A Woman of Substance

Name: A Woman of Substance
Genre: Drama
Released: 1985-01-02
Rating: 7.6
Cast: Jenny Seagrove, Deborah Kerr, Barry Bostwick, Liam Neeson, Miranda Richardson

"A truly heartrending dynastic saga of poverty, passion and power"

7.6(11 votes)

1 Season

3 Episodes

January 2, 1985

Drama

Overview

The life of Emma Harte, from kitchen maid at the beginning of the 20th-century, to respected businesswoman and grandmother in the 1980s. From humble beginnings, Emma Harte starts her business with a small shop, but over the next twenty years, she expands her stores and invests in the growing textile industry in Leeds.

Status

Ended

Created By

Lee Langley, Barbara Taylor Bradford

Network

Channel 4

Seasons & Episodes

Miniseries

January 1, 1985

Episodes

Episode 1

January 2, 198595m

As her children plot the takeover of her retail empire, Emma Harte plans her own counter-moves against them. Emma started life as a maid in the home of Adam Fairley, the wealthy local mill owner. She works hard not only at the Fairley's but also in her own home taking care of her father, two brothers and a bedridden and dying mother.

Episode 2

January 3, 198595m

Now in Leeds, the pregnant Emma Harte learns that Blackie O'Neill has gone to Ireland to care for a sick friend. She finds a place to stay but has tried everywhere to get a job with no success. Her luck changes when she rescues a middle-aged man, Abraham Kallinski, be stoned by two boys.

Episode 3

January 4, 198595m

As Emma Harte's empire grows, she arranges her assets in such a way as no one knows she is the buyer, noting that most men don't like dealing with a woman on business matters. The various layers of ownership come in quite handy as George Fairley drinks and gambles his family businesses away and she gets a opportunity to buy them cheap.