Within These Walls: Mother’s Girl (ITV 25 Oct 1975, with Tessa Wyatt)

In Mother’s Girl Chantal Wiltshire is not coping at all well with life in Stone Park, having been given a years sentence for currency smuggling and fraud. Nobody can get through her aggressive and uncooperative nature until Martha Parrish (who normally doesn’t like to get personally involved with any of the inmates) makes a breakthrough. Chantal is concerned that her brother isn’t looking after her elderly mother properly. Despite not wanting to, Martha does get personally involved.

When Martha visits Chantal’s handsome and charming brother Richard (with whom she is clearly rather taken) she discovers that the majority of what Chantal has told her is a downright lie. Richard is a wealthy computer engineer and has just returned from Australia. He is also caring very well for his mother. When Richard reveals that his mother is on the verge of dying he talks Martha into arranging a special “out visit” to see her. It actually turns out that the Wiltshire’s are a family of villains and are planning to whisk Chantal abroad when she visits her mother. Luckily for Martha she discovers what is going on just in time.

Meanwhile there is a nice contrast with a typical case for welfare officer Miss Clarke who is trying to ensure that one of the women she is looking after, she has persuade her sister to take her in when she is released as well as try and find her job. In general the other staff members can be quite dismissive of Miss Clarke but she has a tough role and is genuinely sympathetic to those in her charge.

The TV Times had a small feature on Tessa Wyatt where she admitted how much she enjoyed playing against her usual type. She also mentions that she would would really like to do comedy, a couple of years later she would score her most high profile role in sitcom Robin’s Nest.

classic quote
“Have you told her?”
“She already knew.”
“How’s she taking it?”
“With Miss Parrish how can you tell.” Tim Woodward is Chantal’s rather too charming brother Richard.

production details
UK / ITV – London Weekend Television / 1×50 minute episode / Broadcast Saturday 25 October 1975 at 9.00pm

Writer: Terence Feely / Production Design: Bryan Bagge / Director: John Gorrie

Series: Within These Walls Season 3 Episode 8

cast
Googie Withers as Faye Boswell
Jerome Willis as Charles Radley
Denys Hawthorne as Dr Mayes
Mona Bruce as Mrs Armitage
Sonia Graham as Martha Parrish
Beth Harris as Miss Clarke
Tessa Wyatt as Chantal Wiltshire
Tim Woodward as Richard Wiltshire
Patricia Macrae as Officer Norris
Margi Campi as Nora Blockley
Paul Greenhalgh as Dr Russell
Helen Christie as Mrs Wiltshire
Rosemary Frankau as Nurse Stowe
Yvonne D’Alpra as Mrs Rudd
Roger Hume as Dr Smythe
Sarah Thomas as Susan
Pamela Blackwood as Hazel
Peter Spraggon as Mr Rudd