Episode Overview
Historian David Olusoga explores a Liverpool house's narrative from 1891 to 1945, a dynamic era marked by two World Wars and the Great Depression. He chronicles the Snewing family, a prominent clan of saddlers who inhabit the home for over forty years, navigating their business through personal losses, fierce competition, the First World War, and the rise of automobiles. Following the Snewings' passing, the Great Depression grips the city, leading to the house's decline into a shabby lodging for low-income tenants. Among the residents during the Second World War is Jack Greenall, a docker hiding a secret while working in perilous conditions during the Liverpool Blitz. David also unveils the touching story of Robert and Sarah Ann Duffy, who rise above their challenging beginnings—a cotton porter's son and a woman with a troubled past—to achieve success in tailoring.