Series 5
| # | Title | Director | Writer | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53 | "When Troubles Come" | Lennie Mayne | Mervyn Haisman | 26 June 1977 (1977-06-26) |
| Gladstone is Prime minister. James is held captive at 'Port Baines' after a change of government. Baines insists on going ashore to rescue James, even though they haven't spoken for 5 years. Back in Liverpool, Elizabeth is financially stretched and trying to find more credit. Robert too is short of money for stock. A wealthy new client, Thomas Macaulay (Ed Devereaux), arrives with a professed desire to invest in shipping to capitalize on growth in South African trade after the Zulus are quelled. He approaches Elizabeth and negotiates a £100,000 debenture (a loan secured by the assets of the company) at 5% to allow him to invest in the (still privately held) Frazer Line, and she to re-capitalize the company. Baines successfully rescues James, though James is shot during the escape. On the voyage home, James recuperates from the wound to his head. He enjoys being at sea once more, and reconciles with Baines. In Liverpool, James reveals the South American catastrophe to the family. Robert takes the news calmly – too calmly. It emerges that Macaulay has approached him too and loaned him £10,000, in return for a rate of 4% and the management (including voting rights) of Robert's company shares. Charlotte may be sent away to school meaning Miss Gaunt could be let go, but James demurs. At the Bank, James learns that, while many investors were unsecured and have no recourse to Onedin funds, the Bank's main loan is secured: He will be sold up. Elizabeth lets Baines go. James has lost all his ships and Macaulay intends to buy up the lot. But none of these vessels have bailiffs notices attached yet, so Baines and James start discretely rounding up crews and slip away. Elizabeth and Miss Gaunt mislead Macaulay into thinking James has sailed for Belfast. In fact, he is off to the Baltic. | ||||
| 54 | "Rescue" | Gerald Blake | Ian Curteis | 3 July 1977 (1977-07-03) |
| James returns, surprising Harris, to negotiate a return for his six ships full of Black Sea grain. The cargo will pay off interest on Onedin debt but no capital. However, as part of the agreement the bank will foreclose on the house James provided for Miss Gaunt and Charlotte. James suggests that they move into his house and reassures Letty that he will appoint a housekeeper, to protect her reputation. She coyly replies "there is an alternative, James", to which James looks slightly startled. James sails for Turkey and on the way back agrees to take a passenger, Margesson (Edward Hardwicke) to rescue his family for £500. It becomes obvious that the detour is far more difficult and dangerous than James had been led to believe, and ultimately the man finds his house ransacked, his wife dying and his son already dead. James and the crew escape with their lives, but without the promised recompense. James ponders Letty's 'alternative'. Meanwhile Elizabeth is being pursued by Macaulay to become a partner and have more say in how the company is run as a result of his capital investment. Macaulay also starts buying up James' debts. | ||||
| 55 | "Coffin Ships" | Jonathan Alwyn | Ian Curteis | 10 July 1977 (1977-07-10) |
| Several ships have inexplicably sunk on the return voyage from carrying iron plates to Belfast. Harris confronts James over the money he owes the bank (he owes a total of £68000) and says that he has no choice but to sell two of his houses – including Robert's home. It transpires that Dunwoody (Chief Clerk at the Frazer Line) is looking to invest in property, having made his money betting on 'sinking ships', much to James' disgust. Robert is distressed when he discovers that his home is to be sold. He learns that Dunwoody has bought his home from Harris, and Dunwoody offers him a 7-year lease at £200 pa, he is outraged by the indignity (and the price) and storms out. Despite the apparent danger, James agrees to Elizabeth's offer to take a cargo of iron plates to Belfast, giving her 10% of the profits. Letty Gaunt is increasingly exasperated by James' steadfast refusal to respond to her hints of marriage. She warns him that she won't be there when he returns. James and Baines set sail for Belfast in the Charlotte Rhodes. James suspects foul play, spotting a particular sailor who signed up for the other ill-fated ships but always seemed to avoid the part of the voyage that resulted in a sinking. He instructs Baines to inspect the ship. Baines discovers that at least two areas, including the heel of the mizzenmast, have been sawn halfway through and the break concealed with pitch. In Belfast, Baines ensures that the sailor Kirk gets drunk enough to be put back on the ship for the voyage home. Kirk sobers up quickly when he realises that he is to share their fate. He confesses to sabotage, naming Macaulay as the man behind the scheme. James promises that Liverpool sailors will hear what Kirk has done, to receive "sailor's justice". Elizabeth arrives at her office to be told that Daniel Fogarty is already there, waiting for her. James returns home to find that Letty has taken up a new governess position. | ||||
| 56 | "The Trade Winds" | None credited | Cyril Abraham | 17 July 1977 (1977-07-17) |
