Carol Rivers

1953: Pretty, ambitious, 19-year-old Ruby Payne and her lifelong friend Kath Rigler are eager to enjoy their post-war independence. Moving away from home to a flat in the East End of London is a chance to break free for them both: Kath from her abusive family and Ruby to escape the unhappy memories of her brother's suicide two years before. Ruby finds work immediately at a fashionable new dog grooming parlour close to the city. Even though animals...

Molly is intent on running the general store with the help of her retired father, Bill Keen, the ex-proprietor of the business. But after the building is hit during a bombing raid and Bill is severly injured, Molly faces difficult times. Alone in the hospital corridor as Bill is treated, Molly tries to keep positive. But the Blitz is well underway and she is forced to take shelter in the hospital's basement. It's here, as the bombs fall around docklands,...

Britain has declared war on Germany and Flora, Hilda and Will, who grew up together in St Boniface orphanage, discuss a very uncertain future. Will means to go off to fight; Hilda hopes to better her current lot in life as a maid: Flora is content with her job as assistant to Doctor Tapper. It soon becomes clear that the war will not be over by Christmas, and the first zeppelin raids bring casualties flooding into the surgery where Flora works. As...

September 7th, 1940. The Isle of Dogs, heart of London's docklands, suffers the first terrible night of a nine-month Blitz. But amidst the death and destruction shines a ray of hope when young Connie Marsh finds an orphaned baby boy amongst the rubble.

London's East End, 1934. Twins Marie and Vesta work at the local shoe factory to bring in a few pennies for the family, but they've never given up on their dream of treading the boards in the West End. So when a new East End club opens its doors, the girls can't believe their luck when they land a job with their cabaret act.