In A Time to Be Born, Season 2, Episode 7 of A Family at War, the Ashtons confront both joy and uncertainty as the arrival of new life offers a brief respite from the surrounding conflict. But in wartime Britain, even hopeful moments are laced with tension, and the family must navigate a shifting emotional landscape. This heartfelt episode explores the fragile balance between hope, loss, and resilience during WWII.
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00:30you shouldn't have bothered with those Mrs. Foster. oh I'll just finish that
00:49little job in the kitchen then I'll have to go. it's dinner you know. it'll be late as it is.
00:54Mr. Sefton to be sorry let you come. he's hopeless at looking after himself but I
01:00don't need to tell you that. doing good he's spoiled. anyway you can manage your
01:05sight better than you can with a baby an invalid and a family to look after. so
01:10when's the other one due? Margaret's. early next week if she's on time. oh I do know
01:17the circumstances you know. she's a nice uncomplaining woman I respect her. is she
01:24going to marry that chap in there? if you do know the circumstances Mrs. Foster
01:29you'll appreciate that she can't. John hasn't officially been declared killed you
01:35see. oh well it isn't that she doesn't want to then. oh I didn't know what you
01:40just said. I'm sorry I've got a cheek talking about it. I mean I'm not a
01:44gossiper. I like her. I still find it difficult you see. would you like me to come
01:50tomorrow? could you? I could give you a couple of hours first thing. I'll do me
01:54queuing on a Saturday. if you're sure Mr. Sefton won't explode. oh it takes nothing to set him off.
02:00let him. I'll work round her if she's awake tomorrow but what do you want me to do if she isn't?
02:06oh I'm done in here for ages. right. I'll be here about half a second. now I must finish off in the kitchen then get me tram.
02:17oh hello. you had a helper then. good. Sefton kept his word you see. good of him.
02:27Margaret all right? hmm. Michael's with her. he's been here all day then? yes. well you realize he's on nights he won't have slept.
02:34I don't suppose he has but I can't tell him what to do can I? anyway he's got tonight off.
02:43well has her back been any worse? she hasn't said so. well can't we put Michael up here until she's
02:50had the baby? all this traveling up and down he has to do. I've got as much on my hands as I can manage Edwin.
02:57well when I went around to that place he's staying at the other day it turned my stomach. it's pretty awful Jean.
03:02I feel sorry for the lad. I'm sorry too but it's just not practical.
03:18Harry christened him Adolf. he's half of your half.
03:25they make a lot of muck don't they? well where there's muck there's brass. brass?
03:29it's costing me a fortune. it's causing me a lot of trouble is that pig?
03:35ah Harry. ah Mr. Simpson. you've met my lad Tony haven't you?
03:48all right. i've uh i've brought you a little present. oh well now. what's in this thing? potato peelings. oh.
03:57well i can't walk down the street carrying a bucket with a naval officer with me can i?
04:02well they've been cooked of course. a hearty breakfast eh? breakfast? well i cut his throat tonight.
04:09oh yes yes of course. as a matter of fact i'd like to have a little word with you about that.
04:15when you've finished would you mind popping round to the house? just a little word.
04:29oh that's it then. i've saved the potato peelings for Mr. Sefton's pig. would you like to take them for him?
04:45how many rashes has he promised you? i don't suppose we'll get any of them.
04:49he'll be lucky if he gets a bacon sandwich out of it himself.
04:52i used to have this done for me. our Frida. and the first night she stopped doing it i knew she'd
05:00grown up. have you heard from your little girl lately? yeah. yeah she's settling in much better
05:07now. we had an old couple next door before the war broke out and the old lady died a few days after it
05:13started. and practically the last thing she said to her husband old Wilf was i do hope you all come
05:19through it all right. and we have haven't we so far i mean. i think we've had the worst of the raids now
05:25don't you? oh. i'm not suggesting that we can risk bringing the kiddies back. not yet. no no no not yet.
05:33well i'll just nip upstairs and i'll say hello to margaret. she's asleep. oh she hasn't been so well
05:40today. not her back? i don't know she hasn't said anything. has the doctor been? tomorrow. good good.
05:49hey dad. Frida. mum said you had a letter from philip. oh yeah i left it in my jacket. he's met up with
05:57young jack barraclough from the grocers on the parade. oh that'll be a thrill for him. wasn't
06:03either one who was shouting that he wasn't gonna join up? he was a very nice lad Frida. well it's all
06:09talk if you ask me. anyway i'm not sitting in front of these nappies all night. well now to be ruled by
06:15baby i'll have on myself when i'm good and ready. well would somebody mind opening this door for me?
