VO: It's the nation's favorite antiques experts, with £200 each, a classic car and a goal to scour Britain for antiques.

That hurts.

I'm gonna go for it, Jo.

VO: The aim?

To make the biggest profit at auction, but it's no mean feat.

There'll be worthy winners and valiant losers.

Goodness gracious me!

VO: So will it be the high road to glory or the slow road to disaster?

Not nice to gloat.

There we are.

VO: This is the Antiques Road Trip!

Yeah!

VO: It's a brand-new day and we're holding up the buses in Sussex with a couple of thoroughly sensible, down to earth experts - Charlie Ross and Catherine Southon.

CATHERINE (CS): Charlie, what are you wearing on your head?

CHARLIE (CR): Fez.

But you look completely stupid.

VO: Well, one of them is, anyway.

Catherine is both auctioneer and expert in maritime art, and well known for her dazzling persuasive charms.

I like the fact that you're stroking my hand.

VO: Charlie ran his own auctioneering business for 25 years, so should know a thing or two about antiques, but clearly not quite enough to get ahead of his competitor so far.

Frankly, I'm at a hell of a disadvantage being male here.

VO: Our esteemed experts began the week with £200 each, but two auctions later, the pressure is on, because they now have less than they started with - ha!

Charlie made up a little ground yesterday, but still starts this leg with a rather pathetic £135.30.

Catherine also begins with a loss.

She now has a thoroughly unimpressive £194.96 to play with.

So both experts really have to make some money on this leg, or it could be disastrous.

Thankfully though, they do have their sprightly little 1966 Austin Healey, which although has no roof does have room for them, and Charlie's utterly ridiculous fez.

This week's road trip takes us eastwards across the south of sunny England, starting in Corsham, Wiltshire, and culminating in Rye, East Sussex.

Today we're kicking off in Birdham, West Sussex, then gently wending our way along the coast to an auction showdown in Lewes, East Sussex.

CS: Oh, oh!

Shall we... CR: Antiques!

Left!

CS: Right, left, left, left.

CR: Whitestone Farm Antiques.

CR: Oh, this looks just my sort of... ooh yes!

VO: Ooh yes, this fantastic emporium is - ha, you've guessed it - situated on a farm, and is overflowing with rustic charm.

I only hope owner Jo knows what's about to hit him.

Hello!

CR: Hi!

Charlie's the name.

CS: Don't worry about me!

I was just gonna introduce you Catherine!

CS: Hi Jo.

This is lovely.

JO: I'm Jo.

CR: Great, Jo.

CS: Thank you very much for... How long have you been here?

Oh, 11 years.

It's a bit dusty... CR: We like it dusty.

Not displayed.

CR: Oh, we don't like it displayed.

VO: While Charlie harnesses Jo for himself, Catherine has spotted something she likes straightaway.

We've got fleur-de-lis... A Scottish emblem with the thistle...

I like those.

Um, Jo, could I ask you a question please about these down here?

I'd love to know what these are.

Tell me what they are.

I believe that they're more likely out of a chimney and they were the sort of decorative pieces actually in it.

And how much are they, just out of interest?

Well they vary between £45 each and £65.

What sort of deal could you do on... ..sort of six of them?

I could do you a very, very good price.

For six, 180.

VO: Oh!

Catherine, that's nearly your entire budget, darling.

I like them because they're different and I've never seen anything like that.

I shall think.

VO: Now, here's something Charlie did very well with in the last auction.

A silver jubilee bottle of beer!

I've got very, very good track record with buying old booze at the moment.

We've turned 5p into 12 quid already.

Think it's 5p!

That will do fine, sir.

£12 on the bottle of beer.

We can do that again.

Jo?

May I monopolize you for a bit?

This was the object that excited me no end.

Silver jubilee ale.

I love the top because it's sort of almost pretending to be a bottle of champagne, isn't it?

The last one I bought was 5p, I don't know if this is 4p or 6p... No, it's a little bit more than that.

Oh is it really?

How much is it?

I think I might have paid £12 at an auction for it!

CR: Oh no!

(THEY CHUCKLE) Oh, there's no flies on you!

How much is it?

Might as well ask.

£4.

£4!

We have got a torn label here, this is very, very important when you're buying rare... £3 then Charlie.

(THEY LAUGH) Quick, find the chip in the bottle!

Will £2 buy it?

Well... Oh you are a one Jo, thank you.

VO: Catherine meanwhile just can't get those bricks out of her mind.

They're very risky.

