4th Aug 1914 · 7th Jan 1915 Podcast Storyline
Frontline Folkestone
345 min Play story
Keeping the peace at home as soldiers depart and return
4th Aug 1914 · 7th Jan 1915 Podcast Storyline
345 min Play story
Keeping the peace at home as soldiers depart and return
Scene 1 of 1
Kitty voices concerns for Germans resident in Folkestone and the rest of the UK if war breaks out, but her worries have a deeper cause
Scene 1 of 2
Councillor Gabriel fears shortages and boisterous soldiers will interfere with Folkestone's tourist business
Gabriel, his aristocratic wife and their soldier son Freddie discuss the coming crisis - and suspect Dieter's nationality - over a lavish lunch
Scene 1 of 1
Freddie makes Isabel promise not to blame herself for the missing boys, and in return makes his mother hire Esme Macknade
Scene 1 of 5
Archie voices concerns of local businesses that wartime measures are ruining the tourist trade
Gabriel fails to reassure a combative London journalist that the council can cope with local problems, Belgian refugees and a threatened German attack
Beset by Bill Macknade and Archie's complaints of empty guesthouses, Hilary senses a way of turning bad news to good
Hilary persuades Parsons to write about the town's search for the lost boys rather than an "unpatriotic" attack on the council
Hilary, proving an increasingly smooth operator, realises the town's problem with refugees and empty guesthouses can cancel each other out
Scene 1 of 3
Left behind by his colleagues, the injured Victor tells his subordinate, horse doctor and would-be procurer about Kitty
Victor is bullied by his aunt on matters of Belgian refugees and of romance
Mr Martindale informs Victor and the soldiers about Hans, the German hiding in the hotel cellar.
Scene 1 of 7
Gabriel reads news from the front, and ponders his committee speech: Esme is now working for the Grahams
Hilary tells Gabriel and Sylvia of an informal visit by Asquith, and reports that the first wounded have arrived back in Folkestone
The first wounded soldiers to return seem in good spirits, but Gabriel is troubled by the paucity of news from the front
Gabriel takes his wife's advice on emphasising local comradeship in his speech
Full of his own success, Gabriel decides to walk home along the front
The two men share their love of verse while listening to the waves break - and the distant sound of guns from France
Gabriel talks to an officer who has lost a leg: the more severely wounded arrive after dark: Hilary walks him home
Scene 1 of 1
The two pragmatists, Dorothea and Hilary, come up with more measures to ease the refugees' anguish
Scene 1 of 8
Albert grumbles about being volunteered for fundraising duty by Florrie: Adam tries to cadge cake
Sylvia is in her element presiding over the cake sale; Kitty's pregnancy is starting to show
Sylvia accuses Jessie of stealing cakes, and even though she is in the wrong, Jessie is compelled to apologise
Ivy chats to Albert about the performing arts and invites the Wilsons to the theatre, but Florrie is having none of it
Sylvia enlists Florrie in showing able-bodied men who haven't signed up her disapproval
Adam insists that Albert informs the police about his suspicions of the German consul
Albert does not recognise the shoe, and tells Forrester of his feelings about his lost son.
Ivy sings at the Cake Sale, and Gabriel announces a naval victory: Florrie and Albert kiss and make up
Scene 1 of 3
Albert urges Florrie not to shame men into joining, up, reminding her that their Jack is an adult in the army's eyes
Florrie and her friend Hilda are dragooned into shaming men into enlisting by the formidable Sylvia
Florrie gives Hilary a white feather, but he points out he is engaged in the war effort with the council
Scene 1 of 2
Ralph and Hilary discuss the White Feather Club, restarting the cub scouts, and other issues
As Dorothea's work with the refugees expands to include a newspaper, she pushes Ralph towards Isabel
Scene 1 of 7
The two policemen discuss wartime tensions and crime until their quiet patrol is interrupted by Jessie
Adam is walking a dachshund, a German dog, which is another excuse for the Macknades to attack
The policeman tells Adam he can't escape stupid people, and he can't go to the harbour to watch the wounded either
Norman and Monk are called to the harbour on another emergency
Lord Alfred 'Bosie' Douglas returns to Folkestone and demands to be arrested - before he goes to the Savoy
The policemen's response to Bosie range from discomfort to disgust to a fear his homosexuality might be 'catching'
Bosie exonerates himself, although the police remain indifferent; Forrester reveals the boys found in London were not Sam and Jimmy
