The Onedin Line was a popular BBC television drama series that ran from 1971 to 1980. Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) The series is set in Liverpool in the late 19th century and deals with the rise of a shipping line, the Onedin Line, named after its owner James Onedin. Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary Around this central theme are the lives of his family, most notably his brother and 'partner', shop owner Robert, and his sister Elizabeth, giving insight in the lifestyle and customs at the time, not only at sea, but also ashore (mostly lower and upper middle class). The series also illustrates some of the changes in business and shipping, such as from wooden to steel ships and from sailing ships to steam ships. And it shows the role that ships played in affairs like international politics, uprisings and the slave trade.
The series was created by Cyril Abraham, a native of Liverpool, where the story is set. An article in "Woman" magazine published in July 1973, interviewing Cyril Abraham it tells how he came up with the very unusual family name Onedin.
He wanted something unique, He'd decided to call the male character James, but still had not found a name when the BBC agreed to film the story. Then some inspiration. He said, "One day I stumbled across the word Ondine, a mythological sea creature. Ondines or undines (unda — a wave are Elementals enumerated as the water elementals in works of Alchemy by Paracelsus. By transposing the "e", I had James Onedin, a sea devil. "
The opening credits of the series features music from the ballet Spartacus by Aram Khachaturian, and other background music includes excerpts from Ralph Vaughan Williams's Symphony No. 5, Manuel de Falla's The Three-Cornered Hat, and Dmitri Shostakovich's Symphony No. 1. Spartacus, or Spartak, is a Ballet by Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978 Aram Khachaturian ( Armenian: Արամ Խաչատրյան Aram Xačatryan; Russian: Аpaм Ильич Xaчaтypян Aram Il'ič Hačaturjan Ralph (reɪf Vaughan Williams OM (12 October 1872 &ndash 26 August 1958 was an English Composer of symphonies, Chamber music Manuel de Falla y Matheu ( November 23, 1876 &ndash November 14, 1946) was a Spanish Composer of classical music El Sombrero de Tres Picos ( The Three-Cornered Hat) is a Ballet composed by Manuel de Falla, commissioned in its development by Sergei Diaghilev Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich ( Russian: ru Дмитрий Дмитриевич Шостакович ( &ndash 9 August 1975 was a Russian Composer The programme was recorded in Dartmouth, Devon, as well as certain scenes in Exeter, Falmouth and Gloucester (many of the dock scenes). Dartmouth is a town in Devon in the south-west of England. It is a Tourist destination set on the banks of the estuary of the River Dart Exeter ( (IPA ˈeksɪtər is a city, district and County town of Devon, England. Falmouth (Aberfal is a town Civil parish and Port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, UK. Gloucester (ˈɡlɒstɚ) is a city, district and County town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England.
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Story outline
James Onedin (played by Peter Gilmore), the younger son of old Samuel Onedin, a miserly ship chandler, was a penniless sea captain with aspirations to greater things. Peter Gilmore (born 25 August 1931) is a British actor perhaps best known for his portrayal of Captain James Onedin in the BBC Television period He married Anne Webster (Anne Stallybrass), who was some years his senior (Stallybrass, however, actually was 7 years younger than Gilmore) and the spinster daughter of Captain Joshua Webster, owner of the topsail schooner Charlotte Rhodes. Anne Stallybrass (born 1938 Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex) is a British actress who trained at the Royal Academy of Music in London James's only motivation was to get his hands on the ship. A shrewd and often ruthless operator, James soon built up a fleet, assisted by the loyal Mr (later Captain) Baines. His other sailing ships included the Pampero, the Medusa and the Soren Larsen. The Tallship Soren Larsen is a brigantine built 1948 - 1949 in northern Denmark He also initiated the building of a steamship, the Anne Onedin. A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving a Propeller
James's volatile sister, Elizabeth Jessica Benton, became pregnant by seafarer Daniel Fogarty but married wealthy Albert Frazer, developer of steamship technology and heir to the Frazer shipyards, a connection James soon turned to his own advantage. Jessica Benton (Date of birth 1942 is a British actress mainly known for her role in the BBC series The Onedin Line. A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving a Propeller Elizabeth gave birth to a son, William, who later died as a young man in a street accident.
Robert, James's older brother, took after their father and counted coppers in the family shop, though he later expanded it into a profitable department store, urged on by his thrifty and socially ambitious wife, Sarah. They had one son, Samuel, who cared more for the sea and ships than shopkeeping. Robert was elected as a Member of Parliament and he and Sarah moved to a smart new residence, but Robert's life abruptly came to an end when he choked on a bone at a family dinner. His widow Sarah made attempts to contact him through a medium, then, despite her son Samuel's objections, almost married the fortune-hunting Captain Dampier. She was last heard of as having undertaken a tour of the world but at a certain point abandoned its itinerary. Since she did not reappear in Liverpool she may even have settled abroad.
