A Clear Conscience

This episode list shows details of the 91 episodes of the BBC television series ''The Onedin Line''.

Series 1

Series 2

Series 3

Series 4

Series 5

Series 6

Broadcast 16 July – 17 September 1978, (10 episodes).

(E63)

Written by: Mervyn Haisman.

The new series lead-in is an aerial shot of the Onedin Line's flagship ''Orlando'', and cameo brooch vignettes of the lead actors.
Sir Daniel asks James to carry £100,000 of gold bullion from South Africa – off the books: he is liquidating his South African holdings for fear the country is becoming strife-ridden.

James charges 2% of the value of the cargo, jokingly throwing in a 'free passage' for Daniel who smiles. Baines jokes that James might as well run up the 'skull and cross bones', such is the size of the fee.
Josiah Beaumont (a new character) and the new head of Mr Harris's bank (he has sold his bank) calls. Twenty-year-old William suggests they dine at his club to discuss business.
Letty is trying to become pregnant and tells Elizabeth that she is concerned that she might be barren. Letty has also made a tapestry to put in place of Anne's picture.

Dunwoody tells Elizabeth that Mr Simmons (a client who has built 4 vessels with Frazers previously) has cancelled his order for a ship. To get the order William quoted low initially and then tried to push the price up with extras. Beaumont suggests that he can coerce Simmons to deal with Frazers. Elizabeth insults Beaumont for forcing Harris out and argues with William who says that Beaumont can be of tremendous help to them.

Meanwhile, James voyages home and the Panama canal – which will mean ships will no longer need sail to around the Horn of Africa – is an active idea although Baines regrets the loss of bravery in sailing that will ensue once difficult passages are avoided. A hazing ceremony on board sees a young boy shaven and tarred and feathered by a pirate Neptune.

Samuel has come home: also grown up. At a Bank party – quite unthinkable under Mr Harris - William confides to Samuel that his goal in 5 years is to be richer than any one in the room. Beaumont has convinced Simmons to have his new ship built with Frazers who tells Elizabeth that it is the last ship Frazers will be building for him. He tells Elizabeth that Beaumont threatened to take away his support if he had the ship built in another yard. On hearing this, she declares to Beaumont that she is dining with Mr Harris tomorrow night, 'such an upright man'! She leaves taking William with her. Later Samuel tells Letty about this and that within 5 minutes all the other guests had left as well.

A fire starts on board the ''Christian Radich'' – wool is burning. The fire is put out, but once again we learn that James is sailing under-insured.
Daniel discovers that three bars of gold have been stolen and James threatens a rope across the back of the man who has stolen the gold. However, one of the sailor points out that it is now against the law (recall that in series one merchant vessels sailed under Napoleonic Naval laws where mutiny or striking an officer was punishable by death). The young boy who was hazed previously has stolen the gold and confesses saying, "why should you have all that gold". The sailor who spoke out against flogging also speaks up for the boy and James lets him off saying that they can both crew a ship round the Horn and that the boy is now his responsibility.

The mate who found the gold beats Daniel to the deck, blaming him for stopping him marrying a rich Chinese girl some years earlier although apparently Daniel had saved him from sharks years before; he says they are now even.

As the episode closes, James bids for business with Fogarty against the Frazer line. James goes to put up a shield he has brought back from Africa only to see that Letty has replaced Anne's picture with her tapestry.

(E64)

Written by: Cyril Abraham

On board the Neptune Baines asks how James got the contract for transporting steel plates instead of Frazers – "blood is thicker than water". "So is zinc", James replies, "and that is what contracts are made of". William's relations with Beaumont grow tighter, as he confides his dismay that Elizabeth and Daniel would not give the contract to "his" line. Petulant and demanding, he orders an old Captain to sea, and demands a fast passage, threatening him if he's slow, despite dense fog. Samuel grows increasingly unhappy at the future Robert has planned for him. Parents pass on what they have learned to their children, the children struggle to take on the role of their parents, un-aware of how little they know, but youthful and winning.
The Frazer ship that William has urged out to sea with Captain Oliphant in command passes a "red and white" buoy, but then they see a black and white buoy – they're on the wrong side of the channel and in the fog ram and sink James' ship the ''Neptune''. All hands abandon ship but no lives are lost.