06:29i'm sure she didn't mean to be personal. i think she did really you know. well she's entitled to her
06:34opinion of me which is obviously very low at the moment. over and above the pacifist bit. i'm sorry
06:39it's not like her except that she's a woman of course and women tend to be more practical don't
06:44you think? yeah they are in a way i suppose. they seem to accept the world as it is more than we do in
06:51some ways at least. well they're obliged to. they're married to us. they're cut off in a way i suppose.
06:58isolated. i remember i remember going to look at a house with gene just after we're married in the
07:04days when we used to dream of buying one. it was a a young couple. he'd got a job somewhere else and
07:13they were desperate to sell. and there were some damp patches on the wall and gene kept touching them
07:17and talking about them. well almost accusingly. and she was right of course. we'd been mad to buy it.
07:28but i i thought of their faces often afterwards and i i just wished she hadn't kept rubbing it in.
07:37but it was damp. um have you had any luck with her house yet? no no it's uh it's difficult.
07:46well would you like me to have a word with Sefton? my brother-in-law he's got one of two places and they
07:50sometimes come empty. i'll carry on looking on me own if you don't mind. well i had to ask but i think
07:55you're right. he's not the worst of landlords but he watches his property like a hawk and it can make
08:00life very uncomfortable. i suppose you'll be lashing out the old bacon before very long.
08:05uh no no i'm afraid that's something i'll not be doing. well with the whole porker to go out.
08:11uh yes uh well i meant to tell you about that back at the garage but with him around. i've never met
08:18anybody so quick to take offence as that chap. i mean mrs foster has her moments but she's nothing to
08:23that brother of hers. stands up to you does he? no no he doesn't. that's the trouble. i can cope with
08:28somebody who comes straight out with it. he's all around the houses and under the garden hedges harry.
08:35all smiles but the minute you turn your back. well i wouldn't like to think of what he says about me.
08:41well if you feel like that why don't you go on with him? yes sir. well the fact is that i've drunk
08:48half that pig already. in fact more than half. everything but the squeal when it's all todded up
08:54i dare say. you've drunk it. scotch. you mean barter. it's promised. i see. and you needn't look at me like
09:06that. they're all at it. everything that's coupons. scotch for meat. clothing coupons for this and that.
09:13even the kids are trading the sweet coupons for cash. oh god knows what else they spend it on.
09:19and uh if everybody's doing it why shouldn't i eh father? well that's what i say. that's what i mean
09:24that's what you say. i don't think i like the turn this conversation's taking. no it's what i might
09:31have expected. the point is father that everybody isn't doing it. i mean if they were it'd be fair
09:37shares all round. and i suppose you believe in fair shares all round. there's a war on. i'm getting
09:43a bit sick of people telling me there's a war on. we know there's a damn war on. most of the chaps
09:48of the club have got somebody in it and when they come back on leave they make damn sure they're well
09:51catered for. what's wrong with that? how is it you come to owe a whole pig? oh i'm in the wrong
09:58business. none of my stuff's ration so i've nothing to trade. you'd think good money would be enough
10:03but the smell of a rasher or two of bacon seems to count for more than the smell of a ten bob note
10:08these days. that's why you got that anymore. not just the food side. it's worth its weight in scotch you
10:14mean. i'm not a hard drinking man. but you know what i'm like when i don't have a drop of scotch by me.
10:23yes i do.
10:26um father what's harry gonna say when he finds out you've bartered his shit? oh well harry's a
10:33different proposition isn't he? a ten bob note still smells sweet to harry. one ten bob note?
10:39no i shall offer him a very fair price. must be costing you a fair whack all this. costing me?
10:48it's like drinking liquid gold lad.
10:50oh hello. it's me. how is everybody? oh you know. hey is it foggy out there? no it's just a bit misty
11:05that's all. oh i'm helping mum to wash up. dad's in the front room if you want to see. david is
11:09going to ring me sometime before ten. he hasn't already has he? well not as far as i know. you
11:13better ask dad. we won't be long. they sent me to keep you company. hello love. hello. how's margaret?
11:29she's about the same i think. why don't you pop in and see her there's only michael there. yes yeah i will
11:33in a bit. david wrote. he's going to ring me tonight. i want to find out what chance there is
11:41of christmas leave because i thought i'd get the kids up for a day or two. if it isn't too late.
11:48too late for what love? oh i mean david i suppose. i see.
11:56i thought that if he saw the kids you might just remember that he does have a family. sheila love
12:05whatever it is that's made you feel like this well don't try to pretend you don't care.