At the end of the second series, Anne, whom James had come to love, died giving birth to a daughter, Charlotte. James considered two possible replacement brides for a while, wealthy widow Caroline Maudslay and the young heiress Leonora Biddulph, before settling for his daughter's governess, Letty Gaunt. A governess is a female employee of a family who teaches children within their home In due course Letty also died, of diphtheria, and by the last series James was married to a third wife, the exotic Margarita Juarez, and was by then a grandfather. Diphtheria ( Greek διφθερα ( diphthera)—“pair of leather scrolls" is an upper respiratory tract illness characterized by sore
The eighth and final series ended with news of the death at sea of Daniel Fogarty, whom Elizabeth had finally married after the death of her first husband Albert, and also with the birth, at last, of a son and heir for James. Born aboard ship, the child was named Will after Captain Baines.
Actors
The series made the careers of Peter Gilmore, who played James, and Anne Stallybrass, who played Anne, as well as being an important break for Jill Gascoine (Letty), Warren Clarke (Josiah Beaumont), Kate Nelligan (Leonora Biddulph) and Jane Seymour (Emma Callon). Peter Gilmore (born 25 August 1931) is a British actor perhaps best known for his portrayal of Captain James Onedin in the BBC Television period Anne Stallybrass (born 1938 Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex) is a British actress who trained at the Royal Academy of Music in London Jill Gascoine (born 11 April, 1937) is an English actress and Novelist She is best known for her role as Maggie Forbes on the Warren Clarke (born April 26 1947) is an English actor Clarke was born in Oldham, Lancashire. Patricia Colleen "Kate" Nelligan (born March 16, 1950) is a Canadian stage film and television actress. Jane Seymour, OBE (born Joyce Penelope Wilhelmina Frankenberg on February 15 1951) is an English actress best known Other cast members included Jessica Benton (Elizabeth Frazer), Brian Rawlinson and James Garbutt (Robert Onedin), Mary Webster (Sarah Onedin), Michael Billington / Tom Adams (Daniel Fogarty), Philip Bond (Albert Frazer), Edward Chapman (George Callon), James Warwick (Edmund Callon), John Phillips (Jack Frazer), Caroline Harris (Caroline Maudslay), James Hayter (Captain Joshua Webster), Ken Hutchison (Matt Harvey), Howard Lang (Captain Baines), Laura Hartong (Charlotte Onedin), Marc Harrison (William Frazer), Christopher Douglas (Samuel Onedin), Roberta Iger (Margarita Onedin), Jenny Twigge (Caroline Onedin), Cyril Shaps (Braganza), Hilda Braid (Miss Simmonds), David Garfield (Samuel Plimsoll), Robert James (Rowland Biddulph), Sylvia Coleridge (Mrs Salt), Sonia Dresdel (Lady Lazenby), Nicolette Roeg (Ada Gamble), John Rapley (Dunwoody), Stephanie Bidmead (Mrs Darling), John Sharp (Uncle Percy Spendilow), Heather Canning (Mrs Arkwright), Keith Jayne (Tom Arnold), Frederick Jaeger (Max van der Rheede), Edward Judd (Manuel Ortega), Elizabeth Chambers (Miss Gladstone) and Jack Watson (Dr Darling). Jessica Benton (Date of birth 1942 is a British actress mainly known for her role in the BBC series The Onedin Line. Michael Billington (born on December 24, 1941 in Blackburn, Lancashire, England; died on June 3, 2005 in Tom Adams (born March 9, 1938 in London, England) is a burly English Actor with roles in horror and mystery films and Edward Chapman ( 13 October 1901 - 9 August 1977) was an English Actor who starred in many films and James Warwick (born on 17 November 1947 in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, England) is an English Actor and William John Phillips MC, ( 20 July 1914 - 11 May 1995) was a British actor James Hayter ( April 23, 1907 &ndash March 27, 1983) was a British Actor. Howard Lang was a British actor (born 20 March 1911, died 12 December 1989) Cyril Shaps ( 13 October 1923 – 1 January 2003) was an English Actor. Hilda Braid ( 3 March 1929 &ndash 6 November 2007) was an English actress who had a long career on Samuel Plimsoll (10 February 1824 &ndash 3 June 1898 was a British Politician and social reformer now best remembered for having devised the Plimsoll line. Sylvia Coleridge (born 10 December 1909 in Darjeeling, India, died 31 May 1986 in London, England Sonia Dresdel ( 5 May 1909 - 18 January 1976) was an English Actress, whose career ran between the 1940s and 1970s Keith Jayne is a British actor known for playing the title role in the 1981 Television Adaptation Stig of the Dump. Frederick Jaeger ( 29 May, 1928 - 18 June, 2004) was a German -born actor who found success working in British Edward Judd (born 4 October 1932) is a British Actor. His career was at its most successful in the 1960s with a string of leading roles Jack Watson may refer to Jack Watson (actor Jack Watson (Presidential adviser John Fox Watson (footballer nicknamed