Lessons continue to be learned about honesty and decency. William applies more pressure on Oliphant and sends key witnesses from his own ship offshore. Sensing that Oliphant is weak he takes Beaumont's advice and has him sign a statement that he was on the correct side of the channel and that James was crossing in front of him thus binding him to this falsehood.
Again, the series is a lesson in the evolution of UK law as Robert tells Beaumont he has placed his house in his wife's name, protecting it from creditors.

Samuel is courting Charlotte, but she has only William on her mind. Robert and Sarah discuss a match between Charlotte and Samuel and both agree that it would ensure continuity of future 'family' business.

As the accusations fly, Oliphant finds himself in an impossible situation, caught between a rock and a hard place, and hangs himself. William has pangs of conscience and asks himself 'why'? – malevolent Beaumont tries to convince William it is a good thing and now renders Oliphant's testimony uncontestable. Robert points out that the dead cannot testify. James has realised that the location of the sunken steel plates and his anchor would be proof positive of the position of the two ships. The insurers agree and pay up.

Elizabeth is happy for William to learn that there is more to a company than money. Growing up means more than acquiring a moustache. They agree to pay Oliphant's dependents a 'modest' pension for life.

Shock ending...during a celebration dinner Robert gets a bone stuck in his throat and chokes to death in front of them.

(E65)

Written by Nick McCarty

Following Robert's death, the will is read by Mr Andrews. Under the 1883 married women's property act, the house is Sarah's. However, there is a codicil stating that the department store is left to Samuel for as long as it is under his personal management; if not, it reverts to Sarah. A representative of the salvage company, Buxton, approaches James regarding the salvage of a ship, the ''Indian Queen'', and its cargo of copper sheets. It is yet another ship under Captain Barry has foundered and claimed insurance and he suspects the owner, Mr Lynn, of double-dealing. Daniel and Samuel argue over a deal to buy a mill in Manchester, which he and Robert had agreed prior to his untimely death. Samuel says that he does not intend to honour it, as he was not part of the original arrangement. However, Samuel says that he plans to go ahead with Robert's parcel post service and Daniel agrees to supply the linen material for Letty to make the goods, which Samuel will sell via the catalogue.

James calls on Elizabeth and discusses insurance matters. Dunwoody also calls with some papers and confirms that William bought into part of the cargo that went down using Fraser company money. William tells Beaumont that he cannot afford to cover the claim if it is not settled.
James and Baines look for the ''Indian Queen'', having learnt from the drunken captain that it went down a mile off Cromer Point and suspect it was deliberately sunk.

Elizabeth accuses William of using company money to buy the cargo and learns that if the transaction was illegal the insurance company will not pay.
Mr Lilly tells Beaumont that there was in fact no cargo on the ship, William joins them. The ''Indian Queen'' was an old ship and was scuttled with no cargo as the manifest was false. The copper sheets will be sold in due course as well as claiming the insurance money. William is warned not to breathe a word, as is Beaumont.

Letty voices her concerns about not being a mother; James says 'give it time'. The first mate of the ''Indian Queen'' arrives and tells James the truth about the ''Indian Queen'' and exactly where it went down. The diver is persuaded by Buxton to examine the hold, offering him 50 guineas and 100 guineas for his family if he is killed. The diver opens the hold discovering a dead man who was trapped. The escaped air dislodges the ship and it goes over a ledge into deep water; now they will not be able to prove whether there was a cargo on board.

James confronts William about the missing cargo and hands a shocked William the rosary of the man found dead in the ship saying 'keep it as a memento'.

(E66) (compasses, theft, canals, mediumship)

Written by: John Lucarotti

The episode (confusingly set in 1883, and the death of “that fellow Karl Marx who has just died”) opens with James explaining to Letty, who is gaining her sea legs, that their magnetic compass has deviated – paradoxically, because James' new two-masted ketch the ''Falcon'' is not carrying her normal cargo of steel plates – for which her compass has been calibrated with deviating magnets.

Daniel meets with Sir Norman – they discuss a £50,000 robbery in Manchester. Their main question is to break the Liverpool to Manchester transport monopoly of the Mersey docks, the harbor board and rail company. "The government will do nothing", suspects Daniel. Sir Norman retorts, "You wouldn't 'want' the government telling you how to run your business would you? We don't do things that way in this country, thank God!". They briefly discuss the death of Karl Marx and anarchy.

