The Flaxton Boys facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Flaxton Boys
Genre	Children's television
Written by	Sid Waddell Bill MacIlwraith Gerry Andrewes Gloria Tors Stuart Douglass Barry Cockcroft Jeremy Burnham Michala Crees Anthony Couch
Directed by	Robert D. Cardona David Goldsmith David Millard
Starring	Peter Firth David Bradley Victor Winding Richard Gale David Smith James Hayter Philip Maskery John Ash Alan Guy Nicholas Pennell Veronica Hurst Moultrie Kelsall
Theme music composer	Sergei Prokofiev
Opening theme	Extract from the Classical Symphony
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language(s)	English
No. of series	4
No. of episodes	52
Production
Producer(s)	Jess Yates Robert D. Cardona
Production location(s)	Ripley Castle, North Yorkshire
Running time	52 x 30 mins
Production company(s)	Yorkshire Television
Release
Original network	ITV
Audio format	Monaural
Original release	21 September 1969 (1969-09-21) – 17 June 1973 (1973-06-17)

The Flaxton Boys was a British TV show for kids. It was a historical series, meaning it was set in the past. The story took place in West Riding of Yorkshire, England, and covered almost a century of time. Yorkshire Television made the show, and it aired on ITV from 1969 to 1973. There were 4 series (seasons) and 52 episodes in total, each lasting 30 minutes.

The show had many different writers. Jess Yates and Robert D. Cardona were the producers, and Cardona directed most of the episodes. Each series was set in a different time period, starting in 1854 and ending in 1945 or 1946.

About The Flaxton Boys' Adventures

The series is set at Flaxton Hall, a large old house near a made-up village called Carliston in Yorkshire. Each series follows the exciting adventures of a different generation of boys from the Flaxton family. They are usually around 14 years old, and each has a close friend who joins them.

The stories are like classic adventure tales for boys. They include things like finding hidden treasure, solving secret clues, seeing ghostly figures, dealing with tricky villains, and even spies! Each series tells a complete story with its own set of characters.

However, two actors appeared in more than one series. Victor Winding played Barnaby Sweet in series 2, and then his son, Benjamin, in series 3 and 4. Richard Gale played Sir Peregrine Stilgoe in series 1, his son Sir Tarquin in series 2, and Miles Osborne in series 3. Also, Gerry Cowan narrated all four series and played Jacklin Flaxton in series 2 and Roger Grafton in series 3.

Series 1: 1854 Adventures

In 1854, Captain Andrew Flaxton goes missing during the Crimean War. His wife Lucy and son Jonathan inherit Flaxton Hall. It's a big, old house with castle-like walls and covered in ivy. Jonathan becomes friends with a local boy named Archie Weekes. They love exploring the hall and its grounds.

There's a local legend that a great treasure is hidden at Flaxton Hall. A greedy villain named Sir Peregrine Stilgoe hears about it. He hires three former prisoners to help him find the treasure. Jonathan and Archie are always in danger, but they manage to stay one step ahead of Sir Peregrine. There's also a side story about a strange ghost that is said to haunt the local churchyard. The series ends when Captain Andrew Flaxton returns safely from the war. He stops Sir Peregrine's plans and finds the treasure himself, which helps his family have a secure future.

Cast of Series 1

• Peter Firth – Archie Weekes
• David Smith – Jonathan Flaxton
• Penelope Lee – Lucy Flaxton
• Richard Gale – Sir Peregrine Stilgoe
• James Hayter – Nathan
• Molly Urquhart – Flora
• Peter Clay – Capt. Andrew Flaxton

Episodes of Series 1

• The Deserter (September 21, 1969)
• The Dog (September 28, 1969)
• The Watcher (October 5, 1969)
• The Tutor (October 12, 1969)
• The Smugglers (October 19, 1969)
• The Seafarer (October 26, 1969)
• The Patient (November 2, 1969)
• The Witches (November 9, 1969)
• The Bridge (November 16, 1969)
• The Hunt (November 23, 1969)
• The Island (November 30, 1969)
• The Will (December 7, 1969)
• The Return (December 14, 1969)

Series 2: 1890 Adventures

The story moves to 1890. Andrew Flaxton is now an old man. His son Jonathan disappeared years ago. Archie Weekes, Jonathan's childhood friend, is invited to live at Flaxton Hall with his wife Sarah and son Peter. Sir Peregrine is gone, but his evil plans continue through his son, Sir Tarquin. Sir Tarquin wants to take over the Hall to get to the large amounts of coal underneath it.

Sir Tarquin's ward (someone he is responsible for), David Stilgoe, becomes friends with Peter. Together, they bravely stop Sir Tarquin's plans. Other stories in this series include a rivalry between two local Chinese groups called Tongs. The boys also help a sad young servant girl escape. At the end, it's revealed that Jonathan has died, but David Stilgoe was actually his son and the true heir to Flaxton Hall.

Cast of Series 2

• David Bradley – Peter Weekes
• Philip Maskery – David Stilgoe
• Victor Winding – Barnaby Sweet
• Richard Gale – Sir Tarquin Stilgoe
• Gerry Cowan – Jacklin Flaxton (not a family member)
• Hugh Cross – Archie Weekes
• Lila Kaye – Sarah Weekes
• Moultrie Kelsall – Andrew Flaxton

Episodes of Series 2

• The Meeting (September 20, 1970)
• The Globe (September 27, 1970)
• The Heir (October 4, 1970)
• The Letter (October 11, 1970)
• The Diary (October 18, 1970)
• The Locket (October 25, 1970)
• The Valentine (November 1, 1970)
• The Conspiracy (November 8, 1970)
• The Messenger (November 15, 1970)
• The Discovery (November 22, 1970)
• The Attempt (November 29, 1970)
• The Homecoming (December 6, 1970)
• The Solution (December 13, 1970)

Series 3: 1928 Adventures

The year is 1928. David Flaxton was killed in World War I. His wife Jane now lives at Flaxton Hall. Their son Jonathan comes home from boarding school for the summer holidays. He brings his friend William Pickford with him. The boys become friends with a local man named Benjamin Sweet, who is a bit lazy but kind-hearted.

