Henry Hobson is a big fish in the little pond of Salford at the turn of the century - a successful businessman and a well respected man who rules his three daughters...or so he thinks! He's fallen into the habit of leaving his shoe-making business and shop in the hands of his eldest daughter Maggie, while Hobson himself pontificates to an admiring audience in the local pub. Maggie rebels, marries Hobson's talented shoe-maker Will Mossop and it's not long before they're set up in business for themselves - and giving Hobson a run for his money. To make matters worse, his younger daughters Alice and Vicky want to marry and Hobson is too mean to put his hand in his pocket for marriage settlements. Hobson is eventually his own undoing, to the delight of Maggie, Will, Alice, Vicky and their sweethearts. Made into a classic film with Charles Laughton, Brenda de Banzie and Prunella Scales.