Elizabeth suggests the canal as an alternative to the rail monopoly – Daniel pooh-poohs the idea as too slow (the canal was shut as rail replaces the horse), then realises that freight could be trafficked by steam in the canal... Elizabeth suggests they discuss it in bed. Cross cut, and Letty suggests James put his arms around her...

Talking to Sir Norman, Daniel expounds on his idea now: to tow the ocean going steamers up widened canal lanes all the way from the port of Liverpool to Manchester.

Samuel continues to develop his idea of parcel post (mail order) trading. An idea pioneered in the United States by Sears.

William continues to reveal himself to be a naïve and a more callous and less humane person than he had appeared.

James takes on a cargo with a Mr Jack Wadham, with no bills of lading required or desired. The Fennian strike and blowing up of a town hall motivate the cargo – transfer of a rich man's possessions.
Sarah begins seeing a medium – she becomes convinced through his simple predictions that he can see the future and is in contact with the dead Robert.

James suspects that Wadham and his cargo are not what they appear and opens the crates. Wadham discovers him and confesses that they are stolen and holds James and Baines at gunpoint. James pretends that they are on the wrong course by deviating the compass and having put up warning flags land at a cove in Wales. They are met by customs officers and Wadham is arrested while James sets sail again with £5000 in reward money. 'Not bad for one trip' says James!

(E67)

Written by Douglas Watkinson

A gentleman, Murchison, is selling up his stores and ships including a schooner, the ''Jenny Peak''. James is interested in the schooner but not the rest of the fleet. William has made a good offer. Letty confides to Elizabeth that she is pregnant, James doesn't know yet. Baines is told by the captain that the Norwegians are crying out for pianos. He says that he has a piano he can have for £10 and sell for £25 minimum. James tells Elizabeth that if she lets him take the schooner off her hands he will withdraw from the bidding. She says that Frazers have made no offer for the Murchison line. William has offered £26,000 and Beaumont says he has agreed to buy on his behalf.

Elizabeth tells Beaumont that Frasers has a reputation for honesty. Beaumont replies that the Fogarty yards are building several ships and Beaumont threatens to call in his loans. James bids for a Persian carpet and buys it for 28 guineas showing it to Letty who tries to tell James she is pregnant. William apologises to Elizabeth and says that it is time to find a place of his own, she agrees. James offers to sell Samuel the warehouse he is buying at Murchison Quay for £3000. Samuel plans to sell salmon to hotels and James offers to supply ice for storage as he is going to Norway. James tells Daniel he would be a fool not to buy the Murchison Line, as it is part of the South African Conference.

William and Charlotte meet at his new apartment, Letty waits up and tells her that Lucy has tonsillitis, so where were you? Charlotte says she was with William but they only kissed, however Letty notices that Charlotte's pearls are missing and suspects that more has transpired. James, Beaumont and William meet; James says he only wants the schooner and will withdraw if he gets it for a fair price.

James meets Murchison who says that he does not only want the money but wants to leave a legacy behind, as he has no sons. Daniel tells William that Beaumont is using him and that he will not have his wife threatened. He tells Beaumont that Murchison is transferring his loan to another bank and if Beaumont sets foot in the office again, he will run the Fraser line down to nothing.

James bargains for ice in Norway and Baines discovers that he has been taken for a fool with the piano. Baines finds a crewmember after he has been mugged and robbed, they go back to the bar and find who did it and make them buy the piano as retribution, for £26. Unloading it, they deliberately drop it on the quay.

At home, James hurries back to Daniel to find out about the schooner, the ''Jenny Peak''. Baines tells Jack about the piano and spins a yarn and Jack takes the bait. James tells Letty that he is renaming the ''Jenny Peak'' the ''Letty Gaunt''.

(E68)

Written by Simon Masters

Daniel shows the plans for the Liverpool to Manchester ship canal to Sir Norman and his business partners, noting that the Railway monopoly will fight them all the way. Meanwhile, the ladies discuss the latest fashion in the room next door; Elizabeth is extremely bored by the small talk and is concerned with what Daniel may be negotiating. He says that the canal will cost £10m to build but is a 'small' investment to make for future prosperity. Elizabeth says that she was born and bred in Liverpool and accuses Daniel of being a traitor for the effect the canal will have on the shipyards. She says it will be the death of Liverpool.

