Synopsis

Story

The Crompton Family live in a house in Bolton. Rafe, a self-educated perfectionist, is an engineer at the cotton mill where his teenage daughter Hilda and his youngest son Wilfred, both work. The two elder children, Florence and Harold, work outside the mill, she as a school teacher. Daisy Crompton is the heart and soul of the Crompton household, whose only failing is an inability to keep the household accounts straight. The family is essentially happy and united in spite of the young folks' bantering criticism of their fathers outlook on life. In complete contrast to the Crompton's are their neighbours the Duckworth's; Betsy Jane, a feckless but well meaning frump; her slovenly spendthrift husband Ned, and their trendy, good time daughter Betty, Hilda Crompton's mate at the mill.One typical Friday evening the family sit down to High tea. Hilda refuses to eat her "bonny fresh herring" because she does not "fancy" it. Rafe commands his wife to serve the herring up at every meal until Hilda has eaten it.  This unaccustomed friction is interrupted by the arrival of Arthur Gasket, a sheet metal worker who has been promised promotion on condition of marriage. He has long been friendly with Florence and has decided to ask her to marry him immediately, but Arthur's tender concern over Hilda's evident distress,prompts Florence to leave with Arthur in his car. Arthur assures Florence that his warmth towards Hilda was no more than sympathy and gives her a passionate kiss that prove where his true feelings lie. Meanwhile the herring is produced with monotonous regularity and equally adamant rejection from Hilda at every meal throughout the weekend. Finally, both Rafe and Hilda, unknown to each other, decide to give in over the herring. Just as the Crompton's are about to start their Sunday tea, Florence and Arthur return to the house,elated by their first taste of physical communion. When the cover is taken off Hilda's plate there is no sign of the herring. Although there is little doubt that Wilf has fed the herring to the cat, the family supports him in his denial. The climax comes when Rafe demands that Wilf swears on the bible that he is telling the truth. Wilf starts to make a halting confession before falling into a dead faint under the duress. Arthur accuses Rafe of being a bully and demands that Florence leaves home immediately to stay with his mother until they are married. Hilda too, runs away from home and stays overnight at the Duckworth's. She returns next morning and tearfully asks her mother (who has by now realised that Hilda's distaste for the herring is probably an early symptom of pregnancy) if she can lend her the money to go to London and fend for herself. Betsy Jane, to whom Daisy confides her troubles, suggests raiding the Crompton's family cash-box but Daisy deems it wiser to pawn Rafe's new overcoat. Hilda, however has already borrowed the money from her sister Florence, so Daisy sends Betsy Jane to retrieve the coat without delay.

Rafe returns from work on Monday and puts the cat among the

pigeons when he decides to wear his new coat to a concert. When he comes downstairs empty-handed, the house is deserted. Daisy has disappeared leaving a terrified note for him. He rushes towards the canal towpath, with the worst possible forebodings. Under the canal bridge Rafe and Daisy re-find each other and a new future in

HOME