The Onedin Line

Season 1

James Onedin marries Anne Webster in order to get his hands on a ship. However the marriage turns out to be one of true love. James is ruthless in his attempt to get a shipping line started in Liverpool of the 1860s.

Where to Watch The Onedin Line • Season 1

Tubi TVFree

15 Episodes

The Wind Blows Free
E1
The Wind Blows FreeLiverpool, 1860. James Onedin acquires the sailing ship 'Charlotte Rhodes' by marrying the owner's daughter, Anne Webster, makes his brother Robert his partner and starts competing with his former employer Callon.
Plain Sailing
E2
Plain SailingOn the return journey form Portugal, James gets sick and Anne has to improvise with the navigation.
Other Points of the Compass
E3
Other Points of the CompassElizabeth is engaged to Fogarty, who is soon to be made a ship's captain but she is still interested in Albert Frazer. Callon floods James with a load of Braganza's empty wine casks which he is obliged by contract to take but has no room for them. Albert comes to his rescue by offering to store the casks for him and James begins to see that Albert would be a far more profitable brother-in-law than Daniel.
High Price
E4
High PriceUnable to pay the rent, James and Anne move to a warehouse James just purchased. Elizabeth is pregnant, but not married, quite a scandal at the time.
Catch as Can
E5
Catch as CanMr Baines is abducted by a US ship, but James manages to rescue him.
Salvage
E6
SalvageThe Charlotte Rhodes gets into trouble just off the coast and Callon rushes in to 'salvage' the ship (which is not insured), knowing that James won't be able to pay for it. James persuades Albert Frazer to beat them to the ship in his experimental steam boat. With success.
Passage to Pernambuco
E7
Passage to PernambucoJames and Anna finally move to a real house of their own. James convinces his client Briganza tp purchase the clipper Pampero for him, which he would have to pay off in five years or he loses it. Briganza also gets half the profits until he does. Elizabeth and Albert marry secretly.
The Homecoming
E8
The HomecomingOn his first voyage with the Pampero, James has made enough profit to pay off the mortgage on the Charlotte Rhodes and the warehouse. An old suitor of Anne appears and boards the Charlotte Rhodes.
When My Ship Comes Home
E9
When My Ship Comes HomeA ship James chartered from Callon has been badly damaged but insurance under-writer Chubb will not pay out because it was carrying gunpowder and thus negates the insurance terms. After unsuccessfully trying to compromise Chubb with light lady Kate, James steals back the 'Charlotte Rhodes' from Callon, who has confiscated it as surety. In revenge Callon confiscates Robert's shop, planning to build a dock on its site.
A Very Important Passenger
E10
A Very Important PassengerCallon proposes Robert buy another shop from him but Albert points out this would put Robert in Callon's behest and finances another premises. James is charged to take a mysterious passenger to Italy, who turns out to be the revolutionary Garibaldi. Attempts are made by enemies posing as crew members to kill Garibaldi but he shoots them, using his new, six-shooter revolver and is safely delivered.
Mutiny
E11
MutinyIt appears that a mutiny has occurred on a ship James chartered but the crew explain that there was no mutiny, the captain had gone mad and they were taking the ship over in order to act for the best. James discovers that Kirkwood is indeed mad, a religious zealot, claiming people are out to kill him. He eventually hangs himself after trying to sink the ship and James makes sure that the crew are all acquitted of any mutiny charges.
Cry of the Blackbird
E12
Cry of the BlackbirdJames takes passengers from Papua to a missionary school in Victoria, Australia, but it turns out the parson who chartered the ship intends blackbirding (slavery) for the sugar cane plantations.
Shadow of Doubt
E13
Shadow of DoubtAlbert finds out Elizabeth's son is not his but Daniel's. James has to deal with smallpox on a voyage to Quebec.
Blockade
E14
BlockadeJames runs a Yankee blockade in the North American civil war, taking a huge chance with all the company's possessions. It almost goes wrong, but together with Albert, he manages to convince the capturing captain to release them and go into shipbuilding - steam ships, that is.
Winner Take All
E15
Winner Take AllTo finance the building of a new steam ship James floats a public company pounds worth of shares on the market. However, he is tricked by Callon, who, using other nominees to buy them for him, ends up as the majority share holder and virtual owner of the now depleted Onedin Line, as, to add to James' concerns, Baines, now made up to captain, has lost the 'Pampero' in a storm at Cape Horn. Anne reminds him that he still has the 'Charlotte Rhodes'.