November 18, 2009
Sir Arthur Hill congratulates William Garrow on his successful defence of a prostitute accused of murdering a client, as the 18th-century legal drama series based on real cases concludes. Sir Arthur also takes great delight in revealing that Lady Sarah is pregnant with his child.
Garrow tries to persuade Lady Sarah to leave Sir Arthur but she tells him that they have no future together.
Meanwhile, a desperate Mary Hamer visits John Southouse’s office, begging him to instruct Garrow to defend her husband, Joseph, who has been languishing in Newgate Prison, without charge, for many months on suspicion of sedition and plotting an armed uprising against the King. Southouse is sympathetic but tells her that he is unable to help as his association with Garrow is over.
Later, Garrow finds Southouse at the coffee house and offers his old mentor the hand of friendship. Southouse’s reluctance is set aside after Mary’s arrest at a meeting of The London Corresponding Society along with her supporter, Charles Lynam. Garrow has read about Joseph in newspaper reports and is keen to take on the case. Southouse agrees to assist and sets about securing the release of Mary and Charles so that they can help prepare the defence.
Elsewhere, the Secretary Of State, Viscount Melville, and Sir Arthur Hill meet with fellow MPs. Alarmed by the American and French revolutions, the politicians agree to press charges against Joseph. Sir John Scott, the Attorney General, is instructed to prosecute, assisted by Silvester.
When Sir John’s prosecution before Judge Buller at the Old Bailey proves weak, Melville and his colleagues devise a plan. Sir John and Silvester offer Garrow and Southouse a deal – if Joseph pleads guilty, meaning certain death for him and fellow members of the Society, the lives of a further 800 men suspected of plotting against the King will be spared. To make matters worse, Melville’s men find a receipt for a hundred muskets in Joseph’s house.
Lady Sarah forces Sir Arthur to tell her about the plot against Joseph and she then reveals to Garrow that Lynam is a government spy.
Melville then tries to influence Garrow by offering him the job of King’s Counsel. Garrow is tempted but his conscience prompts him to refuse. After promising to give his own version of the trial to journalist Thomas Rawlings, Garrow asks him to find the names of the 800 men on the government’s list as he prepares to defend Joseph.
Sir Arthur Hill is played by Rupert Graves, William Garrow by Andrew Buchan, Lady Sarah Hill by Lyndsey Marshal, John Southouse by Alun Armstrong, Silvester by Aidan McArdle and Judge Buller by Michael Culkin.
November 11, 2009
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Sunday 15 November
9.00-10.00pm BBC ONE
Lady Sarah Hill (Lyndsey Marshal)
confronts William Garrow (Andrew Buchan)
After more derision from Silvester, Garrow is spurred on to defend Edgar Cole, who is accused of raping a servant, as the legal drama co-created by Tony Marchant continues.
Garrow controversially wins and Cole is acquitted, much to the disappointment of Lady Sarah, who believes that Garrow only agreed to defend Cole to show off his legal skills. After the trial, Lady Sarah confronts Garrow but Silvester interrupts and senses the intimacy between them. His insinuation offends Garrow and he challenges Silvester to a duel to defend Lady Sarah’s honour.
Southouse is furious with Garrow for challenging Silvester but agrees to be Garrow’s second. They meet Silvester and his second, George Hervey, at dawn for the showdown. Garrow wins the right to shoot first but decides to shoot into the ground. Southouse is relieved but Silvester insists on taking his turn to teach Garrow a lesson, shooting him in the arm.
Sir Arthur is keen to learn the result of the duel and passes on the news that Garrow has been shot to Lady Sarah. Her reaction causes him to question her fidelity. Lady Sarah visits Garrow and admits her feelings. They kiss for the first time but, later, she tells him she must remain true to her husband.
Garrow’s injury is not serious and he is soon back in court and up against his old nemesis, thief-taker Edward Forrester. Garrow is defending Tom and Phebe, who are accused of stealing from a shop owned by Katharine Stanton, on the orders of Forrester. Katherine’s grandson, Dan, gave chase to the thieves but ran into Forrester, who beat Dan up. Dan dies and Tom and Phebe are accused of killing him.
Garrow is eager to cross-examine Forrester again but, as Southouse points out, recent distractions have left him ill-prepared. Forrester manages to humiliate him again. At dinner, Garrow subtly suggests to Judge Varley that some thief-takers like Forrester commit perjury in order to make more money for securing convictions.
Later, Forrester, is arrested for perjury. Tom and Phebe are sentenced to transportation and Forrester is sentenced to two hours in the stocks.
Meanwhile, Southouse guesses the reason for the duel and is angry and disappointed with Garrow. They argue and Southouse suggests they end their association. Stubbornly, Garrow agrees.
The cast includes Andrew Buchan as William Garrow, Lyndsey Marshal as Lady Sarah Hill, Aidan McArdle as Silvester, Alun Armstrong as Southouse, Rupert Graves as Sir Arthur Hill and Steven Waddington as Forrester.