The Stilgoe family is gone, and their old home, Stilgoe Lodge, is falling apart. The Lodge is going to be fixed up and turned into an orphanage. Jonathan and William offer to help with the repairs during their holiday. But things don't go smoothly. Workers keep getting scared away from the Lodge. They claim to have seen ghosts and other strange things. Jonathan, William, and Benjamin eventually discover that the "hauntings" are fake. This series also features a relative of the Stilgoe family, Miles Osborne, who tries to stop the Lodge from being rebuilt. The series ends with the boys going back to school as summer finishes.

Cast of Series 3

• Alan Guy – Jonathan Flaxton
• Veronica Hurst – Lady Jane Flaxton
• John Ash – William Pickford
• Heather Page – Mary Porter
• Nicholas Pennell – Rev. Albemarle Dobson Partridge
• Victor Winding – Benjamin Sweet
• Richard Gale – Miles Osborne
• Gerry Cowan – Roger Grafton
• Royston Tickner – Sgt. Cornfield
• Gorden Kaye – P.C. Joseph
• John Ringham – Mr. Jackson
• Terry Scully – Mr. Wilkinson

Episodes of Series 3

• All on a Summer's Day (September 19, 1971)
• A Quiet Sunday (September 26, 1971)
• A Fête Worse Than... (October 3, 1971)
• Snake in the Grass (October 10, 1971)
• In and Out of Hiding (October 17, 1971)
• The Fastest Gun in the West Riding (October 24, 1971)
• Trouble in the Air (October 31, 1971)
• To See...A Fine Horse (November 7, 1971)
• Things That Go Bump (November 14, 1971)
• The Ghost Catchers (November 21, 1971)
• The Lady in White (November 28, 1971)
• Down a Long Black Hole (December 5, 1971)
• Goodbye, Summer - Goodbye (December 12, 1971)

Series 4: 1945-1946 Adventures

The final series takes place right after World War II, in 1945 and 1946. During the war, the army used Flaxton Hall. Matthew Flaxton becomes friends with Terry Nichols. Terry is an evacuee from London who has no home because his parents disappeared.

The stories in this series focus on suspicions of spies in the Carliston area. The boys also interact with enemy soldiers who are being held as prisoners of war nearby. The series ends with Flaxton Hall being mostly destroyed by an accidental fire. This fire is caused by a clumsy character named Gerald Meder. Jonathan Flaxton has returned from the war and isn't sure if he can keep the hall going in the new times. This part of the story is like what happened to many large country houses in Britain after the war. Even so, the family plans to continue their business. Terry's parents have returned, and they announce they will move to Yorkshire, so Terry can stay in the area.

Cast of Series 4

• Philip Baldwin – Terry Nichols
• Joanna Marie Jones – Elizabeth Flaxton
• Andrew Packett – Matthew Flaxton
• Pamela Duncan – Edith
• Victor Winding – Benjamin Sweet
• Murray Melvin – Gerald Meder
• Derek Benfield – Sgt. Brophy
• Cyril Luckham – Peter Weekes
• Jill Summers – Mary Porter
• Tom Browne – Captain Ewing

Episodes of Series 4

• Is Your Journey Really Necessary? (March 25, 1973)
• This Little Piggy (April 1, 1973)
• What You Don't Know Might Hurt You (April 8, 1973)
• No Place Like... (April 15, 1973)
• The Bevin Boy (April 22, 1973)
• Welcome Home Tommy Atkins (April 29, 1973)
• It Fell off the Back of a Lorry (May 6, 1973)
• Charity Begins at... (May 13, 1973)
• Things Are Not What They Seem (May 20, 1973)
• Cry Wolf (May 27, 1973)
• A Funny Kind of Day (June 3, 1973)
• Remember, Remember (June 10, 1973)
• Keep the Home Fires Burning (June 17, 1973)

Fun Facts About The Flaxton Boys

The outdoor scenes for The Flaxton Boys were filmed at Ripley Castle. This castle is located about four miles north of Harrogate. The castle owner, Sir Thomas Ingilby, said that the TV show made many more people visit the castle. It changed from being a local attraction to a popular place for visitors from a wider area.

The show's theme song was a part of Sergei Prokofiev's Classical Symphony. Episodes were first shown on Sunday evenings. This was a common time in the UK for historical dramas for children that adults also enjoyed, like The Adventures of Black Beauty.

Comic strip versions of series three and four appeared in magazines. Series three was in Look-in in 1971. Series four was in TV Comic from July 1973 to June 1974.

The Flaxton Boys was shown again on different TV channels in the UK and other countries until the early 1990s. It's unusual for old TV shows, but the original recordings of the outdoor scenes were mostly on videotape, not film. Only a small part of the last series used film. All the episodes have been kept safe in the Yorkshire Television archives.

For a long time, only the first episodes of the first two series were available to buy. But in July 2015, the complete first series was released on DVD. Some of these recordings had decayed a bit, which is a known problem with old videotaped children's shows from the Yorkshire TV archive. In 2017, the second, third, and fourth series were also released on DVD.