I mean, it's not safe like four silver serviette rings or something like that - it's something that could completely die.

It's nice to take a risk though, isn't it?

If I bought two of them, what would you do for that?

They would have to be 60.

Right.

You couldn't do 55 on those?

JO: (SIGHS) You... She's a hard lady.

Oh I'm not!

I'm not, I'm just merely... CR: (LAUGHS) But I like the fact that you're stroking my hand.

(WHISPERS) Will she stop at nothing?!

Never strokes my hand!

..against the rules.

JO: No, no, I like it!

CS: Um... Oh right!

I mean frankly, I'm at a hell of a disadvantage being male here.

Though I think I'll probably go for two, cuz I think three is a big part of my budget.

Ms Southon, may I have a little bit of Jo again please?

I saw you stroking his hand, I thought, "Will you stop at nothing when you're trying to buy antiques?!"

I just merely touched his hand, and I didn't sort of mean to stroke it like that, but... he's quite alright about it, so I might carry on!

You're shameless, aren't you?

Am I?

You are shameless, but I quite like your style.

VO: Hello, what's this with £45 on the ticket?

CR: I was wondering how to play this!

(CHUCKLES) (TUNELESS STRUM) It doesn't make a great sound!

I would never look at one of those that was like a zither, isn't it?

I never know the difference between a zither, it calls itself a mandolin harp... Yeah.

What particularly attracted me was all the decoration, the transferred printing, and then of course we've got George V there.

VO: This German-made mandolin harp was designed to commemorate the coronation of George V, whose family originated from Saxony.

However, the outbreak of World War I led the king to change his name to Windsor in an attempt to distance himself from his origins and the enemy.

I can do a very good price on that.

What, a tenner?

A fiver, you were going to say?

Not quite that good Charlie!

No, no, no.

45.

When I looked at that, I thought, "If that's, like, 25 quid I'll have that," but, er... that's going to be too rude, isn't it?

Did it cost you more than that?

It did actually.

Yeah, well... does 30 quid get you out of trouble?

Ah...

I'm hurting you, aren't I?

Just, you know, what's it going to make at auction?

What is it going to make?

I really don't know.

I honestly don't know any more than you do.

I really don't know.

35.

I want to buy it, and my heart tells me to buy it.

My heid, of course, tells me, "You're a plonker, Roscoe," but on the other hand, I'm going to buy it.

Cuz I think... Well done Charlie, well done!

I think that's fab.

What Ms Southon will think of that, I do not know, but I don't care.

VO: Two purchases down for Charlie, but Catherine's still wrestling with her chimney bricks.

If I buy three, I've got to spend £85, and I think that's too much to spend, but I think to buy two of them for 55... VO: Sensible decision - go for two.

Still thinking?

Hi Jo.

Yes I am still thinking.

I would like to buy all of them.

That's two, four, six of them.

Yeah.

VO: Hang on Catherine - didn't you say two just a minute ago?

What would 120 be?

JO: Too low.

CS: Too low.

Mm.

150.

CS: Hm.

Can we say 130, Jo?

140.

Right.

130.

130.

130.

I'm gonna go for it Jo.

VO: I think Jo just said 140, didn't he?

JO: 1... CS: 130.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

No, I think I am going to go for them.

Was I on 130 or was I on 140?

You've got me confused.

Oh no, where were we?

Sorry, where were we?

140, I think.

Oh gosh, I thought we said 130.

VO: Nice try, Catherine.

Go on, 130.

Oh, OK!

No, sorry, I didn't, I honestly couldn't...!

VO: Oh yeah.

CS: Are you happy with that?

I'm not sure I can stand the indecision any more.

Oh thank you.

I know, I'm not sure I can stand it any more.

I love them and... we'll see what happens.

VO: Cor, I expect poor old Jo's quite worn out by that.

Now, out of the frying pan, into the fire.

This may be a shout too much, but could you possibly take a tenner for your fireman's helmet?

Cuz I will drive along in it then.

Just to see you wearing that, driving along, I think you can have that for a tenner Charlie.

CR: Are you... You're... (THEY LAUGH) You are a gentleman sir!

I am going to wear that wherever we go now!

I feel very at home with this on, and then when we get to the auction, I think it might even make more than a tenner.

I don't care if it doesn't really, cuz it's so comfortable compared with my fez.

VO: Boy.

So, just to recap, Catherine's bought six chimney bricks for 130 and Charlie's snaffled up a bottle of beer, a mandolin harp and a fireman's helmet for 47.

Gosh.

