Wanted - a Good Home

Infobox Television episode
Title = "Wanted - a Good Home"
Series = "Upstairs, Downstairs"


Caption = Thimble
Season = 5
Episode = 5
Airdate = 5 October 1975
Production = 5
Writer = John Hawkesworth
Director = Christopher Hodson
Guests =
Episode list = List of Upstairs, Downstairs episodes
Prev = "The Joy Ride"
Next = "An Old Flame"

"Wanted - a Good Home" is the fifth episode of the fifth and final series of the period drama "Upstairs, Downstairs". It first aired on 5 October 1975 on ITV.

Background

"Wanted - a Good Home" was recorded in the studio on 6 and 7 March 1975, with the location footage having been filmed on 26 February in Eaton Place in Belgravia. John Hawkesworth, who wrote this episode, based some of the events seen in "Wanted - a Good Home" on his own childhood, Hawkesworth having had a governess himself. [cite news|url=|title=Inside UpDown - The Story of Upstairs, Downstairs|first=Richard|last=Marson|publisher=Kaleidoscope Publishing|date=2005]

Cast

*Angela Baddeley - Mrs Bridges
*Gordon Jackson - Hudson
*Jean Marsh - Rose
*Hannah Gordon - Virginia Bellamy
*David Langton - Richard Bellamy
*Shirley Cain - Miss Treadwell
*Jenny Tomasin - Ruby
*Peter Forest - Bert
*Jacqueline Tong - Daisy
*Gareth Hunt - Frederick
*Anne Yarker - Alice Hamilton
*Jonathan Seely - William Hamilton
*Tracey Childs - Jennifer Chivers
*Danvers - Thimble [The uncredited dog belonged to Simon Williams, who played James Bellamy; cite news|url=|title=Inside UpDown - The Story of Upstairs, Downstairs|first=|last=|publisher=Kaleidoscope Publishing|date=2005]

Plot

It is spring 1922 and William, who is now eight years old, is off to a boarding preparatory school. After asking Virginia, Rose buys Alice a small dog, called "Thimble", for Alice to keep her company after William leaves.

Shortly William leaves, Richard and Virginia go to France. Miss Treadwell, the governess, believes she is in charge in their absence, and annoys the other servants by taking tea in the Morning Room. The servants are dismayed when she puts Alice on a bread and water diet as a punishment for her behaviour. Jennifer Chivers, a friend, joins Alice for her lessons with Miss Treadwell. When Thimble chews Miss Treadwell's shoe, she orders the dog to be presented to her the following morning so she can have it put down. However, the servants hide Thimble in Edward and Daisy's flat above the garage, and tells Miss Treadwell and Alice that it has gone "missing". It reappears moments after Richard and Virginia return home.

When Richard and Virginia return home, she immediately complains about the behaviour of the other servants. However, immediately Virginia dismisses Miss Treadwell and gives her four weeks wages instead of notice. It is then decided that Alice will go to a day school, something that Alice is very happy about.

Footnotes

References

*Richard Marson, "Inside UpDown - The Story of Upstairs, Downstairs", Kaleidoscope Publishing, 2005
* [http://www.updown.org.uk/epguide/S5.htm#wagh Updown.org.uk] - "Upstairs, Downstairs" Fansite