand to speak up for Geordie Watson, the local labour candidate in the forthcoming election.
Union head office wants Jack to force Colefax, the local employer, to allow the union into his factory, but Jack has split loyalties. Bella is taken ill.
Jack steps down as Secretary for the union and everybody is upset about the potential demolition of the country house, Mandrake Place.
Jack is injured after demolishing Mandrake Place - a beautiful country house owned by Sir Horatio Manners. Jessie offers to give Jack and alibi but he refuses.
Thugs beat Jack up. He knows which 'posh fellas' sent them and plans his rervenge. Jessie's husband has a heart to heart with Jack and clears the air.
Arthur annouces a house move to Kent to Jessie and says she must accompany him. Sir Horatio outwits Jack and refuses to pay him for taking part in his housing estate scheme.
There is much speculation as to why Jack is taking so long in Scarborough getting the evidence for the divorce from Dolly. Matt finds out Sir Horatio is dealing with the Germans.
Sir Horatio Manners draws up a contract with Jack as Managing Director of his company and Jack insists on an extra clause to protect the jobs of his Union men.
The witness who saw Jack and his 'other woman' together has died and Jack has to go through the whole charade again to get the photographic evidence for his divorce from Dolly.
Jack continues his social climbing, socialising with the Duke of Bedlington and Lady Caroline while dealing with Trade Union matters and elevating his old friend Matt Hedley.
Matt and Jack want to buy property in Wellesley Street - they-re up against devious businessmen, including Mr Colefax, who are also interested, and battle commences.
The battle for Wellesley Street continues adn Colefax refuses to employ Union men - Matt announces that if there is no Union there is no deal and Colefax is cornered.
Matt is having Union problems and needs Jack's help but Jack is in London. Billy is hopeful that he's found a new site for his clinic. Dolly awaits her decree absolute expectantly.
Jack returns from London to discover Billy has been given a warehouse by Mr Ryder to use as his free medical clinic. Dolly gives birth to a son, but whose name will be on the borth certificate?
Dolly and Tom's baby is christened and Mr Seaton goes to hospital to have his operation. Bella misses Jessie who now lives in Kent with Arthur.
Jack has returned home after the cruise and is bored. Lady Caroline announces she is to marry a coldstream Guard an MR Seaton is out of hospital.
Billy is in his father's bad books because of a rumoured romance that could ruin both of their livelihoods. Jack is helping the Duke of Bedlington to find out who's threatening him.
It is The Shoeless Children's Ball and Jack chases Billy's girl just to spite him. Jack and his band of men catch the man who has been threatening the Duke and Lady Caroline.
After 6 years in the United States, Jack Ford returns in an unexpected style. By chance, he meets Canon Penfold who recommends hostel lodgings for him, but after a nasty experience with a sadistic roommate and numerous drinking binges, Jack realises that he has reached rock bottom. His luck is about to change when he bumps into a friend from New York.
Jack comes back to Gallowshield to seek help from an old friend but is shocked to hear of Matt Headley's death. He receives a cool welcome from Sarah, Matt's widow, who begrudingly offers to give him temporary lodgings. Jack feels that Sarah's brother is hiding something and sets out to discover what it is.
Jack is finding his feet and his form again. MArgaret Carter-Brown, a 'scocial commentator' meets Jack and he shows her how the depression affects families in Gallowshields and the misery it causes. At the Master Shipbuilder's Dinner, Jack discusses as Argentinitan deal which would revive the shipyard.
Jack is back to ducking and diving and buying fire damaged bankrupt stock from the South Americans for Sarah to sell. He has also found romance with Margaret, the well-bred socialist.
Jack is visited by a former schoolmate who is in touch with Bill Pierce, Matt's nephew, now a brilliant law student at Oxford and in financial trouble. Bill is heavily in debt and considers dropping out of his course to take manual work with his girl-friend's father but Jack loans him the money he needs, attracting the attention of Mrs. Laurence's niece Imogen Lorrimer, who is visiting from London.
Jack has been living in London for three years with Imogen, but, despite still having feelings for him, she leaves him to avoid scandal. The Tyneside hunger marchers arrive in town as Jack, tipped off by Geordie Watson that there is North Sea oil, buys cheap land in Gallowshield to sell to the interested company. At a toga party for the hunger marchers Jack meets Jessie, still married to Arthur and with three children, but seeing upper class socialist Robin Cunningham. She opposes his land deal but Jack buys her silence by threatening to tell Arthur about Robin.
Having made a huge sum from his deal with the oil company, Jack is mixing in London high society. He is asked by his land agent to help him broker the sale of an expensive necklace to Morty, Jack's old American colleague, on behalf of wealthy Philip Martin, with a commission for them both. Martin's sister Jane takes a shine to Jack but proves to be an unbalanced psychiatric case. The sale goes ahead and when Jack learns that Morty paid off the mobsters who were threatening him he waives his half of the price.
Lady Caroline invites Jack to visit her back in Gallowshield. He finds Sarah about to marry Stan Liddell, who is involved in anti-Fascist politics as the Blackshirts whip up hysteria against Jews. Jack steps in to help persecuted shop-keeper Manny Goldstein before attending a function given by Lady Caroline's husband, Edward Mostyn, who hates Fascists. Jack tells Smith-Jameson just what he thinks of him and walks out, supported by socialist guest Tania Corley. Before returning to London he buys Manny's shop so that, when Fascist thugs attack it, he forces Smith-Jameson to pay Manny full compensation or risk prosecution.
Jack is dating Tania, whose mother, the communist Lady Leamington, gives a party to raise funds for the victims of Franco in the Spanish civil war. At his London practice Billy treats Bob Randall, son of Jack's old army sergeant Fred, wounded fighting for the Spanish Republicans. Aware that Jack considers himself in debt to Fred, who once saved his life, Jessie and Billy get Fred to act as go-between in persuading Jack to smuggle guns past Franco's blockade to help the Republicans. With Tania, Jessie - who has left Arthur - Billy and Left Wing journalist Nigel Scott-Palliser, Jack sets sail under the guise of a pleasure cruise.
Jack learns that Scott-Palliser is planning to have him arrested for gun-running. He sends Tania home and gets the ship's captain to put ashore elsewhere to avoid the Nationalist gunboat, taking loyal ship's steward Raoul Savory with him. Jessie is shocked to discover that Scott-Palliser has been financed by Stalin's government and plans to give the guns to the Communists and not the Socialists, whom he sees as traitors. Whilst keeping it from him she and Jack talk over old times. Raoul, however, learns of Scott-Palliser's deceit and diverts the Communist convoy though Scott-Palliser escapes. Jack, Jessie, Billy and Raoul outrun Franco's Moorish cavalry to get the guns through to the Socialists but Scott-Palliser is lying in wait for Jack...