12:08then? this letter i had dad. it's the first one for two months.
12:18get father apart all the time and then you're only conscience letters anyway.
12:23every time his conscience troubles him i get a letter.
12:27even his conscience doesn't seem to be bothering him all that much lately.
12:30neither of you are living natural lives in a war. things aren't normal. oh come on dad. it isn't just the war is it?
12:43not everybody's marriage is breaking up because there's a war on.
12:48ours was a mess before it even started.
12:50anyway you've got enough on your plate with margaret. without worrying about me. i'm all right honestly.
13:00it's great having doris as a lodger. you know i haven't laughed so much for years.
13:04i mean she takes life as it comes doris does. now she's not always worrying by what she might
13:10have had if things were different the way that i do. now you see me and doris growing old together.
13:17mrs thomas would be only too happy to adopt the kids and david can have his women. oh sheila.
13:23i should never have married him dad. mum didn't want me to and she was right. whatever gene felt
13:30at the time it's all quite different now. is it? anyway you mustn't let margaret marry this michael.
13:37not if it's just for the baby. not just for that. margaret decides for herself sheila and she can't
13:42marry anyway. not as things are. yes but you know what i mean. i like him. i think he's a very nice man but
13:48i don't know. i don't think that she cares about him enough. not in the way that she should. she keeps
13:54her feelings very much to herself. she always has done. would you want peter and janet not to care
14:00for david? don't you think that having a father is important to them? yes of course i do. i just
14:07think that there are worse things than being without. that's all. and not just for me. for them too. i wonder.
14:13it's not so easy to put yourself into a child's mind or anybody else's coming to that. i think
14:19we often believe what we want to believe. it's a natural failing. well tony. we don't seem to
14:28have had much time to talk about you. that's all right father. i'm used to it. that uh that young lady
14:36i met jenny. wasn't it? still his father. yes sir. how is she? fine fine. good. she seemed very uh
14:48very nice. yes well i think so too as a matter of fact. of course. of course you do lad.
14:55what time do you make it? oh that'll be hurry now. let him in would you?
15:04uh i think i'll uh pop down to the plough and i'll leave you to it. well don't be too long will you?
15:10oh good evening mr sefton. oh howdy lad. come in. sit down. thank you mr sefton. here we are.
15:29oh thanks. cheers. everything arranged is it? yes i think so mr sefton. about uh half past ten if
15:39that suits you. i'll do my best to be there. oh oh just as you wish of course. it's not quite
15:47your line though is it? no no it isn't. harry. yes mr sefton. you'll be uh dealing with it tonight
15:56i suppose. oh yes and tomorrow. it takes a bit of time you know but i think i could deliver it say
16:02day after tomorrow. yes well we'll see about that. another scotch harry. thank you mr sefton.
16:13you uh not often you see scotch these days is it mr sefton? i don't know. it's easy enough to come by
16:19if you've got the right. exchange. quite. cheers mr sefton. cheers. yeah. talking about exchange harry uh
16:31i was wondering whether or not you might prefer well cash. well for my off the pig thing. that's right.
16:40no disrespect intended of course i just thought cash might come in more useful to a man in your position.
16:45well it's very thoughtful of you mr sefton but i'm afraid i couldn't. oh no no not after all you've
16:52done for me mr sefton. i mean i i couldn't put you to the trouble of getting rid of all that being
16:56could i? it'd have been no trouble harry. oh any other time i'd have said yes but uh well it so
17:02happens i'm all right for cash at the moment. a little extra never does any harm you know. you're
17:06quite right but uh well i'll tell you frankly i've i've promised a bit around and really
17:13it's the bacon i need. good night mr sefton.
17:25hello mary. you working out? what are you doing here? ah well i was summoned by his lordship in there.
17:32making trouble again i suppose. hey he's trying to buy me out of my fair. oh that's nice. i'm not
17:40gonna let him know. mean old so and so. oh that's not like you at all. no i'm sticking up for me rights
17:48for once. it's the first time i've known you turn down the chance of a cheap penny harry jenkins.
17:54well pennies have the habit of changing into pounds if you hang on long enough.
18:02she wants a few biscuits to nibble. screwjob it's not bananas she's got a craving for like i did
18:08when i had janet. i can't think of the last time i saw a banana. oh i had a look at john too.
18:17thank you love. is there anything else i can do for you? go in the other room and put your feet up.
18:22are they really going to send her to someplace in shropshire about her back when she's had the baby?
18:27yes it's all arranged. you'll miss her. yes sir will.
