Lark Rise to Candleford season 1

When a new baby is born into the family, eldest daughter Laura Timmins is told by her parents that she will have to make her own way in the world. Arrangements have been made for her to move to the nearby village of Candleford where she will be apprenticed to her cousin Dorcas Lane. Dorcas is the postmistress and a very successful businesswoman. Laura is quite sad at the prospect of leaving Lark Rise and her family, but her cousin is very kind and sets about teaching her the business. Trouble is brewing between Lark Rise and Candleford, however, when residents of the former complain of the high cost of telegram delivery. It gets worse when one of the residents can't afford to pay and miss a telegram that her brother is deathly ill.

Dorcas Lane is apt to say that all secrets are bound to come out in Candleford and that seems to be the case with Mrs. Macey. She's been living in the village for five years with her son Freddy, who is a bit of a hellion. Her story has always been that her husband is a valet and away traveling. The truth is that her husband, Dan Macey, has been in prison but a letter brings her shocking news that is soon spread to every corner of the village. Caroline Arless has a date in court when she fails to pay for the barrel of beer she bought. With no husband, no money and another baby on the way, few are convinced that she will land anywhere but in debtors' prison.

Dorcas Lane arranges for Patty, a young woman from the workhouse, to work as a housekeeper for Old and Young Amos. She is an honest and hard worker who found herself in the workhouse through no fault of her own, but that doesn't stop the village gossips from having their say. Problems do arise when both Amoses decide that they want to marry her. When the residents of Lark Rise decide to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Sir Timothy Midwinter's family presiding over the area, his wife, Lady Adelaide, is not sure she wants to participate. His asking Dorcas to take her place changes her mind. Politics also enter into the celebration when Laura's father refuses to let his children sing a Tory marching song, putting him into conflict with the Reverend Ellison.

A debt-collector arrives in Lark Rise looking to seize Caroline Arless' property and send her to debtors' prison. A Mr. Ashlow arrives in the village looking for his two daughters, who turn out to be the Pratt sisters. Ruby is not pleased to see him and will have nothing to do with him. They also shock Candleford with their new window display. Ashlow engages Caroline as a prop in selling his patent medicine, which proves to be quite popular, and in his gambling, which proves equally lucrative. Dorcas shows Laura her dead letter box containing correspondence that cannot be delivered or returned to the sender. In it, they find many letters written to Ashlow's daughters under their previous names.

A new postal inspector, Mr. Rushton, arrives in Candleford to conduct the annual inspection. It's the man's first visit and his no-nonsense approach does not sit well with Dorcas Lane, who is convinced he doesn't approve of a woman running a postal station. Rushton insists that Thomas, who has been asked to preach a Sunday sermon, collect the mail that day as required by regulations. Laura makes a great error when she misplaces the Pratt sisters' much-anticipated parcel. Lady Midwinter thinks she might be pregnant.

Having secured a month's work at the manor house, Laura's father takes in a homeless family. It's only meant to be for one night but when they wake the next morning, they find the family has gone on having left their little girl, Polly, behind. He takes her to work with him but when Lady Midwinter finds her in the garden, she proposes to her husband that they keep her as their own. He doesn't agree and raises eyebrows, especially those of the Pratt sisters, when he takes the girl to Dorcas' house late in the evening. Dorcas and Laura plot to move true love along by sending a poem from Thomas to the minister's daughter. He receives one in return but a mix-up leads some people to jump to wrong conclusions.

The hamlet of Lark Rise is divided when Susan Braby brings charges of wife beating against her husband Sam. He hit her while drunk but she had always warned him not to raise a hand against her and now she is being true to her word. Emma Timmins tries to convince her otherwise, but she won't budge. Sir Timothy and Lady Adelaide have a major row when she dismisses the local workmen in favour of hiring someone from away to complete the new front gates. Laura brings home her young beau, Philip, for Sunday dinner but her father doesn't like his politics very much.

The new "school mistress" is an attractive man, causing emotional upheaval among the ladies of Candleford and some concern at the manor.

What finally happened to hand embroidered panel of Adam and Eve?

Having spent the night in the pouring rain searching for Edmund Timmins, Twister Turrill finds his health in serious decline. He decides to distribute some of his personal effects to friends in Lark Rise. Knowing that her love for Sir Timothy can never lead to anything, Dorcas Lane announces that she is selling the postal outlet and will be traveling abroad. Philip the gamekeeper tells Sir Timothy that Robert Timmins knows who is poaching on the estate but Robert won't reveal the name and soon finds himself out of work. Laura and Philip subsequently argue. Caroline Arless is determined not to have her baby until her seaman husband returns home but goes into labor in the post office. Zillah prepares for her "surprise" birthday party.