A 1930s British summer Bank Holiday starts at midday on Saturday with a rush for the trains to the sea-side. Doreen Richards under the name Miss Fulham is off with friend Milly to a beauty contest. Geoffrey and nurse Catherine Lawrence have decided to spend an illicit week-end in the Grand Hotel, although Catherine's mind keeps turning back to the hospital case she was working on. Arthur, May and the children are set on a more straight-forward excursion of sea, sand, and pub. Meanwhile, the manager and performers of the "Follies" on the pier pray for rain.—Jeremy Perkins {J-26}

It's the start of a bank holiday weekend in England, when many are clamoring onto the trains to get away from the city to such seaside resorts as Bexborough. One of those leaving London for the weekend is Catherine Lawrence, a nurse, who is heading off on a romantic clandestine weekend with her naive boyfriend, Geoffrey, who wants to appear worldly for Cat. But their trip is delayed when Cat decides to stay at work to deal with a difficult case, that of Ann Howard, who died while in childbirth. Cat can't help but think of Ann's husband, Stephen Howard, who is now all alone in the world with the exception of his motherless newborn. As Geoff tries to make their Bexborough weekend a romantic one, however unsuccessfully, Cat can only think of Mr. Howard. Also in Bexborough for the weekend are married Arthur and May and their brood of three rambunctious young children, the five of whom who always seem to be in one predicament or another. While May looks after the kids, Arthur does his best to find his own excitement away from the family. Doreen Richards, with her travel companion Milly, is in town as Miss Fulham competing in the Miss England beauty pageant. Doreen and Milly are simple minded girls who want to appear more cosmopolitan. Doreen is trying to get over a recently ended relationship, while fuming over all the attention that Miss Mayfair seems to be getting. And Stephen feels he needs to go somewhere - anywhere - to get away from the memories of Ann and the grief he is experiencing.—Huggo