Mon, Dec 2, 1974
The search continues for Robert Carne as the authorities and community believe him dead. The press are intrigued as speculation grows that he either committed suicide or faked his own death due to his debts, and a reporter goes down to try and dig up some dirt on the story. Sarah is distraught, remembering their last quarrel, but she is not the only one grieving as Tom Sawdon's wife dies in hospital. Meanwhile there is a surprise twist in the road development, and Alfred Huggins day of reckoning comes when he confronts Anthony Snaith, who little anticipates Huggins' fury. And there is an unexpected visitor at Maythorpe Hall for Mrs Beddows and for Midge.
Mon, Oct 7, 1974
Sarah Burton is determined to secure improvements for her school building as term time begins and attracts the notice of councillor and vicar Alfred Huggins in her bid to gain funding. Pupil Lydia Holly is also gaining notice, especially for her school work, which rises hopes for Sarah as a possible promising pupil, but a sudden turn of events at home threatens those prospects. And a harsh winter for 1932 devastates much of the community, including local squire farmer Robert Carne, who Sarah finally meets properly when she is on hand to help when one of his cows goes into labour.
Mon, Sep 23, 1974
Sarah checks out her new school and teachers ready for the term to come, but is less than impressed by both the conditions of the building and the staff's lack approach to teaching. She also checks out the other pupils that will be attending there when she goes to a local stage production, where she encounters the Holly family, a family of nine who live in caravan type slums and who one of their daughter is rushed in to hospital with suspected appendicitis. The eldest daughter Lydia befriends the new neighbours Fred and Nancy Mitchell, who have had to move there when money became tight. While Nancy is snobbish about the area, Fred encourages Lydia's love for literature.
Mon, Nov 11, 1974
Mrs Beddows is disturbed to hear rumours that Maplethorpe may be sold while visiting the local asylum and goes to see Robert Carne. But she is equally perturbed to find School teacher Sarah Burton there when she arrives enjoying drinks. Later Sarah and Robert go out to dinner, but the evening proves a mixed one full of unexpected revelations. Alfred Huggins decides to court fellow members on the committee to buy property he secretly owns on the waste land tipped for the new road build, while Barney Holly decides to court the attentions of the widow Brimley.
Mon, Nov 25, 1974
It's now 1934 and Robert Carne is battling to hold on to his house and his seat in the local election against new candidate Stanley Dollan, a man backed by Anthony Snaith, who is suing Carne for defamation after implicating him in Alfred Huggins' property scheme. However, when Carne's aged farm hand dies he decides to hold his funeral on voting day in order to scupper Dollan's voting chances. Sarah Burton finally loses patience with Carne's daughter Midge, and later when Carne confronts Sarah over the building applications for the school the two clash. But later he disappears and one of the labourers discovers Carne's horse at the bottom of the cliff.
Mon, Sep 16, 1974
Sarah Burton returns to her childhood home after many years away to apply for the new vacant position of headmistress at the local school. Her personality wins over many people, but at least one of the school governors, Robert Carne, is against her appointment for reasons at first unclear. He is a landowner who recently lost the vote to become the new MP there, but Robert has his own troubles with a wife in a mental home and a daughter that has started to show signs of mental instability. He is just one of many people that Sarah Burton will encounter in the poverty stricken area of South Riding.