Days of Hope

1975 - 1975

1916: Joining Up

11th September 1975

Episode 1

Ben Matthews enlists in the army and ends up serving in Ireland, where there is resistance to British rule. His sister's husband Philip Hargreaves is sentenced to death as a conscientious objector but is given a last-minute reprieve.

1921

18th September 1975

Episode 2

During the coal lock-out in 1921, Ben's army unit is redeployed from Ireland to police the dispute in County Durham. Ben deserts the army and is sheltered by a miner named Joel. He begins a relationship with his eldest daughter. When donations of food from Liverpool is intercepted by the police and the army, the miners revolt and take some soldiers hostage. Joel and his comrades then make demands on the pit owner, Mr. Pitchard.

1924

25th September 1975

Episode 3

Ben is released from prison and joins the Communist Party. Philip Hargreaves is elected as a Labour MP.

1926: General Strike

2nd October 1975

Episode 4

The miners are betrayed by union leaders during the General Strike.

Top Cast

Paul Copley•Pamela Brighton•Nikolas Simmonds

Director

Ken Loach

Writer

Jim Allen

Days of Hope is a BBC television drama serial produced in 1975. The series dealt with the lives of a working-class family from the turmoils of the First World War in 1916 to the General Strike in 1926. It was written by Jim Allen, produced by Tony Garnett and directed by Ken Loach.

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Full Cast

Paul Copley Image

Paul Copley

Ben Matthews

Pamela Brighton

Sarah Hargreaves

Nikolas Simmonds

Philip Hargreaves

Gary Roberts

Joel Barnett

Alun Armstrong Image

Alun Armstrong

Billy Shepherd

Hughie Turner

Tom Crisp

Melvin Thomas

Ernest Bevin

Peter Kerrigan Image

Peter Kerrigan

Peter

Sarah Paget

Sarah's Child

Ned Cohen

Sarah's Child

Full Crew

Ken Loach Image

Ken Loach

Director

Jim Allen Image

Jim Allen

Writer

Roger Waugh

Editor

Tony Garnett

Producer

Sally Nieper

Costume Design

Marc Wilkinson

Original Music Composer

Martin Johnson

Production Design

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