The Onedin Line
| The Onedin Line | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Genre | Drama |
| Created by | Cyril Abraham |
| Starring | |
| Opening theme | Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia by Aram Khachaturian |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of series | 8 |
| No. of episodes | 91 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Peter Graham Scott |
| Running time | 49-51 minutes |
| Production company(s) | BBC Production |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC One |
| Original release | 15 October 1971 – 26 October 1980 |
The Onedin Line is a BBC television drama series, which ran from 1971 to 1980. The series was created by Cyril Abraham.
The series is set in Liverpool from 1860 to 1886 and deals with the rise of a shipping line, the Onedin Line, named after its owner James Onedin. Around this, it depicts the lives of his family, most notably his brother and partner Robert, a ship chandler, and his sister Elizabeth, giving insight into 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. It shows the role that ships played in such matters as international politics, uprisings and the slave trade. Additionally, the construction of the Manchester Ship Canal is mentioned during one series.
Classic BBC drama series set in 19th Century Liverpool, and narrating the changing fortunes of the ambitious Captain James Onedin and his family. The series pilot played in Drama Playhouse - The Onedin Line: 7 December 1970 (1 50 min episode).
Series 1 played from 15 October 1971 to 28 January 1972 (15 50 min episodes).
Series opens in 1860 Liverpool, as 28 year old Onedin establishes a new shipping company, marrying the owner of a ship to do so. Main characters and story arc are introduced. Narrative unfolds around historically contemporary events, such as a Phylloxera outbreak affecting Portuguese wine, establishing a theme of incorporating real events around the fictitious family drama.
Series 2 played from 17 September to 31 December 1972 (14 50 min episodes)
Series 3 played from 21 October 1973 to 27 January 1974 (13 50 min episodes)
Series 4 played from 25 April to 27 June 1976 (10 50 min episodes)
Series 5 played from 26 June to 28 August 1977 (10 50 min episodes)
Series 6 played from 18 July to 17 September 1978 (10 50 min episodes)
Series 7 played from 22 July to 23 September 1979 (10 50 min episodes)
Series 8 played from 31 August to 26 October 1980 (9 50 min episodes)
James Onedin (Peter Gilmore), the younger son of Samuel Onedin, a miserly ship chandler, who left his money to eldest son Robert. He was a penniless sea captain with aspirations to greater things and in order to become a ship-owner, he married Anne Webster, who was some years his senior. She was the spinster daughter of Captain Joshua Webster (James Hayter), owner of the topsail schooner Charlotte Rhodes. At first, it was purely a business transaction on Onedin's part; but a warmer relationship gradually developed. On her death, at the end of the second series, James had come to love her. James considered two possible replacement brides: wealthy widow Caroline Maudslay and the young heiress Leonora Biddulph (Kate Nelligan), before settling for his daughter's governess, Letty Gaunt (Jill Gascoine). Tragedy struck in the first year of the marriage when she, unfortunately in James's view, became pregnant. The memories of Anne always remained in his thoughts. 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. He was framed for theft and imprisoned. He was freed when Elizabeth, Baines, and Samuel sought evidence to clear his name. On his release, he took to the sea again with Captain Baines on business to South America that would stabilise his life for the next twenty years, only to find Margarita as a stowaway. On the voyage home, she revealed that she was pregnant and unable, as was Baines as a cargo captain, to deliver the baby, so the cook was left to do the job. A baby son was successfully delivered, with both mother and son well. James named the boy William after Captain Baines.
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