Our experts are leaving Birdham behind and heading four and a half miles north to Chichester.

Chichester is a beautiful and bustling market city.

It's towered over by its impressive cathedral, the spire of which once fell down during restoration works - that's builders for you.

Thankfully, Charlie has his helmet on though, just in case, as our pair pull up at the next shop.

Can I come?

No you can't come.

This is all for old Roscoe.

Lesley?

Charlie.

Charlie, it is indeed, lovely to meet you.

Lovely to meet you too.

And thank you for letting me in.

May I take my old mac off and reveal my rather outrageous jacket?

VO: Oh please don't.

Wow!

There were a couple of things that really took my eye.

There is something I'm going to put out here cuz it looks rather interesting to me.

I do like things relating to booze, and that's a champagne bottle.

Ah!

It's got a serrated edge on it.

It's a vesta.

You put your matches in there and, er, strike 'em there.

Oh, that's fab, it's also a cigar cutter.

Isn't that a rare object?

Put the end of your cheroot in there, or a small cigar, and hey presto, it cuts it.

So you can cut it and then light it.

Love the top, where it's absolutely as a champagne cork should be.

I've priced it at 50, which I have to get.

Lesley, you're such a temptress!

Can we do anything at all on it?

DEALER: No.

CR: Squeeze it?

The only drop I would do would be, just being nice, to 48.

That's it, and I bet you don't lose on it.

How much do you bet me?

48 quid?

The two extra I'm taking off!

VO: Charlie, don't forget you've got to make money.

I'm going to spend £48 of my hard-earned money and I'm going to have your voice ringing in my ears, Lesley... "You won't lose money on that, Charlie!"

It's fresh to the market.

I think you'll do well.

Yeah, yeah.

VO: Nicely done Charlie.

(CRUNCHING) VO: Now, Catherine is busy mastering the art of gear changing - ha!

- while heading to another antique shop on the other side of Chichester.

Ah, I can see it!

VO: And with just £70 left to spend, let's hope the kind owner can navigate her to something pleasing and profitable.

Hello there.

Hello.

VO: The problem is Catherine's hard to please.

Hello, and you're...?

Peter Hancock.

CS: Peter.

PETER: Hancock.

Hello Peter.

Right, I'm looking for something special.

VO: I've heard that before... Yeah, there's a big chip there, Peter.

Isn't that lovely?

I love the way it's cut with these flowers here.

Yes, very nice.

Very pretty, with all the foliage.

Oh, I haven't got enough money.

That's 20 quid.

I'm sti...

I am looking, I'm really... Pewter isn't going to do you.

No.

I won't go for that sort of thing to be honest.

No, no, no, that's fine.

How much would you want for that though?

£200, you see.

CS: (SIGHS) I'd have one last look in that silver cabinet, because I think that was probably my best bet.

(SIGHS) I'm looking at your perfume bottles cuz they seem to be quite reasonably priced.

VO: Cor, Catherine's picked up a thing of quality.

This perfume bottle was made by celebrated silversmiths William Cummins and Sons, who even made coronets for coronations.

PETER: Yes, very nice.

What can you do that for?

I could do that for 40.

40.

I like the repousse work.

Yes.

The raised relief work on this.

I like in particular the bird, and then at the front it's got a place there the lady would have put her initials.

Luckily there's no initials there, which is quite nice.

I'll take it from you if that can be 30.

OK.

This one here...

I'm so sorry that I'm doing this to you, looking at all these... That one could be 20.

Do you want to do 15 on this?

Hm?

Do you want to do 15 on this?

VO: She's going for it.

PETER: (GRUNTS) DEALER: We want you to win.

PETER: You can have £45 the two.

45.

Let's go for them.

Is that the real deal?

That's the real deal.

(THEY CHUCKLE) We'll shake on that then, thank you very much.

Payment time.

Yes.

CS: 20.

PETER: 20.

CS: 40.

PETER: 40.

CS: 50.

PETER: 50.

Peter, thank you so much for dealing with me.

Wonderful.

£5 change, thank you.

OK.

Anything for a fiver that's going to make me...?

Anything for a fiver?

VO: While Peter no doubt has a well earned little lie down... Do you want that one for a fiver?

VO: ..and junior assistant Paul wraps up the deal.

That's lovely.

Fantastic, little perfume bottle.

And I can have this for a fiver?

Fab.

PAUL: I'll wrap it for you.

CS: Fantastic.

Yeah, quick.

CS: He won't mind, will he?

PAUL: Course he won't.