Scene 1 of 3
Gabriel is distracted from the thought of distressed families by Sylvia's matchmaking plans for Victor
In a heated conversation with Dorothea, Sylvia discovers the identity of Victor's beloved Kitty
The changes to society wrought by war are felt even by the implacable Sylvia
Scene 1 of 3
The Grahams' worries about Isabel are overtaken by a telegram reporting Freddie's death
Prostrated by sorrow, councillor Graham is unable to respond to his wife's wishes
Her emotions in disarray, Isabel kisses a soldier who thinks she is a prostitute: the revelation brings Freddie's death home to her
Scene 1 of 4
The ever-suave Hilary presents himself as Gabriel's right hand, and warns Isabel she was seen kissing the soldier
Those before Gabriel in the magistrate's court include the last man to see the lost boys alive, and Sgt Harris's own son
Gabriel overtakes Mervyn and Norman on his way to immerse himself further in his "civic duties"
Mervyn redeems himself by saving his brother from the water after two boats overturn
Scene 1 of 1
Jessie has noticed Kitty's thickening middle
Scene 1 of 6
Gabriel breaks down, Sylvia steps up, and the Wilsons miss Dieter and Sam
Outraged by Jack's lack of decorum, it looks like Sylvia is incubating a new patriotic scheme
Presented with a white feather, Joe decides to enlist to get away from his family: a reluctant Jack agrees
Both lads offer themselves in service to their country, but it becomes clear Joe lacks schooling
While Jack has been accepted by the army, Joe has been turned down because of his bad teeth
In the cinema queue, Adam accuses Sylvia of wanting other young men to die just because her son has been killed
Scene 1 of 1
Victor disagrees with Sylvia over Kitty, and is shocked when Gabriel mistakes him for Freddie
Scene 1 of 8
Wracked by grief, Gabriel forgets things, mislays papers, even fails to recognise his own daughter
Rather than deal with council business, Gabriel begins reciting poetry: Hilary tries to manage the situation
From deep despondency, Gabriel is fired by the chance of an adventure involving a missing refugee
The upswing of Gabriel's mood continues as they take Ottoline to meet her husband
Adam and Jessie are embarrassed by displays of adult affection: Gabriel continues to behave erratically
Isabel tries to extract Gabriel from the pub as he is on the point of pawning his cufflinks
Gabriel finds himself in sympathy with the maudlin Bill and rebuffs Hilary's attempts to help
Esme's loyalty is to Gabriel now rather than her father: Gabriel realises he is losing his sanity
Scene 1 of 5
Gabriel is foolishly buoyed up by newspaper reports of soldiers presumed dead but found alive, hoping this might be true of Freddie
Hilary and Dorothea are concerned by Gabriel's absence, and Isabel is again peeved by her mother's high-handedness
Sylvia apparently reacts with embarrassment rather than concern at her husband's eccentric interruption
It's true - Sylvia is "mortified" rather than concerned by her husband's erratic behaviour
Gabriel accepts Freddie's death, realising certainty is better than not knowing the fate of loved ones, like the Belgian couple
Scene 1 of 2
Dorothea is impressed by Mrs Pankhurst, but Sylvia is spoiling for a fight
Ralph's attitude to suffrage hints at the deeper problems in his marriage: Sylvia remains imperious and implacable
Scene 1 of 5
Gabriel continues to behave erratically - sometimes upbeat, but now sounding heartily sick of the war
Unaccustomed to shopping, Gabriel purchases "the soldier's cigarette", Woodbines, for his first smoke.
Knowing what it is to lose a son, Florrie offers the distraught Gabriel a helping hand to get home
There is much cross-class embarrassment as Gabriel introduces Florrie to Isabel and Esme
Sylvia reveals her hidden pain, her disappointment with Gabriel and her preference for Freddie over Isabel.
Scene 1 of 3
Dorothea and Isabel show they have more in common than Ralph when faced with Sylvia's incurable, old-fashioned attitudes
Once again we see Sylvia's lack of tact and the way she and Isabel manifest grief very differently
Remembering Freddie brings the remaining Grahams together and levels their conflicting emotions
Scene 1 of 1
Adam is confused by Kitty's distress at Victor's departure: he offers her his last aniseed ball
Scene 1 of 4
Sylvia, Gabriel and Isabel gather scattered cufflinks and wits to prepare for Freddie's funeral
Returning daughter Juliet Graham represents the modern, independent woman: Freddie's funeral cortege is diverted to avoid damaging morale
Dorothea appears, insisting she has a right to attend Freddie's funeral.