18:34does she seem quiet to you? sort of not with us do you mean? yes yes she does a bit. yes she
18:40said something this morning. don't say anything to the others. she said she hadn't felt the baby for days.
18:47no. she said she felt heavy.
19:01i've just left the sick room. they're having an argument i'm afraid. oh michael wants to get the
19:22doctor and margaret doesn't want him to. oh yes yes i know it's been going on all day i believe. he's just a bit
19:27old apprehensive i think. he's gone very quiet you know these last few days. it's a long hard drag
19:33for a woman having a baby. it's not so easy on the man either. i should know. i've been through it
19:40five times. i like him. michael? yes i like him too. i didn't at first but then i reckon i can be
19:48forgiven that under the circumstances. oh i wish to goodness the women felt the same.
19:53aren't jean still hostile is she? well she tries for margaret's sake but it keeps creeping through.
19:59frida can hardly stand to be in the same room with him and sheila thinks it's all a terrible
20:03mistake. i dare say it seemed like that at the beginning but there's nothing we can do about
20:07it. why can't they learn to make the best of it? do you think it would help if i showed whose side it was
20:13on? oh they probably just think it was the men ganging up again. now they've got an answer to everything.
20:19i've been trying to persuade jean to let him say the night but will she? haven't i got enough on my
20:23plate she says. well i can't very well say no to that can i?
20:30oh has dad started to form that limited company of his yet? i haven't asked him soon. if i get the job
20:36i'll get it. the asking days are over. yeah so he's got a standard reply to questions like that anyway.
20:43all in good time lad. all in good time. yeah well how's life on the briny? oh cold wet and miserable
20:53most of the time. anybody not want saccharine in there cocoa? there's a sugar ration not stretching.
20:59oh it did. do we got a permanent visitor in the house? i don't know why mum doesn't ask him for his
21:04ration book. our freedom. michael offered it to her and she turned it down. well you'll notice
21:10david hasn't run. he could be flying. yes well that's what we always say. you shouldn't say he's going
21:15to if he isn't sure. i dread sheila coming round. you feel worse every hour that passes. i can't get
21:22near a phone sometimes myself. oh you men. always ganging up. and what's so funny? i'll take that cocoa through to them.
21:36oh it's changing everyone this war. you mean the men are ganging up. and the women are starting to
21:51wear trousers. well when didn't the men gang up? when did you lot not wear trousers?
21:56oh dear. whatever happened to that sweet little kid who used to have a crush on me? who? you. me?
22:05when did i ever have a crush on you? you didn't. certainly not. i hope you realize you just shattered
22:11one of my most pleasant illusions. yeah well what's his name then? whose name? well the the grand
22:19passion. oh come on you've got all the symptoms. kangaroo gym is it? don't be ridiculous. oh so we
22:28won't be taking the first boat out to australia when they sound the last all clear. oh you think
22:32it's very funny don't you? little freda having a crush. little freda going out to dances and dating
22:37an airman? well i'm not little freda any longer and if you... you don't know anything about me any of you. freda?
22:54she isn't here mrs ashton. would somebody mind putting these plates on the table for me then please?
22:59is this enough bread do you think? yes. thank goodness that isn't russian day. what time do you
23:11make it mum? nearly a quarter past love. oh no. i'll have to get the quarter too whether he rings or not.
23:20why don't you stay the night? oh i don't want to put you to all that trouble. nonsense. then if david
23:26does ring late you'll be here for sure. well if you're sure you don't mind. of course i don't.
23:33be nice to have you love. well she just blew her top all of a sudden. don't ask me what it was all about.
23:40had we uh better tell someone? i don't think she'd thank you if you did. better do what dad did. oh what's
23:47that? keep mum. ah here we are then. a bit rough and ready i'm afraid. we'll just all have to dig in.
23:55oh let's have some of that milk. that's what really gets me about coming ashore. fresh milk. get that sticky
24:02condensed stuff on the gullies. the uh cockroaches get lost in it. oh it's all right they float to the
24:08surface when they go in a cocoa. could i have the uh bread? tony love you're pulling our legs. you ask young
24:14robert. margaret doesn't want hers. oh well just put it down on the table. someone might drink it. oh is that
24:22dripping? yes loads of salt on it. oh bliss. i'll have to be off after this. me too. jean can't we ask
24:31michael to stay the night? he must be worn out. no no no no. we can't we? we just haven't got a bed.
24:38sheila's staying you see. i i i told you didn't i?
24:59won't be the death of you to go without you know. they were good days before the war.
