Plot
Rafe Crompton works in a weaving mill. He is a proud man but not a rich man. He lives in a garden city style council house beyond the standard brick terraces of the town. At the end of the week he gathers the various wages from his children and passes the money to his wife Daisy who, with eldest daughter Florence, keeps the family budget in order, making allowances for lending neighbours cash for emergencies such as the repossession of their hire purchase TV, although she initially refuses the neighbour (Mrs Duckworth) a loan. Mrs Duckworth is enraged and chides Daisy for allowing her husband to micromanage the housekeeping which she considers to be women’s work. Her elder daughter arrives and lends her the small sum required to balance the housekeeping book.
This prompts Daisy to borrow the money from her son when he gets home to give Mrs Duckworth and save her from the drunken ire of Mr Duckworth.
At the family Friday evening meal (‘tea’), the couple reminisce about the economic depression that drove some people to suicide, drowning themselves in the local canal. Younger daughter Hilda is aloof and refuses to eat the herring which has been prepared for "tea". Her father determines to serve it to her every day until she eats it.
Sons Harold and Wilfred are shocked when a box is delivered containing a fine overcoat together with a receipt for 40 guineas.
Mr Crompton likes the family to stand around the piano and sing hymns.
The herring issue comes to a head when the herring disappears. It is found outside being eaten by the cat. Mr Crompton does not believe the herring was taken by the cat. He makes Wilfred swear on the bible that he did not move the herring. Wilfred faints under the pressure. This precipitates both daughters to leave. Florence goes to live with her fiancé Arthur, while Hilda goes to stay with the neighbours, the Duckworths. This proves to be a step down rather than up.
Mr Duckworth sits around in a filthy vest making demands on his long-suffering wife while his daughter eats a banana wrapped in bread. It appears that Hilda is pregnant. Her mother pawns the new overcoat for money to help her. Mrs Duckworth shows her how to break into the bureau to get at the cash box. The family starts to crumble when Mr Crompton discovers the losses.
A chance incident occurs as Mrs Crompton hopes to get the coat out of pawn. Rafe realises his raincoat has a missing button and he goes back upstairs to find the expensive overcoat instead, at the misguided urging of his sons.
Realising she is about to be caught out, and fearing the worst, Mrs Compton runs off out into the rain. Rafe runs after her and finds her staring into the canal, clearly contemplating suicide. He says he doesn't care about the coat or the money, and explains his penny pinching is due to childhood horrors experienced by his parents being in debt, and his mother nearly gassing herself as a result.
Meanwhile, the boys pack and prepare to also leave.
As Mr and Mrs Compton walk home everything is resolved. He even considers that Hilda refused to eat her herring because she is pregnant, comparing her to when his wife was pregnant. Rafe says that he will give Hilda his love and protection if she is pregnant. At home he confesses he has always known of her trickery with the housekeeping money but as a sign of trust gives her the key to the bureau and cashbox. Florence is persuaded to stay home until she marries. They know Hilda is pregnant but ask her to also stay. She accepts. The boys are free to leave but choose not to.
Mr Crompton plays the piano and Hilda singing a hymn while the rest of the family gather round on the chairs in the living room. They are all reunited again.
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