Episode 1

David Olusoga discovers our house’s first resident - idealistic Victorian lawyer William Bruce, who tries and fails to save the life of a man convicted to hang for murder. Decades later, Bruce is serving as a Leeds magistrate when a similar case comes before him – can he save a young man’s life this time? Tracking our house forward, David uncovers the remarkable rags-to-riches story of Ann Dawson, who went from working on the factory floor to living in style in Grosvenor Mount. When her husband’s business collapses, Ann looks set to lose it all. Finally, David learns that our house was home to master builder William Nicholson, founder of a famous dynasty that built Leeds landmarks including County Arcade. William hands his business down to the next generation, but when Leeds train station is destroyed by fire, can William’s grandson ride to the rescue?