25:04we didn't know how good they were did we? mr tony's back. he's in the kitchen. i've made him a bacon
25:09sandwich. out of his ration. he did bring his cards you know. oh uh mrs foster.
25:19i wonder could you have a word with your harry for me? about that pig i suppose. oh he's spoken to you.
25:27he might have. i'm sorry but i want nothing to do with it mr sefton. if you and our harry have
25:34problems well you must sort them out without me. now if there's nothing more you want i'll be off.
25:39very well. good night mrs foster. good night mr sefton.
25:43didn't they give you anything to eat at jean's?
25:56jean's? hmm of course. oh why is this damned appetite of mine? some of them think i'm still
26:05growing. either that or this uniform street. it's all that salt water it ruins good cloth.
26:10well don't swim in it father. we do have a ship.
26:17oh acquired the pig have you? no not yet. not enough ten bob notes? no figure was mentioned.
26:23oh above the price of jewels eh? i know how much i'm prepared to pay. it's up to him to name his price.
26:29well isn't he thinking the same thing? i'm sure he is. i'm under no illusion about that.
26:34i know what his little game is. well maybe you just like bacon. you can take my word for it. a chap
26:40like that doesn't go without bacon. not like you and me eh? a whole week's ration in this sandwich. he
26:47was in with others before i got mine. he thinks i don't know. he makes a business of it. well that was
26:55delightful. i think i'll um swing my hammer if you don't mind. we're turning it into bacon tonight you know.
27:04yeah. so i gathered. yes he's asked me to give him a hand. keep watch.
27:14keep watch? for what? well the slaughtering. it seems it's not entirely above war so we've got to be careful.
27:23against the law father i'm surprised at you. it's just this damn red tape but i better be there.
27:30i suppose it's asking too much to ask you to keep me company. take part in an illegal enterprise
27:36wearing a king's uniform. but your civvies on. it doesn't take long but they make so much noise
27:41about it. you'll come and keep me company won't you?
27:44what's your lodger gonna say when you don't turn up tonight? doris oh she won't worry.
27:53she's got the key and she knows i was coming here she'll understand what's happened.
27:57well don't take it too badly love. he's like it with us too you know.
27:59thoughtless forgetful. he just hasn't changed that's all. he has though dad.
28:07he has changed. in what way? seems very much the same to me.
28:12he's changed back i suppose to what he was before i married him.
28:15a lad with a future. he's expecting a commission any time now you know.
28:21you won't mind that will you? shouldn't should i. i shouldn't mind it. i ought to be proud of it.
28:26any other woman would be wouldn't she?
28:27he doesn't want me dad. i don't believe that sheila. he doesn't.
28:38i was going to get a job down there at one time. transfer in the naffy just for a few weeks so that
28:43the kids wouldn't miss seeing me but he didn't want me to. he didn't say why of course but i knew.
28:49just didn't want to have me there with his friends around him. you're just disappointed because he hasn't
28:54run. yeah. i'm just disappointed. anyway i'm going to bed now. can you say good night to mum for me?
29:02yes i will. hey you know whose side i'm on don't you? yes yes i do. it does help a bit. i'll say good night to her.
29:15i'm off to bed now. good night. good night love.
29:18frida had an early night? yes.
29:42yes. why did you invite sheila to stay after you'd refused michael?
29:49because sheila is family. family? she's beginning to become a victim of this family.
29:57it looks as if michael was on his way to becoming one too.
30:02if there was any victim in this family i'd say it was margaret surely.
30:07jean they want to spend the rest of their lives together. why not accept that?
30:14if i was as sure of that as you seem to be maybe i would. i promised margaret i would.
30:22i don't make promises lightly. it's a promise you're gonna have to keep in the end you know.
30:36what time do you make it?
30:58after midnight.
30:59well shouldn't he be here? he should be.
31:04well i don't know how you can look him in the eye father. i'll pay him a fair price.
31:09the pig father. i'm not in the mood for jokes if you don't mind. ah here he is now.
31:15hurry. oh this is hefton. this is terry. oh come on let's get cracking. you keep your eyes skinned.
31:22no sirens tonight i shouldn't think. no. quite a good night for it too i'd have thought.
31:35for the time of year i suppose. what they call a bomber's move. what do you say?
31:42more money to pay out i suppose. what did you want to bring that other chap for?
31:46to hold the pig down i should think. i doubt if the pig's going to like it.
31:51i don't like this business at all. no sentiment in business now.
32:03well. it was a good pig. as pigs go. as they say.
32:11and as pigs go. he went.
32:19a little professional job eh mr sefton that? yes yes it uh it does your credit hurry. here.