I don't want you to get fired!

VO: You're a lucky girl, Ms Southon.

Charlie and Catherine are leaving Chichester behind, popping across the border into Hampshire, and the village of Emsworth.

Emsworth sits at the north end of Chichester Harbour.

Back in the 19th century, it was a thriving fishing village, famed for its oysters, and was home to no less than 30 pubs and beer houses.

Nowadays, there are merely nine pubs and a rather delightful antiques shop run by the equally delightful Hilary.

Look out!

CR: Good afternoon!

DEALER: Good afternoon!

Charlie Ross.

Hilary Bolt.

Hilary, nice to meet you.

And you.

Very nice to meet you.

May I have a look round?

Please do.

There's something I saw in the window which I think is fantastic.

It's the silver jubilee train, isn't it?

Yes.

Fabulous.

Don't bother to get it out.

Are you sure?

No, it's just not in my range.

DEALER: Talking about the silver jubilee... Yeah?

We do have a chair from the coronation.

Oh do you?

Is it the stool or the chair?

DEALER: It's the stool.

CR: Oh the stool!

DEALER: Yeah.

CR: Yes.

Yes indeed.

DEALER: Because they were...

I believe, after the coronation, you could respond to a newspaper advert...

Yes.

..and put your name down for one or more of the chairs or the stools after the person who'd sat on them had had the option of buying it themselves.

So earls and countesses went away with their high-backed chairs and choristers could or could not have their stools according to the whim.

Yeah.

Isn't that fantastic?

And there we are, look - "coronation".

I think they're great, and I think, I mean, they're such a piece of history, aren't they?

Um... is this yours?

Er, no, but what have they got on it?

CR: They've got 85 on it.

DEALER: 85.

VO: This stool belongs to one of the dealers who sell their wares here.

Nice thing to buy, in view of where it came from, but... Do you want me to make a phone call?

Are they...

I mean, I don't want to be rude.

DEALER: We have two types of sellers here.

Oh do you?

There are the sticklers and the tarts.

(LAUGHS) I love that expression!

The sticklers, you know, you've got 10% at most.

And that's it, yeah.

And the tarts are there to make sales, they'll know what they're prepared to let it go for.

What a lovely attitude!

I daren't be around when this call's made.

Oh hello, it's Hilary here from the antiques shop.

We've got somebody who's interested in the coronation stool.

Could you do it by any chance for, say, £35?

VO: Hm - stickler or tart?

DEALER: Hold on.

VO: Hm.

Er... DEALER: they say yes... CR: What?!

But only if it's cash.

Oh, it'll be cash!

Really?!

You are an absolute angel.

Well thank you.

That's really splendid.

Some real crispies for you!

Whoa!

Not a lot, don't get too excited!

VO: Well done Charlie.

That's your shopping all finished for today.

Just up the road, Catherine's pulling up to somewhere rather special.

Behind the facade of this unassuming bungalow lies a treat for the ears and eyes.

CS: Hi!

VO: Lester Jones collects and restores Victorian mechanical music boxes.

Wow!

This is brilliant.

So how did you get interested in musical boxes?

Well, it started as a family collection, my grandfather and father, and then the restoration side of it is something that I took on seriously about 25 years ago.

So we've got a lovely selection here as well of cylinder boxes.

Can we have a little listen to see how it sounds?

LESTER: Of course.

CS: Love to hear it.

(CREAKING) MUSIC: "The Can-Can" We know this, don't we?

(HUMS) VO: Developed from 18th century musical snuffboxes, the very first Victorian mechanical music boxes feature a metal cylinder covered in pins.

When rotated, the pins catch the teeth of a comb in a specific sequence, thereby creating the lovely sound - exactly as the Victorians would have heard it.

I buy them in an unrestored condition.

You like to do it yourself?

And then the movements and the cases are all fully restored so that they now look and play like they did when they were new.

Mm-hm.

What's over here, this chair?

That's a musical chair.

These are quite rare, aren't they?

Yeah, they're very spindly, so not too many have survived.

There's a small cylinder music box underneath the seat, and when you sit on it, it allows the governor to run.

I always think these are hilarious.

Here we go.

It's not going to work now.

(MUSIC CHIMES) There we are.

I suppose they used to find this sort of quite hilarious, didn't they?

I mean, it was a bit of a novelty and a bit of fun, but I'm not sure I feel terribly comfortable on a chair where music's being played underneath my... My bottom.

CS: I think I'll get up.

(MUSIC STOPS) They were well and truly into novelties.

