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Lesley Manville is moved to discover a family story of enduring love and is delighted when an ancestor’s involvement in a riot reveals new relatives in Australia.

Actor Lesley Manville never knew much about her grandparents but wants to get to the bottom of family rumours surrounding her mum’s side of the family. Despite living in a time when having children out of wedlock was a scandalous choice, Lesley’s maternal grandparents, James and Harriet, never married - and Lesley and her sister Diana’s impression is that their grandfather 'wasn’t a very nice man'.

By delving deep into Brighton’s local archives, Lesley uncovers a complex story of wartime separation, adultery and the inaccessibility of divorce, which leads to her grandparents’ unconventional family arrangement. As the records reveal more details of their lives, Lesley is profoundly moved to discover that her grandad comes across as a kind and loving man.

Tracing back her father’s line reveals even more surprises as Lesley sets off to solve what happened to her three-times great-grandfather Aaron Harding. With no record of his death, what happened to him is a mystery. A widower with a large family to feed, Aaron protested against poor conditions and pay as an agricultural worker in rural Hampshire in 1830 - a demonstration that would become known as the Swing Riots. As one of the key figures in the riots, Aaron was arrested and subsequently transported to Australia. Lesley follows Aaron’s trail to the other side of the world to learn about his final fate and ends up discovering family she never knew existed.

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57 minutes

Audio described

Last on

Tue 1 Aug 2023 23:40

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Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Lesley Manville
Narrator Phil Davis
Executive Producer Colette Flight
Series Producer Sarah Feltes
Producer Bernadette Ross
Director John Das

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