32:28you'll see that everything's soundly locked up won't you? well you don't have to worry about that
32:33do you? i mean i'd be an equal loser wouldn't i? would you care to take a glance at that?
32:38well there's a check in it. can't see to read it very well. allow me.
32:47to cash. it's the best i can do. i see. well.
32:52fair enough mr sefton. we're agreed then. it's a deal mr sefton. of course there'll have to be
33:00something in this for terry here but we can sort that out in the morning. come on.
33:06good morning mrs foster. oh you're up. i needn't have bothered with the key then.
33:22i needn't have. everybody's still asleep i'm afraid. would you like some breakfast? i've
33:29made tea. oh heavens that my breakfast ages ago. it's never been on record though that i've refused
33:35a cup of tea. good. uh the living room you said? yes please. i'd like to get started right away if
33:41you don't mind. i'd like to be queuing by half past nine the very latest. i mean it's no use going
33:46earlier because you can't see where the queues are starting can you? no. but i mean once you see a good
33:51queue starting then you know that there's something at the end of it don't you? shall i take your hat?
33:57oh dear. would you like me to bring your tea in to you? and you'll not forget i don't like saccharine
34:03will you? no no mrs foster i haven't forgotten. it dries up the bloodstream i don't care what anybody says.
34:09mom? mom? well i did quite well out of that little business last night. i never expected him to take
34:21that check i can tell you. i was ready to put another 25 percent on it if you've gone funny on me. here's
34:26there a cup of tea in there. oh there's a telephone. i'll bring you one through son. right.
34:39septon briggs here. oh hello harry. how are you? yes yes
34:57you what?
35:01do i have to? i see very well
35:09one cup of tea delicately sweetened. that was harry on the phone. cheeky devil's been telling
35:22people that's my pig. well it is your pig father. you pay quite a lot of money. oh i know i know.
35:29but they're from the ministry of food. something official he says.
35:33the ambulance will be here soon love. yes. i thought i felt it move again last night after you'd all gone to bed.
35:46can i can i get you anything? did michael say what time he'd get here?
35:52it's barely eight love. we haven't any way of letting him know have we?
35:56he was awfully tired yesterday. couldn't someone have asked him to stay the night? i took it for granted
36:07that he would. sheila's staying you see love. we we just haven't got room.
36:13mum. mum that time last may when we thought i might lose it the baby.
36:26i would still have wanted to stay with michael you know.
36:32yes i would. so you will keep on trying to understand won't you?
36:39please.
36:47yeah it's funny margaret not feeling the baby like that.
36:51baby? yes mum told me last night about margaret not feeling the baby move.
36:57mind you it's not all that unusual.
37:09mr secretary.
37:19where are they?
37:21well they've gone.
37:22couldn't wait they said they'll call on you around at the house tonight.
37:29what happened?
37:29well they went on a bit about the regulations you know.
37:33inspection of premises and authorized slaughter.
37:36oh you know how they talk.
37:38how did they know about it?
37:39oh search me mr sefton.
37:41they didn't say.
37:43they'd been informed.
37:45we have information they said.
37:47like a bloody fifth government.
37:48you didn't admit to anything.
37:50oh not me.
37:51i know not about any pig i said.
37:53you'll have to ask mr sefton about that i said.
37:55i see.
37:57well what else could i say?
38:00oh well they're not going to be able to do very much without evidence are they?
38:06i mean there is nothing left but the smell.
38:09and i doubt if anybody's going to take a smell as evidence.
38:12i see what you mean mr sefton.
38:14well i mean you obviously got it out of the way before they came.
38:16well i didn't have time did i?
38:21no i didn't.
38:22i mean it was still hung here where we left it.
38:24right here.
38:25you took it away with him you see.
38:27confiscation they said.
38:29they can't take my pig.
38:31confiscation they said and possible prosecution.
38:35red tape you know.
38:37that's what's at the bottom of this mr sefton.
38:38red tape.
38:40talk about a free country.
38:42that is the mouse.
38:46oh look you better come in.
38:50i'm just going.
38:51freda's in the kitchen.
38:53i'd better let her tell you but it's started and she's gone away.
38:57what?
38:57bye.
39:03oh it's you.
39:07i met mrs foster yes.
39:09has margaret gone?
39:12yes she started earlier this morning.
39:16has she?
39:17no it'll be hours yet.
39:18one of the nurses is going to ring.
39:21you could go if you wanted to i suppose.
39:25she didn't want me to not till after.
39:28yes well mum won't be long.
39:30she's gone for some flowers to take if you excuse me.
39:32frida you don't like me very much do you?