CS: They were.

LESTER: The Victorians put musical boxes into fruit bowls, steins and chairs.

You name it, you can find a musical version of any household item that they had at the time.

VO: Eventually, the cylinders were replaced by disks, which enabled tunes to be changed quickly and easily.

MUSIC: "Alice Where Art Thou" This is a typical instrument that would have been in English pubs and cafes just prior to 1900.

CS: So people would have thought these were quite...

I mean, they were quite cool things to have at the time.

I mean, today we have our jukebox, that's something where we put the money in and we get our selected music, and that's what they were doing in the 1900s.

LESTER: In 1900, this was cutting edge technology.

VO: And now, these beautiful machines have become very desirable and valuable.

I'm looking over here at this beautiful automaton.

Can I go and have a look at this?

So by automaton we're meaning... A mechanical moving figure or a picture, often with a musical movement as well.

Shall we have a look at it and let's see what it does?

I'm intrigued to see.

(MUSIC CHIMES) Oh, look at that.

Oh, look at that.

That is absolutely delightful.

We've got a little train going past, we've got this little figure walking around the turret and this rocking ship.

Look at... even just that by itself...

It's so sophisticated, there's so much going on there, to go up and down on this simulated sea, plus the clock movement.

That is very exciting I think.

Thank you very much Lester.

LESTER: Thank you.

CS: It's been a real privilege and a pleasure for me to come here.

LESTER: I'm glad you enjoyed it.

CS: Thank you very much indeed.

LESTER: OK. CS: Fantastic.

VO: Ah, lucky Catherine.

But now it's the end of the day - time for our experts to get some well-earned shuteye.

Night-night.

(THUNDER CLAPS) Day two and oh dear, drear, and with no roof, our experts have resorted to shower caps.

CS: Charlie Ross, remind me what we're doing.

Because I feel that I have lost the plot slightly.

I must say, the Lord has blessed us with the most unbelievable weather on this trip.

CS: Oh, unbelievable.

VO: But thankfully, our experts have both been blessed with a glass half full take on life.

BOTH: # Always look on the bright side of life # Doo doo, doo doo de doo de doo... # I just got dripped on by that tree!

VO: Our competitive pair are leaving Emsworth behind and heading to Arundel in West Sussex.

VO: So far Catherine has spent £180 on four items - three glass and silver perfume bottles and a set of six chimney bricks - leaving her with a whopping - not!

- £14.96 to play with.

I'm gonna go for it, Jo.

VO: Charlie, meanwhile, has spent £130 on five items - a bottle of beer, a fire helmet, a coronation stool, a combined vesta cigar cutter and a mandolin harp.

Heh!

That leaves him with £5.30 to splash about.

Lovely.

I'm thrilled!

VO: So with very little money left, an expensive antiques shop is probably out of the question.

CR: Aerodrome!

CS: Look!

Car boot sale... CR: In here?!

CS: Yes, turn around.

CR: Come on then Ms Southon!

CS: (YELLS AND GIGGLES) VO: Ah, just the ticket.

Come hither!

VO: This huge car boot sale is held on an airfield and is normally teeming with buyers and sellers, but Catherine and Charlie have arrived a little late.

I rather like this.

I rather expect it's quite a lot of money.

It's got a super wheel.

And it's just suitably distressed.

Bit like me.

Charlie, get in and I'll wheel you round, we haven't got a lot of time.

I'm not sure the gentleman will give us permission.

Oh I'm sure he will.

You're lighter than I am, you should be in the barrow.

No, no, I'm not getting my jeans dirty.

I'm not getting my trousers dirty!

CS: Go on, in you get.

CR: I'm certainly not!

No!

Anyway, I've asked - how much would you pay for that barrow?

About a fiver.

Yeah, it's 50 quid.

No, I would probably pay, realistically, about 15.

VO: Catherine's on her local patch here, but any insider knowledge doesn't help when nearly everyone's gone home.

I fear I have missed the boat.

It seems to be that Ms Southon has finally fallen apart.

It's very like her.

It's normally completely full right down to the end here.

Hello!

Got anything left?

VO: Charlie has stumbled across a friendly Dutchman, Harry Oolders.

How are you?

I love your hat!

Is that for sale?

Is that your wife in the car?

It is, in the car.

Hello my dear!

Good morning Charlie!

How very, very... Charlie!

You know my name!

Lovely to see you and how very sensible to stay in the dry.

HARRY: Yeah!

While the old man does the business.

