Our Family: The Edginton’s Wars

Synopsis

Three semi-autobiographical plays by Victor Pemberton telling the story of one family across the 20th centuryNovelist and playwright Victor Pemberton was best known for scripting Doctor Who and working on Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock. His many plays for BBC Radio included The Slide, Kill the Pharaoh. and this three-part family saga, a love story inspired by the lives of his own parents and starring Nerys Hughes, Nigel Anthony, Sheila Grant and Wendy Richard.The Trains Don’t Stop Here Any More – 1916. When 18-year-old Letty Edginton goes to work in a munitions factory, she meets and falls for Oliver Hobbs, a young man whose leg was severely wounded at the Somme. Despite their different backgrounds and her snobbish mother’s objections, they marry and set up home – but married life proves more challenging than Letty had expected.Don’t Talk to Me About Kids! – It’s 1939, and, like so many other Londoners, Letty and Ollie find themselves living through the horrors of another world war. As German bombs begin to fall on the city, their kids Eddie and Mick are evacuated to the countryside, and their eldest son Ron is called up to fight in the Royal Navy. But Letty is determined that whatever troubles and tragedies lie ahead, her family should survive and be reunited.Down by the Sea – 1963. Letty and Ollie have always dreamed of living by the sea and, having reached their sunset years, they’ve retired to a seaside bungalow bought for them by their children. After a long and happy marriage, they celebrate their Golden Wedding anniversary in the company of family and friends, but back at home, they must face the problems of old age alone...Production creditsWritten by Victor PembertonPianist: Mary Nash1. The Trains Don’t Stop Here Any MoreLetty Edginton – Nerys HughesBeatrice, her mother – Sheila GrantWilliam, her father – Malcolm HayesOliver Hobbs – Nigel AnthonyViolet – Wendy RichardTom – Derek SeatonFrank O'Malley – Bill MonksNicky/Bugle Boy – Adam GodleyBill Brooks – Kenneth ShanleyAmy Lyall – Eve KarpfMr Cotton – Eric AllanMr Pearson/Gateman – Robert TrotterDirected by John TydemanFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 8 July 19782. Don’t Talk to Me About Kids!Letty Hobbs – Nerys HughesOliver Hobbs – Nigel AnthonyBeatrice – Sheila GrantSam – Philip SullyViolet – Wendy RichardRon/Malcolm/Train Guard – Jonathan TaflerFlorrie – Eva StuartColonel Meecham – Laurence PayneBill Brooks/Warden – Michael Tudor BarnesTilly Brooks – Emily RichardMother Superior – Julie BerryMick – Rickey CoombesEddie – Nicholas DelveJaney/Doreen – Zelah ClarkeDirected by David SpenserFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 14 January 19893. Down by the SeaLetty Hobbs – Nerys HughesOliver Hobbs – Nigel AnthonyBeatrice – Sheila GrantMick – Spencer BanksEddie – Sean BarrettMary – Karen ArcherJonathan – Rory McNichollBill Brooks – Michael Tudor BarnesTilly Brooks/District Nurse – Emily RichardFred Golding – Norman BirdGladys Golding/Alice – Joan MathesonCypriot man/Newsreader – John BaddeleyCypriot woman – Julie BerryReporter/Charlie – Kim WallDoctor/Brian – Steven HarroldGuests at the Golden Wedding played by members of the castDance band: Les Brown TrioDirected by David SpenserFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 21 January 1989© 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd