The Happy Family

Matriarch of the Lord family who runs the shop and guards the family home. Fiercely protective, practical, and resourceful, she embodies resilience forged through hardship in the Great Depression and WWII. She anchors the family’s stubborn stand against eviction and sustains their morale as the threat intensifies.

Long-time railway driver nearing retirement, he longs for a quiet life in the family shop. Practical and stubborn, he calculates the cost of moving with a fierce sense of security for his wife and children. His desire for stability drives the family’s resistance against demolition.

Senior civil servant who represents bureaucratic power. Smooth, methodical, and persistent, he underestimates the Lords’ attachment to their home and uses official arguments to push for demolition. He embodies the impersonal force of reform against ordinary people.

Spiritualist sister-in-law with visions of 'men in black' bringing discord. She adds a comic but insightful counterpoint to the rational arguments, reminding the family of unseen forces and moral stakes. Her presence heightens the sense of superstition and omen around the conflict.

Daughter Anne’s fiancé, a supporter who becomes an advocate for resistance. He helps organize barricades and embodies younger generation’s willingness to challenge authority for family.

Daughter of the Lords, engaged to Cyril. She stands with her family in their fight, signifying familial solidarity and a stake in the home’s future. Her involvement marks the personal cost of political development on ordinary lives.

A political figure associated with the Festival project, representing the upper-crust authority that sets the plan in motion. His role underscores the clash between elite decision-making and local livelihoods.

Local politician involved in the resistance and municipal channels to save the Lords’ home. He embodies the politics of the time and the friction between local governance and personal property.

Another official involved in the bureaucratic process. He complements Filch’s strategy with his own administrative approach, representing the larger machinery of the state.

The Lords’ son, whose memory lingers as a reminder of the family’s losses during the Depression and WWII. His absence casts a shadow over the present struggle and strengthens the family’s resolve to preserve what remains.