James tells Letty, who has still not told him she is pregnant, to come to Africa with him. Still not willing to tell him she is pregnant, she says that she cannot because she has bought a shredding machine and 'has to be there when it is delivered'! A man called Branigan, clutching his daughter, is evicted to release land for the canal. A Reverend Webster asks Baines if they can take them to Lagos. He knows James as they are related through Anne and are in fact cousins. In an orphanage, Sarah sees Branigan and his daughter and pledges all her help. Daniel tells Elizabeth that the South African Conference has thrown out the Murchison Line.

Branigan signs on as ships carpenter while Sarah introduces Marcus Symmons, the director of the orphanage, to Elizabeth. They need new premises and benefactors. He flatters Elizabeth and says he needs 3–4 thousand pounds. James shows Hannah Webster around the ship and Baines looks on with slight concern, as Letty is not on the voyage. Elizabeth invites Marcus Symmons to dine with her and says that he interests her and does he try to seduce women for profit or pleasure. Symmons shows her the orphanage which has no heat or sanitation and that he would flatter any woman to get what he needs. On board ship, Branigan tells Hannah Webster about his daughter and she berates him for abandoning her, much to Baines annoyance, who says it is none of her business.

Letty confides in Elizabeth that she has still not told James. Elizabeth tells Daniel that she has been entertaining herself with a young man and that a girl has been thrown out of her home because of the canal, making them beggars. Daniel denies it and says someone else is buying the land.
The crew are sick due to foul water and put in for fresh supplies. Daniel suspects someone of cheating the company and buying the land near the locks to resell at an exorbitant profit. He has the name of the company and accuses Sir Norman who admits it but says it will not stand up in court. Daniel says that he will use all his wealth to prove it unless Norman agrees to sell the land to them at the same price he paid for it.

While they are at anchor waiting for fresh water, the ship is boarded by bandits. James and the crew fend off the attackers and Branigan saves Hannah's life. James tells Branigan that when they return he will give him enough money for a new start.

(E69)

Written by Mervyn Haisman

James returns from Africa after 2 months away and finds Letty 6 months pregnant. He is furious not only with not being told but also because he does not want any more children. He storms out. William also learns that Charlotte is pregnant much to his dismay but she assumes they will marry now he is 21. James comes back drunk and apologises and Baines says it was his fault but he thought it would take James' mind off things. Elizabeth and Daniel argue once again over his plans for the ship canal while they learn that Sir Norman Truscott is to apply for The Chiltern Hundreds.

Charlotte tells Samuel that William has asked her to marry him while William confides in Beaumont. He says that James' wrath will not last forever but marriage will and advises against. James sails to Ireland and once again finds Samuel on board who requests a passage as he is considering providing ships furnishings. At his 21st birthday party, Elizabeth presents William with the title deeds to the Fraser Line and yards and a gold fob watch. Beaumont arrives and insults Elizabeth, Daniel tells him never to do that again or he will regret it. Beaumont advises them both not make an enemy of him or they will regret it; they both leave the party. Charlotte has given William a ring but his says he cannot accept it and that he cannot marry her. She is distraught.

At sea, James comes across an abandoned steamer. He and Samuel board her and find high explosives in the hold as well as leaking nitroglycerine. After much wheeler dealing, Beaumont brokers a deal to sell the yard for £205,000, the yard being William's now he is 21. Charlotte tells Letty that William won't marry her and that she is going to have a baby. James and Samuel put the leaking explosive over the side and one box explodes. A steam launch approaches and they are told the cargo is government property and is to remain secret. James tells them about the leaking nitroglycerine and threatens to leave unless a salvage deal is agreed. The captain concedes and says how much? James says: 'let's talk about it'.

(E70)

Written by Douglas Watkinson

James has sent Baines to bring back a ship, the ''Amarillos''. The captain, an old enemy of Baines, is dying. His wife, Catherine, pleads with Baines to take him back to Liverpool to die. At home, James comments that Charlotte is putting on weight. William learns that Beaumont has sold the yard and has given an acre of land to William as a bonus and tells him that he is to stand for city councillor. James learns about Beaumont's ambitions and Samuel wants James to sponsor Daniel to stand against him.

Letty tells Elizabeth, who says that it would conflict with his role as director of the ship canal project. Catherine tells Baines that she will soon be a rich widow and asks for his advice. Samuel confronts William over his refusal to marry Charlotte and they fight, both of them the worse for wear as a result. James confronts Charlotte and Letty tells him the truth – James calls her a trollop