Novels
There are six novels based on the series. The first five, The Shipmaster (1972), The Iron Ships (1974), The High Seas (1975), The Trade Winds (1977) and The White Ships (1979) are all by the creator of the series, Cyril Abraham. The books are not straightforward novelisations of the television episodes, since the author introduced additional material and also changed a number of details, though dialogue from the series that Abraham had penned himself is utilised. In print, Elizabeth's child is conceived in a private room above a restaurant, not on the Charlotte Rhodes; George Callon lasted considerably longer and died in bed after suffering a stroke, not in a warehouse fire; Emma was Callon's daughter, not his niece; Captain Webster remarried, his new partner being the irrepressible old crone Widow Malloy, an entertaining character with a repertoire of coarse remarks; Albert did not abscond to Patagonia but died aboard ship following his involvement in retrieving a kidnapped Elizabeth from Daniel Fogarty; Caroline Maudslay and Matt Harvey were omitted altogether (though Matt did appear in a short story - see below); Jack Frazer's life was extended and he lived to see both Emma's death and Daniel's return from Australia, though his television discovery that William was not his grandson never took place.
The sixth novel, The Turning Tide (1980), was written by Bruce Stewart. Bruce Stewart is a writer born in New Zealand. (1936–) of Ngati Raukawa Te Arawa Stewart is a fiction writer and dramatist who has expressed the anger confused loyalties This deviated even more from the television series and probably from Cyril Abraham's intentions as well. Letty was depicted as a jealous harpy aiming unpleasant remarks at Charlotte; Elizabeth and Daniel ended up emigrating to Australia permanently and James became the owner of the Frazer Line. The book is, nonetheless, an entertaining read with a moving final speech from James.
A series of Onedin short stories by Cyril Abraham, set between Series Two and Series Three, appeared in Woman magazine in 1973. The plots involved Robert's encounter with the attractive Amelia, a social gathering that revolves around the naming of the first Onedin steamship and an appearance by Sarah's destitute sister Constance, who is on the streets. A later tale by Abraham, For Love of the Onedins, appeared in a short-lived magazine called tvlife. This story, covering Leonora Biddulph's wedding, occurs between Series Three and Series Four and features Matt Harvey, who was Elizabeth's love interest during the fourth series. There is a slanging match between Elizabeth and Sarah, who each disparage the circumstances of the other's wedding day until Leonora intervenes to restore peace.
Cyril Abraham had planned to write a whole series of novels that would follow the fortunes of the Onedin Line into the twentieth century, but he died in 1979 after completing The White Ships. The only clue as to where the story might ultimately have led is that Abraham saw James and Elizabeth as eventually becoming two wizened old autocrats, both determined not to relinquish their hold on the shipping business.
Broadcasts
Originally screened as a one-off BBC Drama Playhouse production transmitted on the 7th December 1970. No recording of this now exists, the story and the cast were basically the same (with the exception of Sheila Allen, who played Anne Webster/Onedin. Anne Stallybrass took over the part for the series) as the first episode of series 1 that was later transmitted on the 15th October 1971.
The series was originally aired in the UK by the BBC, from 15 October 1971 to 26th October 1980. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located In the Netherlands, broadcasts started in 1972. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands In the early 1990s there was a rerun and in 2007, MAX restarted a broadcast of the first series, with one episode every workday (Monday through Friday), starting 10 July 2007. As of mid-August it is uncertain whether they will also show the other series.
Episode list
- see main article: Onedin Line episode list
Ship
Among others, these tall ships were filmed:
External links
- There were 91 episodes broadcast from October 1971 to October 1980 see this link for a complete list and more details
- Anne Stallybrass & Peter Gilmore, the actors who played Anne and James Onedin
- Website of Michael E Briant, who directed some of the episodes
- Die Onedin-Linie German website about the ships used for filming
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