39:34i don't know you very well do i.
39:35whose fault is that i've been practically living here for the last few months.
39:38look i'm sorry i i don't want to talk about it.
39:42why can't we be friends?
39:43i do care for margaret you know a lot.
39:45i'm not going to let her down or anything.
39:48no i i know.
39:50well then.
39:54i've been behaving very badly haven't i?
40:00i've been very rude and very thoughtless and i'm sorry.
40:12then we're friends.
40:17friends?
40:20yes yes we're friends.
40:28shake hands on it.
40:29look would you like some coffee?
40:31i was just making some.
40:33if you could put the kettle back on.
40:34i've just got to go upstairs for something.
40:43if i were you i'd count my blessings for...
40:45lecturing me again?
40:49no i'm
40:51i'm just trying to put things in perspective that's all.
40:54look we uh don't want to encourage this sort of enterprise but
41:02for god's sake couldn't you buy another pig?
41:05and go through all that again?
41:07the place still sinks with boiling potato peelings.
41:09can't you smell it?
41:09i don't mean a live pig.
41:11i mean one well ready for the pots.
41:13where would i get that from?
41:14well you could try harry for a start.
41:16he's in the business isn't he?
41:19sir i suppose i could.
41:21yes you're right i i could.
41:26yes.
41:28and uh if i were you father i think i'd stick to the straight and narrow future.
41:36in my opinion you've got off scot-free.
41:38you're forgetting something aren't you?
41:40they've not just taken the pig they're threatening to prosecute as well according to harry.
41:43well you just have to take your punishment won't you father?
41:45you enjoy seeing me like this don't you?
41:49no i don't.
41:52i'm sorry you got mixed up in it that's all.
41:55and for god's sake don't tell me everybody's doing it.
41:57it's not a crime.
42:00isn't it?
42:03i'm not sure.
42:04i saw a couple of ships go down last month.
42:13look father if we're all in this together
42:16well we're gonna go on eating.
42:18it's got to be fair shares all round isn't it?
42:25have you consulted your solicitor yet?
42:27george ask you it'll be all around the club by tonight.
42:30what do you know about these regulations?
42:32i know nothing.
42:34uncle edwin knows a couple of chaps in the police force.
42:37might be able to find something out.
42:39why don't we go around there this evening?
42:40we ought to see how margaret's doing anyway.
42:43well we might be able to find out whether it's a fine or prison.
42:48i'll ring you if there's any news.
42:50i should be here.
42:52isn't anything i can't cope with.
42:54well we used to share these things once upon a time.
42:57we still do don't we?
42:58have a little celebration he says.
43:00has he forgotten all the problems we're faced with in all this?
43:03of course he has.
43:05you know what he's like.
43:06he doesn't mean to be insensitive.
43:08he honestly doesn't think about these things.
43:10all he thinks about is the trouble he's in over his pig.
43:14a pig?
43:15my god.
43:17that's his problem and he's sticking to it and hang anybody else's.
43:22ah he's a funny man.
43:24well i'll take him out of your way.
43:25thank you love.
43:27well aren't we ready for off then?
43:29come on Edwin we haven't got all night you know.
43:33see you later jean.
43:34good night.
43:44there you are then lads.
43:45oh thank you.
43:49cheers.
43:50good luck lad.
43:51oh there you are then mr briggs.
43:53thank you.
43:53that's very kind of good.
43:54oh and uh here's your change.
43:55thank you.
43:57cheers.
43:57cheers.
44:01luke uh sergeant.
44:04they're not entitled to do that surely.
44:07oh yes they are mr briggs.
44:08they're allowed to confiscate.
44:10doesn't this friend of yours know the regulations?
44:12uh no no he doesn't.
44:14well didn't they explain it to him?
44:16well he wasn't there.
44:17they spoke to the chap that keeps it for him.
44:19well didn't they go around to his house then?
44:21not that i know of.
44:22oh i see.
44:24and they took the carcass did they?
44:25they did.
44:27but they didn't go around to his house.
44:30that sounds a bit funny does that.
44:32he didn't describe him to you did he?
44:34he wasn't there as i said.
44:35ah that's right so you did.
44:38you know it uh sounds as if it could be a bit of a con to me.
44:42i don't understand.
44:43oh there's been one or two cases around here.
44:45a couple of chaps come along.
44:47say they're from the ministry.
44:48and take the carcass.
44:50but that's illegal.
44:51ah exactly.
44:53but then it's not often reported is it?
44:55well it should be.
44:56anybody in the right mind should go straight to the police.