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Daniel Fogarty (now played by Tom Adams) has returned from Australia a rich man, and reveals that Macaulay is his business partner. James has invited Letty to dinner at a restaurant. He is nervous and awkward, and clumsily builds up to a proposal. Fortunately, Letty is amused by his characteristic bluntness, and accepts his offer. Fogarty now considers himself a partner in the Frazer Line and is alarmed when he realises the extent to which Elizabeth has indentured the company to Macaulay. He offers her a cheque for the £40,000 she has already spent of Macaulay's investment – she is reluctant to accept, but he insists she takes it to protect herself should Macaulay decide to call in his debt. It is clear that Daniel has already heard enough about Macaulay's activities to have doubts about his erstwhile partner. Both James and Fogarty want rid of Macaulay, and Elizabeth sets up a meeting between them. They agree on a price for the signed confession that accuses Macaulay of sabotaging ships. Presented with the evidence against him, Macaulay hands over everything that he has acquired in Liverpool. Fogarty returns Robert's voting rights to James. Robert is still angry at the way his house was sold, so chooses to travel to New York rather than be best man at the wedding between James and Letty. In New York, his own foolishness leads to him being shanghaied, but fortunately he is spotted by Baines before another captain can claim him. A week before the wedding, James leaves to sort out one of his ships, which has run aground on a sandbank. Letty is frantic that he won't make it back in time, but James assures her that he will be back in a few days. Instead, he delays his return in order to take advantage of a contract to transport sheep, and contacts Letty, telling her to postpone the wedding. Letty tells him that there will be no wedding. |
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| 57 | "The Stowaway" | Gerald Blake | Martin Worth | 24 July 1977 (1977-07-24) |
| Samuel wants to go to sea, but James refuses to take him, so he stows away on the Charlotte Rhodes. James lets him work, but the bosun is a brute and works him hard. James hopes that this will turn him against the sea. Samuel endures, and impresses James, who agrees to let him learn the ways of a sailor. Robert returns from America full of ideas for the shop and wants James to buy his shares in the Onedin Line. James says he can't as he has no money, but will have when he returns from South America. Once at sea, he tells Captain Baines that he plans to call at Port Baines on the way back from Montevideo because he has heard that there is a regime change. Elizabeth is concerned that William is spending too much time with Charlotte. Finally, she calls at James' house to find that he is using a workshop there to build a new 'triple cylinder' steam engine which Albert Frazer started work on years ago. Letty has been given £500 by Sir Charles Hellsby as part of her 'dowry' so that she can be independent when married. When Elizabeth and Daniel try to claim William's steam engine as Frazer property because parts from the shipyard were used to build it, Letty uses the money to pay the debt. The Charlotte Rhodes pulls into Port Baines, only to find that Colonel Vega is now President. The regime change did not last. After James has a meeting, he returns to tell Baines that due to their being treatment badly, no English ships have used the port. Colonel Vega promises James compensation in return for his using the port once again. | ||||
| 58 | "Dead Man’s Cargo" | Jonathan Alwyn | Allan Prior | 31 July 1977 (1977-07-31) |
| Robert blames Baines for allowing Samuel to stow away. Letty admonishes James for talking only of business, after being away for many months. Robert accuses James of inveigling Samuel into sailing with him and angers James by accusing him of thinking of Samuel as the son he never had. Letty has an idea of how to use the new money and buys Whartons mill. The mill is on a tidal river so they can mill and ship the flour themselves. James offers £5000 for Robert's shares which he angrily declines. James sails for Philadelphia while Elizabeth tells William that he is seeing too much of Charlotte. In Philadelphia, James bargains for grain over a bottle of rye whiskey and boards the ship the worse for wear. At home, Letty notes that the price of grain is up again. James overloads the ship and the grain shifts, suffocating a seaman, Yalloop (Harold Goodwin). An angry Baines blames James. Daniel and Elizabeth kiss just as William enters the room and they finally reveal that his 'Uncle Daniel' is, in fact, his father. | ||||
| 59 | "A Hard Life" | Christopher Barry | Cyril Abraham | 7 August 1977 (1977-08-07) |
