TV comedy BRASS is set in the 1930s. Bradley Hardacre (Timothy West) owns a brass factory, coalmine, shipyard (and most of the Lancashire town of Utterley come to that) and is a ruthless man of luxury and wealth living in the big house on the hill with his wife Lady Patience and ...TV comedy BRASS is set in the 1930s. Bradley Hardacre (Timothy West) owns a brass factory, coalmine, shipyard (and most of the Lancashire town of Utterley come to that) and is a ruthless man of luxury and wealth living in the big house on the hill with his wife Lady Patience and his children, sons Austin and Morris and daughters Isobel and Charlotte.
At the other extreme are the working-class Fairchilds, who are employed by the Hardacres, live in a tiny house at the bottom of the hill—Agnes and George and their sons Jack and Matthew. Hardacre was once one of them, but has grown rich and self-superior on “ ‘ard graft” and ruthless cigar-smoking Northern ruthlessness. The soap opera mix of rich and poor, strong and weak, homosexual, nymphomaniacal, feminist and flat-capped characters provides ample situation comedy, and the production budget allowed for great sets, locations, cars and costumes.