44:58if that's the sort of thing that's happening.
44:59well you can tell your friend from me.
45:01the police would be delighted if he reports it.
45:03i will.
45:04i'll do that.
45:05we can't have things like that going on.
45:07it's anarchy.
45:08all right.
45:08you know it'd be killing two birds with one stone wouldn't it?
45:15how do you mean?
45:18well this chap who owns the pig.
45:20he's breaking the law as well you know.
45:22oh happen he's done it afore him not handed in his ration book.
45:25people do tend to.
45:27now those sort of things get overlooked.
45:29but it's them we're after just as much as the others mr briggs.
45:38sheila.
46:00i'm having an affair with a married man.
46:05say that again.
46:06you heard me.
46:10i don't believe you.
46:12why not?
46:12why don't you believe me?
46:13i just don't that's all.
46:15come on you're pulling my leg aren't you?
46:17no.
46:19oh freda.
46:20i'm not that sort of girl.
46:24your mother will have a fit.
46:27yeah she will won't she?
46:30after all the trouble she's had.
46:32people would start to say it runs in the family wouldn't they?
46:37oh does his wife know?
46:40no.
46:41he doesn't know either.
46:43doesn't know but i thought you said you were...
46:45oh i just wanted to see what he'd say.
46:47so you were pulling my leg?
46:52partly.
46:53oh i just wish they'd ground it open.
46:57swallow me.
46:58oh you mean you've got a crush on a married man.
47:03well thank goodness for that.
47:05oh i'm sorry.
47:07is it awful?
47:10you're not going to do anything about it though are you?
47:15i didn't even like him at first.
47:17i still don't sometimes in a way.
47:24i suppose it's because i can't have him.
47:27i mean i...
47:30i can't ever.
47:30so that's that isn't it?
47:37i didn't mean to talk about it.
47:39i don't even like to think about it.
47:42but you had to once.
47:44yes.
47:45yes.
47:48oh it's worse than you think, sheila.
47:52look.
47:53frida.
47:56can't you tell me?
47:57no.
48:00i can't tell anyone.
48:03not ever.
48:06it'll pass.
48:10a promise.
48:11i know you don't think so now but it will.
48:15you'll see.
48:23hello.
48:24yes.
48:25yes it is.
48:29i see.
48:31yes well thank you for letting me know.
48:34yes yes i will right away. thank you.
48:37will you go and wake up michael. he's asleep in the front room.
48:40we have to go to the hospital right away.
48:48here we are then hurry.
48:51thank you very much mr. Sefton.
48:52will that be all then?
48:54it's only a question of delivery now then isn't it?
48:56i'm obliged harry.
48:57don't mention it mr. Sefton.
48:59harry.
49:01early tomorrow morning then.
49:03before it's light of course.
49:04thank you harry.
49:05i'm obliged.
49:09oh.
49:13small sample.
49:15oh.
49:17well.
49:22saved you bacon.
49:36those two men haven't been have they?
49:38you see.
49:38i don't know if we shall ever find out but.
49:43like to know where that came from.
49:48what do you mean where it came from?
49:55you've done very well out of that haven't you?
49:57i've done all right.
49:59still he can afford it.
50:00old crook.
50:01yes.
50:02well they say it takes one to know one don't they?
50:04now mary.
50:05you keep away from him in future do you understand?
50:07i'll never help you if he recognises it.
50:09i don't know what you mean.
50:11if i could be sure.
50:12oh you can never be sure of a big mary.
50:15i mean i'm in the business aren't i?
50:17and even to me one dead pig looks very much like another.
50:21i had a job getting here.
50:29can't we?
50:30michael's with her.
50:31is she all right?
50:33yes she's all right.
50:34and the baby?
50:36it was stillborn.
50:39oh.
50:41all that time.
50:43nothing.
50:45you knew didn't you?
50:45you told sheila that she hadn't felt the baby move?
50:49it was nothing.
50:52it could have been nothing.
50:54but you thought.
50:58i don't know.
50:59perhaps.
51:04you're thinking of what i said when we were sitting here once before aren't you?
51:08release.
51:10you said it'd be a release.
51:13you thought it was a terrible thing to say.
51:15we all say terrible things sometimes.
51:21to each other.
51:23yes we do.
51:29in a funny sort of way though.
51:32i'm afraid it might bring them closer together.
51:43i'm afraid it might bring them closer to you.
51:55john george has a cough.
51:59your mother will see to it.
52:01sleep.
52:05where's your hand?
52:13sleep.
52:14sleep.
52:15sleep.
52:15sleep.
52:15sleep.
52:43You