I will come straight to the point - I've been shopping yesterday, bought a few things.

I am left with £5 in my pocket.

No?

No more?

No more!

I don't have any more.

Oh look!

That must be a Dutch oil painting.

Wempe.

Wempe.

Yes.

Pieter Wempe.

He's a very famous artist.

Oh yes he is.

VO: Charlie, what are you doing?

That painting is total tat.

It's a lovely signature.

Nice.

Fiver for yours.

CR: Is that £5?

HARRY: £5 for yours.

CR: I think for a fiver... HARRY: Yep.

It's probably worth two quid, but you're such a lovely man I'm going to buy it, because I want to buy it.

Here we go.

Five of the best sir.

VO: Charlie's final item, but Catherine can't find anything she wants to buy - apart from... remember this?

How much is your wheelbarrow?

DEALER: I've got 50 on it, £50.

CS: (GASPS) Oh...

I can move a little bit.

Can you move a lot?

Something like that would look great in a garden filled with...

Absolutely.

Filled with your nice blooming flowers, I think it would look wonderful.

In the summer.

Well I'll tell you what, £30, you could buy it.

I would buy it at that, but I promise you, I haven't got that left.

Can I buy it for £14.96?

Oh go on, I could have a lot of fun with that.

Do you know what, I'd love to sell it, make a lot of money, shove Charlie in it and wheel off to success.

Oh there you go.

Go on, shake my hand.

Shall I do it?

I've never sold one as cheap.

Have you not?

No, never.

Do you think I should do it?

DEALER: Shake my hand.

CS: Yeah!

VO: Well, that's a first - a deal done on sheer exuberance.

You've got to hand it to her.

I know, this is literally it... DEALER: OK, I do believe you.

CS: ..down to the last drop.

DEALER: Thank you very much indeed.

CS: £10.

£14.96.

I will never forget it.

VO: So that leaves our experts virtually spent up.

While Catherine squeezes the rain out of her socks, Charlie has somewhere rather lovely to go.

VO: He's heading to the West Sussex village of West Hoathly to visit a very old and special house.

It's called The Priest House, and showing him around is the curator, who lives in it now, Antony Smith.

Hello!

ANTONY: Hello there!

CR: Charlie Ross.

Antony, pleasure to meet you.

Lovely to meet you.

Thank you for letting me in today.

That's my pleasure, thank you for coming.

All I know is I'm at The Priest's House.

Named after a priest or because it was for a priest?

Never was the house of a priest, no.

Its name comes from its connection ANTONY: with Lewes Priory.

CR: Right.

This was built to administer the land, so it's basically a farm office or a church office.

And when was it built?

About 1430.

VO: This beautiful ancient house nearly collapsed from centuries of neglect, until it was finally rescued in the early 20th century by a wealthy and very forward looking man.

And who was?

This was John Godwin King.

Yeah.

Who lived just to the north west of the village.

Is this the man?

That's John Godwin King, yes.

He never put the rents up on anyone who lived in his property, so he was very popular.

How unusual for a landlord!

Yeah, very, yes.

VO: John Godwin King bought and restored the house so that he could use it as a museum for all the treasures he collected locally and while traveling, and one of these was his Australian wife - ha!

- who founded a local theater group.

This is Charlotte King, who ran the local players.

And this is producing their Greek drama in 1913.

The whole idea was to get as many people from the village involved as possible.

VO: Charlotte and John Godwin King were both ardent liberals, and these views were reflected in the ethos of Charlotte's theater company.

CR: So this was performed by village folk?

ANTONY: Er, partly by villagers, but also they brought down their friends from London.

But they might well end up playing the part of the maid and the servant and the local shepherd or shopkeeper might end up playing the lord or lady.

It was all very egalitarian.

And they still do it that way.

We know that some quite famous people came to see it.

Yeah?

George Bernard Shaw was probably the most famous.

Really?

I know a man who's now in his 80s who performed when he was a little boy, and at the end of the performance he was sat on an old gentleman's knee, as he said, a gentleman with a big white beard - Oh!

George Bernard Shaw!

And this gentleman said to him, "Young man, you were quite awful."

And this was George Bernard Shaw apparently.

VO: John and Charlotte's daughter Ursula was a suffragette, and John himself was a member of the Men's League For Women's Suffrage.

Upstairs is an extraordinary memento of that struggle - a large handkerchief embroidered with the signatures and initials of 68 suffragettes.

Embroidered by women in Holloway Prison in March 1912.

Yeah, and they went on hunger strike in there?

