South Riding Episode Rating Graph

It's Easter 1933 now, and squire Robert Carne is reduced to selling the family heirlooms to make ends meet as his farming business continues to struggle. Sarah discovers why Lydia Holly's schoolwork has deteriorated when she learns that her mother has died and she is now having to raise her siblings. Determined to do something for a girl with promise she lobbies Mrs Beddows into doing something, but she is in for a surprise. Tom Sawdon, landlord of The Nag's Head, has bought his wife Lily and Alsatian dog to keep her company but she struggles to cope with it and goes to extreme methods in her way to get rid of it. And there is worse to come for South Riding when an outbreak of measles hits the community.

The measles outbreak continues to affect the community, with the young especially at risk. Fred Mitchell receives a letter from his old employer asking to see him, leaving to hopes of his job back, but while he leaves his wife Nancy's mother turns up to visit and try to persuade her to come home with her. Meanwhile Lydia continues to struggle to look after her father and young siblings, but sees a chance to visit her local dance class when going into town with sister Gertie, who has been sent home from school. She asks neighbour Nancy Mitchell to look after her youngest sibling while she is gone, little realizing that her actions could have grave repercussions.

Squire Robert Carne is stunned when he finds the bank will lend him no more money, while attempts to raise money elsewhere fall embarrassingly flat. But many in South Riding are struggling for money during the Great Depression. Fred Mitchell finds himself unemployed by his Insurance firm, much to his wife's dismay, who is even more distraught at the prospect of him putting in for Public Assistance to the local council. Barney Holly also finds himself without a job after pub landlord Tom Sawdon finally tires of his lax work ethics, but both later receive devastating news. And lay preacher Alfred Huggins receives an unexpected and unwelcome visitor as old sins come back to haunt him.

It's Christmas in South Riding, but there is little in the way of festive cheer for some of the residents. Fred Mitchell receives a devastating loss when his wife leaves him to move back with her mother, leaving him near destitute. Robert Carne consults his doctor after collapsing during his date with Sarah, and later visits Mrs Beddows to ask her to be guardian for his daughter Midge if anything happens to him. Alfred Huggins, meanwhile, visits the Holly family in his unofficial role of Father Christmas, much to Lydia's discomfort, but her father has a surprise of his own for her. Huggins later visits Robert Carne in his continued efforts to get people onside to support the new road, but his bid to sway him backfires spectacularly.

The search continues for Robert Carne as the authorities and community believe him dead. The press are intrigued as speculation grows that he either committed suicide or faked his own death due to his debts, and a reporter goes down to try and dig up some dirt on the story. Sarah is distraught, remembering their last quarrel, but she is not the only one grieving as Tom Sawdon's wife dies in hospital. Meanwhile there is a surprise twist in the road development, and Alfred Huggins day of reckoning comes when he confronts Anthony Snaith, who little anticipates Huggins' fury. And there is an unexpected visitor at Maythorpe Hall for Mrs Beddows and for Midge.