| James has bought a steamship called the Shearwater and is carrying Polish immigrants bound for USA. William is on board working on the engines. During the voyage, a steam pipe bursts and a crewmember is killed. James calls into Liverpool for repairs and offers to take the immigrants to America on the Charlotte Rhodes. On his return William greets Elizabeth as 'Mama' but Daniel as 'Sir' while James tells William that he is not to see Charlotte because they are first cousins. Daniel also reveals his plans to set up seamen's homes and make charitable donations. Whilst waiting for the repairs one of the Polish girls, Maritza (Lesley Dunlop), takes lace she has made into Robert's shop. Robert offers to give her a job but Samuel tries to dissuade her as he says the workroom is a sweatshop. He gives her money to go to America but Robert finds out and is furious. He tells Samuel that he can go to work in a store in New York. William meets up with Letty & Charlotte and is invited to tea. James returns while he is there and is not happy. The Shearwater sets sail for America; however, William is sure that things are not right saying that corrosion in the engine is causing a blockage and a build up of pressure. During a storm, the pipe bursts again and they have to finish the trip under sail. Maritza injures her hand in a door during the storm and James has to operate on her saving her hand but she will never make lace again. James decides that owning steamships is too much of a problem and vows to charter them in future. | ||||
| 60 | "The Hostage" | Paul Ciappessoni | Martin Worth | 14 August 1977 (1977-08-14) |
| James and Baines sail to Naples. In Liverpool, William and Charlotte arrange to liaise at Robert's shop and William advises the assistant, Miss Purvis, who has been sacked for poor timekeeping, to see Letty, who is setting up business mending old sacks. Daniel berates William for not calling him Father, while Elizabeth storms out saying that she has looked after him alone for 17 years so why change. James has a new local cook on board but discovers that he has smuggled others on board, who take over the ship at gunpoint. They find the moneybox, but it is empty. On shore, James discovers that the Mafia are involved and want their cut. The ship is taken over by the banditti and Baines is held hostage. James bargains with them saying that he will pay a maximum of £1,000, not the £10,000 demanded, for their release. In Naples a double bluff takes place with James giving the Mafia leader £1,000 and eventually Baines is released, although he questions whether James was bluffing or being serious. In an act of pride and face saving, the Mafia leader throws the money into the sea and Baines declares that it could have kept him for the rest of his days without having to take orders from anyone. Martin Benson plays one of the Italians. | ||||
| 61 | "Uncharted Waters" | Gerald Blake | Martin Worth | 21 August 1977 (1977-08-21) |
| James has a half-unloaded cargo of jute when he finds out that the price has fallen. He orders Captain Baines to reload the cargo to take to Scotland. The load falls and lands on Baines breaking his arm. James calls a doctor and orders Baines to rest ashore. At home, James and Letty argue over her business ventures and when he again says that he wants her to be his wife, she says she cannot be Anne. She takes the portrait of Anne from the wall and James loses his temper and strikes Letty. He apologises profusely. Robert has great plans for a new store and shows off a model proudly. He takes it to Daniel Fogarty who assumes he wants to borrow money. Robert says he has secured a loan at the bank, but in an act of generosity Daniel tears up the loan agreement for £10,000 telling Robert that he wants to prove to Elizabeth that he does not always just think of money. Sarah Onedin is trying to raise funds to build a new seamen's home in Liverpool and wants James' old warehouse, but Letty also wants it to expand her business. When Sarah asks James to donate it, he says the price is £10,000. James asks Robert to sign an agreement to buy two new ships. Robert refuses saying he will sell his Onedin Line shares to him for £18,000. Sarah persuades Daniel to give her charity £10,000 to buy the warehouse therefore giving James money with which to buy Robert's shares. Elizabeth finds out that William and Charlotte are meeting in secret. She and Daniel tell him he is being sent to London. He refuses saying that when he assumes control of Frazers he will cut them out of the company. James decides to take Letty and Charlotte to Scotland, but at the last minute he tells Charlotte that she is going to London to stay with her Aunt Mary, and James and Letty sail to Scotland without her. | ||||
| 62 | "A Close Run Thing" | Jonathan alwwyn | Cyril Abraham | 28 August 1977 (1977-08-28) |
| Robert shows Sarah their new house. Daniel has bought a shipyard to be run in partnership with Elizabeth; she approves and they kiss. On board his new ship, the Trident, Baines recognises an old drunk seaman, Billy. Elizabeth tells William they plan to wed and says congratulations 'Father'. They plan to let him run the company on a trial basis. During the voyage, the 'crimped' sailors plan to kill James and take the ship. Billy overhears their plans, but is coerced into silence. Billy warns Letty and is wounded. James and Baines fend off the attackers. Ashore Letty buys Billy a new suit and gives a few sovereigns. Daniel tells Elizabeth that he has to go to Scotland on important business. On the train, he reveals that they are actually going to Balmoral where he is to be knighted. At the wedding, it turns out that Elizabeth and Robert both thought that the other had told James that he was to be best man. Robert receives a telegram saying that James and Letty have also been married, on board ship, by Captain Baines. |
Read more about this topic: List Of Onedin Line Episodes
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