About a third of the women on the handkerchief went on hunger strike.

Did they?

And about a third of those were forcibly fed.

VO: But it's a mystery how the handkerchief ended up in West Hoathly.

We don't know why it's in the village, but it turned up at a jumble sale in the late 1960s.

It was going to be burned with all the remnants at the end of the day, and it was taken off the bonfire pile by the custodian of the museum here at the time, and she cleaned it up and it's been here a long time.

It was going to say there can't be many artifacts more important at relating to that movement.

Er, no.

No.

VO: John Godwin King was ahead of his time, recognizing the value of restoration and preserving pieces of history long before it was fashionable to do so, and thank goodness he did, but now Charlie, you have to leave that beautiful cottage garden behind you, for it's time for our experts to reveal all to each other, and where better than just across the road in beautiful West Hoathly Parish Church, where I used to worship?

CS: Ready?

CR: Yep.

Oh, ooh.

What do you think about these?

You know where I bought them, don't you?

I know exactly where you bought them, and they're fantastic, and I wanted to buy them.

No, I wanted to buy one of them, because I don't have your amount of money.

I was asked £45 for one of them, so one, two, three, four, five, six, 24.

Yes, it's £270.

Well I got them for 130, but...

I don't believe you.

I would have only bought one... ..because I think in itself it would have been quirky.

What would you do with one?

Make a sixth of the loss I would with six.

Are these one lot?

They are, yes.

Right, I'll tell you what those are worth.

(MUTTERS) About £100-120.

No, they're not worth that.

What, with that embossed top?

Come on!

Come on!

I paid £50 for those.

I hope you're right.

CR: For the three?!

CS: Yes.

VO: Oh, I know, it just doesn't seem fair, does it Charlie?

Now where's she off to?

CS: (LAUGHS) You haven't bought... You didn't have enough money to buy that!

I saw that at the boot fair, we arrived at the boot fair and I said, "How much is it?"

And the gentleman said, "It's 60 quid "but to you, Charlie, you can have it for 50".

Now you told me you only had £14.

And 96p, actually.

And I actually paid him £14.96.

The thing is, he was quite happy to sell it to me for that.

I'm sure he was over the moon!

CS: I did not.. VO: Oh dear, here we go.

You're in the money.

Profit, profit, gamble.

Do you remember the last auction?

Yes?

What did I buy for 5p?

Oh, beer.

Oh you haven't bought more Charlie?

Well, it made 12 quid!

Dee-de-dee, ta-da.

That's a very boring stool!

VO: Don't gloat too soon Catherine.

It's a coronation stool, from Westminster Abbey.

Oh is it?

And anybody who was at the coronation had the right to buy their chair or their stool.

That was owned by a chorister.

I know you burst out laughing when you saw it because if it wasn't a coronation stool, it is a fiver on a good day.

Yeah.

But they're asking £85 for it and I bought it for 35 quid.

Sticking on the coronation theme, we go to 1911.

A zither.

Is it a zither?

No, what do you call it?

Well it's actually called a mandolin harp.

Yes.

But it was the transfer of George V and the decoration that did it for me, and obviously not for you, and that's absolutely fine...

This is going particularly well!

This was about what, sort of 10, £15?

I paid £35 for that.

I saw a nice Dutchman and I said, "What will you sell me for a fiver?"

And he said that painting.

That I bought for £2 simply because the last one made £12, but my favorite item is that.

Oh, I didn't...

I thought that was part of this actually, I thought that was a little knob on there, I didn't notice that!

It's a mandolin knob!

What's that?

That is a Veuve Clicquot champagne bottle: vesta, striker and cigar cutter.

That's fantastic.

All in one.

VO: At last, she likes something!

Hallelujah!

48 for it.

I think that's good.

So I've got one out of five... Oh no!

Hang on.

Have you got more?!

Well I'm afraid I broke the rules.

Charlie, you had less money than... You took the mickey out of my fez... Oh...!

I bought it for a tenner.

135, the lot.

VO: Some mixed reactions there.

Now what do they really think?

Wheelbarrow, quoted to Roscoe, £60.

Catherine buys, £14 and a few pence.

And she's bought three wonderful silver topped jars, one by William Cummins, great maker, which I think is worth 100 quid on its own, and then she looks at my items and bursts out laughing!

The beer, the picture, the helmet...

It's just Charlie really, isn't it?

Silly Charlie.

But I think there is a tad of seriousness coming in there, and there's a couple of things there that I'm a little bit jealous of.

