In Loving Memory

- Season 4

(1983)

Billy is enchanted by aviatrix Sylvia Mason who takes him for a spin in her plane. Ivy is not amused - particularly when Billy agrees to be Sylvia's navigator in a race to Paris - and conspires with Sylvia's aunt to prevent it.

Awarding the prizes at her old school Ivy gives a speech on goodness which inadvertently traps her into accommodating the four children of a recently deceased mill-worker. Collecting the body from the mill Billy hooks up with old flame Irene but gets a shock, four times over, when he brings her home until Ivy eventually resolves the situation.

Having been told by her aunt Gertrude that Billy's father may well have been his mother's employer when she was in service at the Big House Ivy feels it could be true when Billy seems to know his way around the house on a supposed first visit. And when she discovers a diary written in the previous century by the lady of the house she fears that history may be repeating itself.

Billy is perplexed by a strange Welsh man who seems to be on the spot when a likely customer is about to come his way but there is a further mystery when Billy gives Ivy a birthday present which appears to be part of a jewel robbery in which a hearse was used. Much confusion arises before both matters are resolved.

In order to have some privacy with girlfriend Annie Billy moves out and takes a room of his own. To his dismay rather than try to stop him Ivy takes a new lodger - his suave cousin Donald - and to make things worse Billy gets thrown out by his new landlady for trying to smuggle Annie into the house. He can only hope that Donald has outstayed his welcome to get a roof over his head.

Ivy is surprised when she gets a letter from Annie Greenhalgh requesting a burial as Annie is not dead. However next day she is run over and so the funeral takes place. Sadly there is no money to pay for it, only a pawn ticket - which Ivy hopes will yield something valuable. And in a way it does.

Billy makes it clear that he does not approve of Ernie's bride to be, Mary, and is a reluctant best man. He agrees to take Mary in the hearse to collect her wedding dress but when the hearse runs out of petrol and they are stranded in the countryside something happens that causes Billy to alter his opinion of his passenger.