The Onedin Line: Series 1 (1971) (DVD)

The exciting saga of ambitious men, tempestuous women and stormy seas! Set in England in the 1860s when British naval strength was the envy of Europe, this saga charts the fortunes of an ambitious, clever and determined ship owner whose private life is more tempestuous than the seas he sails. James Onedin (Peter Gilmore) is the son of a waterside shopkeeper who has died and left him with no inheritance. All James has is a legacy of 25 franks and a shrewd, business mind. Despite his scheming sister and her husband who run a rival shipping company, he is resolute in his attempt to start a shipping line in a changing world. Onedin is ruthless, but farsighted and with steam a possibility for the future, he swiftly embarks on his rise from impoverished seaman to wealthy ship owner and founder of The Onedin Line. Episodes Comprise: 1. The Wind Blows Free 2. Plain Salling 3. Other Points of the Compass 4. High Price 5. Catch as Can 6. Salvage 7. Passage to Pernambuco 8. The Homecoming 9. When My Ship Comes In 10. A Very Important Passenger 11. Mutiny 12. Cry of the Blackbird 13. Shadow of Doubt 14. Blockade 15. Winner Take All

BAFTA nominated for Best Drama Series, Best Actress for Anne Stallybrass and Best Design