Only when the rest of the family has left Freddie's grave can Silvia speak freely to her dead son of her love for him
Scene 1 of 4
The vicarage's new soldier inhabitants are an Indian private with impeccable English and a flirtatious Welshman
We learn that Monk was prevented from signing up, and that the con man soldier was freed on Ivor's orders
Ralph seems jealous of Dorothea speaking Hindi to Ramesh: their third soldier-guest is the conman, George
Dorothea brings the soldiers to the lecture - Ralph doesn't want to leave her alone with them - where they meet Isabel and Jessie
Scene 1 of 2
We learn a bit more about Ivy - her relationship with Archie, her mixture of softness and toughness, her debt to Dolly Clout. Jessie's looks set to be a child star
Young Jessie makes her stage debut in uniform as the "miniature Vesta Tilly". Monk flirts with Ivy
Scene 1 of 1
A friend's desire to get her son enlisted reveals Sylvia's new ambivalence about war: she tells Victor to bring Kitty to her house; Toby flirts with Esme:
Scene 1 of 1
Policemen Monk and Norman are beset by a number of callers making strange requests or accusations
Scene 1 of 6
Hilary is distracted from his council work by the agitated Laurie arriving unexpectedly at the town hall
Laurie reiterates the claim he made to the police, that his manager at the post office is a spy: we learn Hilary may be less suave than he seems
Hawkes explains the government has licensed postmasters to open foreign and random mail: he probes Hilary's relationship to Laurie
In conversation with Hilary, Laurie exhibits traits that today might be diagnosed as autism
Laurie reveals he is Hilary's brother, and Hilary asks Isabel not to mention this to her father, making a veiled threat
Hilary has concealed the existence of his brother - a savant cricket-obsessive - and his lowly origins in order to get on in life
Scene 1 of 5
George smashes Dorothea's statue of Kali and proves a boorish presence, heightening tensions: Ralph has become stand-in chaplain at the Manor House hospital
A nurse prepares Ralph for his first face-to-face encounter with amputees and men with frostbite
Ralph, attempting conversation with a soldier wracked with sobs, finds Isabel visiting the hospital
Ralph talks to the comatose Hardinge and is accosted by Douglas, who lost both legs to a Howitzer but endures, thanks to a female ambulance driver
Chastened by his experiences at the hospital, Ralph throws George out of the house when he molests Marieke
Scene 1 of 2
The Germans have shelled British coastal towns: Archie uses this to play on the consciences of the unenlisted - and line his pockets
Archie and Hilary clash over who is profiting from the conflict and Hilda Moore sees Jessie singing in the street and is appalled
Scene 1 of 6
Out at sea, looking out for fish and mines, Mervyn reveals that Maisie is hectoring him to enlist
There is huge pressure on all able men to sign up, even if engaged in essential activities like fishing
Women feel the need to urge their men to join up, too
Mervyn's fisherman brothers are superstitiously appalled that he has broken up their team and joined up needlessly
Faced with the prospect of Mervyn going to war at sea, Maisie admits that she loves him
Mervyn's brothers surprise him by signing up alongside him: he surprises Maisie by proposing, and she accepts.
Scene 1 of 3
Phyllis is clearly unnerved both by Victor's domestic arrangements and Isabel's driving
The threat of air raids starts to oppress the townsfolk
The younger women are dying to hear how Phyllis's meeting with Kitty went but she evades their questions
Scene 1 of 7
Joy at Cressida's baby is tempered - for the older Graham./Marshall generation at least - by news that it is "another" girl
Phyllis can't seem to help putting her foot in it as Sylvia reveals her dread at a Christmas without Freddie
Even at a tea for refugees, Miranda seeks a bit of influential help with getting her boy a commission
Beside Phyllis and her high-handed attitude to family and class, Sylvia looks positively soft and timid
The revelation that Freddie would have been safer as a private soldier shakes Sylvia to her core
Humphrey, ashamed to be among wounded men, wants to enlist as a private: his mother is appalled, though Sylvia advises her to reconsider
Albert reveals that after Phyllis's proposal Kitty has disappeared: Forrester initiates a blackout after seaplanes approach
Scene 1 of 3
Victor's friend Toby has sent a telegram
Although everyone is appalled by Phyllis's behaviour, Sylvia demands a show of family unity: we learn Juliet's husband is in air reconnaissance
Esme's reaction to Toby's telegram suggests there may have been more to their encounter than mere friendliness
Scene 1 of 3
Joe and Forrester's chat represents an unlikely rapprochement between the Macknades and the forces of order
All sorts and classes - Joe, Humphrey, Laurie - sign up, gaining the cricketer's autograph in the process
As the men explain the compulsion to join up, Mickey reveals a boy's body has been found in a pit
Scene 1 of 3
Even at their most sensitive to loss and horror, the Grahams can be insensitive to others - particularly the fact that the body has been identified as Esme's brother Jimmy
Mrs Parker guesses Esme may be pregnant but Esme denies it
Gabriel's clumsy attempts at tact provoke an outburst and a walkout from Esme
Scene 1 of 3
Society is changing - parents and children breakfasting together, black players in football teams, women like Isabel driving ambulances
We learn more about the rivalry between the two Marshall sisters
Gabriel and Sylvia's emotions continue to seesaw in the aftermath of Freddie's death
Scene 1 of 3
For their various reasons, Joe, Laurie and Monk all sign up with Ivor - Joe in particular is exuberant as it makes him "feel like a man"
A conundrum - good men are needed both at home and on the front line
Ivor explains the situation - the hungry maw of war consumes all nominally able men, regardless of position, impairment or difference
Scene 1 of 3
Soldiers suffering frostbite, many of them attacked on Christmas Day, now face Isabel's ambulance driving
A line is crossed - Isabel tells her mother to "shut up" when she criticises her driving
Isabel and Frank speak openly about love and death
Scene 1 of 2
Jack relates to Florrie his experiences as a soldier in training, including civilian hostility
Amid a Wilson reunion, Phyllis explains that she would like to pay for Kitty's baby - if it is a boy - to attend Wellington College
Scene 1 of 1
Archie reveals his feelings for Ivy, tells her he cannot join the army because of a fragile heart, and suggests taking Jessie on a recruitment tour - Ivy is unsure