The Courtneys of Curzon Street

Edward Courtney, heir to a baronetcy, marries Kate, his Irish servant, shocking the class-conscious society of early 1900s London. They settle on Curzon Street in Mayfair and begin their life together under constant scrutiny. The union sets the stage for a forty-five year saga of love, pride, and resilience.

At a musical recital before Queen Victoria, Kate endures the cold stares and whispered judgments of the so-called true ladies. The event foreshadows the social penalties that threaten their marriage. Gossip and class prejudice shadow their early years together.

Edward, an officer in the Horse Guards, cannot return Kate’s wave as he salutes on duty, deepening a rift between them. Frustrated and misread, Kate packs her bags and goes back to Ireland. She decides to reinvent herself as an actress under the stage name May Lynton.

Edward journeys to India and confronts the personal reasons behind Kate’s departure. He learns that social conventions and pride within his circle contributed to the rift. The distance tests their bond and sets up the long separation to come.

Kate takes up singing in the theatre and pursues a career under the alias May Lynton. She builds independence and a distinct identity apart from Edward. Her performances signal a shift from domestic life to artistic ambition.

Edward’s father-in-law visits backstage and shares news of his wife’s death, reflecting a family steeped in sorrow. Kate responds with talk of her own losses, including her father’s death at Spion Kop. The conversation deepens their shared sense of sacrifice.

The First World War erupts, and Edward returns from India to reunite with Kate. They learn they have a son, Teddy, and visit him at his boarding school, sharing high tea and discussing cricket and Rupert Brooke’s poem The Soldier. The war’s shadow frames their fragile family union.

After the war, Edward’s father dies and he inherits the baronetcy, making Kate Lady Courtney. Teddy grows older, joins the Army, and becomes engaged to a fiancée who will later be his wife before he’s posted to India. The family’s social standing is reaffirmed even as personal journeys continue.

Teddy marries before being posted to India; a telegram arrives announcing his death in action. His pregnant wife dies in childbirth, leaving behind their infant son, whom Edward and Kate raise. The couple becomes grandparents by circumstance, not just by blood.

Edward suffers a heavy financial blow in the 1929 Wall Street crash, but the couple clings to their home through hard times. Kate returns to the stage to help support the family, proving the durability of their partnership. The era’s economic turmoil mirrors their personal resilience.

In the Second World War, Edward serves again as a Colonel while Kate works as an ENSA entertainer. They survive a factory fire, a peril that tests their endurance and loyalty. Their experience reflects a nation at war and a marriage matured by decades of change.

Their soldier grandson introduces his intended, signaling a shift away from the rigid class prejudices that once haunted their marriage. While the old hierarchies fade, some of the new generation’s parents remain wary. The film closes on a note of cautious optimism about love and social progress.