November 4, 2009
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William Garrow is now a celebrated barrister at the late 18th century Old Bailey, as the legal drama co-created by Tony Marchant and starring Andrew Buchan, Alun Armstrong and Lyndsey Marshal continues.
In his next case, he successfully defends a coachman accused by his master, the aristocratic, pompous Crespigny, of stealing a harness.
Across London, a man is knifing young ladies and the perpetrator is dubbed the “Monster” by the press and newspaper proprietor, John Julius, who takes a particular interest in the well-being of the attractive young ladies who’ve been attacked.
After the latest attack on Ann Porter, a young man, Renwick Williams, is accused and is arrested and sent to Newgate Prison. After a visit from Renwick’s mother, Agnes Williams, and believing Renwick is innocent, Southouse encourages Garrow to defend him. Garrow soon learns that his defence of the Monster does not prove popular and his celebrity wanes.
Garrow and Southouse interview Renwick in Newgate and Garrow describes him as a lecherous libertine. The key to the defence is discovered by Southouse and a strange statute from 1721 which protects the damage of clothes by disgruntled weavers angry at the importation of cloth from abroad. The punishment for this crime is hanging.
Garrow makes quick work of proving Angerstein to be a lecher and when he cross-examines Ann, he proves that the reason she accused Renwick of the attack was because he had previously attempted to seduce her. She rebuffed Renwick’s advances, branding him a “shop-man”.
Despite Garrow’s excellent defence, the jury finds Renwick guilty and it’s up to Southouse to produce the statute from 1721 in a hurry. Garrow presents it to Judge Buller, who admits that as Ann accused Renwick of trying to murder her and not merely damaging her clothes, the statute makes the attack a misdemeanor and therefore not a hanging offence. Judge Buller refers the case to the 12 judges of England and Renwick’s case is respited, meaning he will not hang.
Sir Arthur offers to accompany Lady Sarah to court and, after his reaction to the trial, Lady Sarah forces him to admit that his interest is for political reasons. During the trial, Garrow’s friendship with Lady Sarah grows, a fact, which doesn’t go unnoticed by her husband.
William Garrow is played by Andrew Buchan, John Southouse by Alun Armstrong, Judge Buller by Michael Culkin, Lady Sarah Hill by Lyndsey Marshal and Sir Arthur Hill by Rupert Graves.
October 26, 2009
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Garrow (Andrew Buchan) and his associate, Southouse
(Alun Armstrong), investigate crimes in Georgian London
Garrow (Andrew Buchan) and his associate, Southouse
(Alun Armstrong), investigate crimes in Georgian London
A new four-part legal drama inspired by the life of pioneering barrister William Garrow comes to BBC One. It is co-created by Tony Marchant and stars Andrew Buchan, Alun Armstrong and Lyndsey Marshal.
In the late 18th century, Garrow, a young, idealistic barrister, is given his first criminal defence case at the Old Bailey by attorney and mentor John Southouse. The case is brought by Mary Pace, who needs a barrister to defend her innocent brother, Peter, who is falsely accused by renowned thief-taker, Forrester, of robbing a man at gunpoint.
At the Old Bailey, Garrow meets the prosecuting barrister, Oxford-educated Silvester, who quickly becomes Garrow’s nemesis. Silvester wins the case and the infamously harsh Judge Buller sentences Peter to death. Garrow is devastated but his performance nonetheless catches the eye of Lady Sarah Hill, who is in court taking notes for her husband, politician Sir Arthur Hill.
Garrow is invited to dinner at Sir Arthur and Lady Sarah’s home but talk around the table of crime and punishment offends Garrow’s sense of justice and he leaves in disgust.
Lady Sarah Hill takes notes at a magistrate’s hearing of a young maidservant, Elizabeth Jarvis, who is accused of murdering her newborn baby. Her mistress, Mrs Tarling, discovered her and the case is brought before Judge Buller at the Old Bailey. Lady Sarah goes to Southouse and insists that Garrow defend Elizabeth and that she will pay. Southouse has no choice but to instruct Garrow and they visit Elizabeth at Newgate Prison.
In court, Garrow is well prepared, having visited an obstetrician with a queasy Southouse and gathered vital medical evidence. He discredits the evidence of the prosecution witnesses – Mrs Tarling and surgeon William Herring – and advises Elizabeth to defend herself to the jury as law dictates he is not allowed to do so. His method of defence works and the jury find Elizabeth not guilty. She is released.
A jubilant Garrow vows to change the law and bring justice to the defenceless and he tells Southouse that he hopes the support of Lady Sarah will help him do so. Southouse does not approve.
William Garrow is played by Andrew Buchan, John Southouse by Alun Armstrong, Forrester by Steven Waddington, Silvester by Aidan McArdle, Judge Buller by Michael Culkin, Lady Sarah Hill by Lyndsey Marshal and Sir Arthur Hill by Rupert Graves.