The stool I think is actually rather good.

(WHISPERS) But between you and me, I do hope that the bricks sink.

VO: Ooh!

Well, let the battle commence, eh?

Catherine and Charlie's third leg began in Birdham, West Sussex, had a little detour into Hampshire then continued eastwards.

It will conclude at an auction in Lewes, East Sussex.

CR: This is where it's at!

CS: Whoo!

How was that Ms Southon?

Perfectly driven as always!

Allow me.

VO: What a gent.

Gorringes made its name by selling the collections of large country houses and now has a reputation for auctioning fine antiques and collectables.

So does auctioneer Philip Taylor think our experts' choices make the grade?

Philip?

Charlie and Catherine have brought some interesting things for us to look at, but unfortunately maybe they didn't realize the day we're offering it is in fact a silver sale.

We're not sure we're going to have too many buyers for their wheelbarrow on a silver sale, or the chimney bricks.

Erm... we'll see.

Hopefully we'll do OK.

I think the best item undoubtedly is the silver mounted cut glass scent bottle by William Cummins, always a strong seller.

I think the most undesirable thing, I think, is the completely undrinkable bottle of beer.

VO: Oh dear, a silver sale - perhaps one of those crafty calls to the auction house in advance might have been a wise idea.

They'll know for next time though.

VO: Charlie started this leg with £135.30 and spent exactly 135 on six auction lots, not one of which is silver.

Oh, it'll be cash!

VO: Catherine began with £194.96 and spent every penny she had.

She's split the perfume bottles into two separate lots, so has four auction lots in total.

£14.96.

I will never forget it.

VO: This could be disastrous.

Oh Charlie, I'm actually really panicking.

VO: Good luck - you'll need it.

VO: First up is Charlie's coronation stool.

£30 to get it started.

£20 for somebody to get it started, the coronation stool, 20 I'm bid.

25.

25, 30 bid.

35, £35 only.

£40.

At £40.

I need to sell it, mind, at 40.

Have you all done?

See it sold then, on £40 it goes.

VO: Sadly, that's a loss after the auction house takes its well-earned commission.

Here we are, this is my lot everybody!

VO: Yes, it's Catherine's big gamble next - her chimney bricks.

Bomb and that's it.

Bomb or not to bomb, that is the question.

Rocket and Roscoe is history.

£20 to get them started, £10 for someone to get them shortly.

£10?!

The chimney bricks at £10.

CS: Oh no.

BIDDER: I'll give you 10.

CR: Oh, what a man!

£10, bid at 10.

£10 only.

15 now.

Come along now at 15.

I don't believe it.

25 now, 25.

They're unusual, aren't they, at 25?

You must say.

Are you all done?

At £25 they sell then.

(GAVEL) VO: Oh dear.

She's dropped a brick there - well, six actually.

Poor girl.

Are you alright darling?

No, I'm absolutely heartbroken.

VO: Now, will Charlie's helmet set the house on fire?

£10 bid me on it, any bids at 10?

Five will someone say?

Any bids at £5?

Fire helmet...

Thank you, five and bid.

Brave lady down here at £5.

Thank goodness for the brave lady.

A tenner bid now at the back.

15 will you now, madam?

Make it 12 if you wish.

Come along then, 12 I'm bid, thank you.

£12 only.

£12 only.

Yes... (GAVEL) VO: It looks like a profit but sadly that's a loss after costs.

Have you actually got a profit on that?

No, not after commission.

VO: Ha - next up, Catherine's two perfume bottles.

£30 to get them started.

25 to you then?

25 I'm bid.

Two together now, 25 only.

25 bid!

I need a bit more than 25, Charlie.

£30, 35, thank you.

CS: Sh.

PHILIP: 35, at 40.

Come on.

Come on!

They're really gonna love them!

45, 50.

CS: Come on.

PHILIP: At 50.

PHILIP: £50, bid again please?

CS: Come on!

PHILIP: £50, 55.

55, 60.

CS: Come on.

Come on.

The two together now, £60.

Please keep going.

Please keep going.

PHILIP: Is that the bid now?

CS: Go on!

65.

At 65, still yours at 65.

Come on, keep going, keep going.

Last time then with the lady still in front, at £65 they go... (GAVEL) VO: Cor, look at that - an excellent profit for Catherine.

She's edging back!

To hell with the bricks!

No Charlie, I can't ever forget the bricks.

VO: We'll all have to move on now.

It's Charlie's oil painting next.

Anyone seen it?

20?

Start me at £20 for me?

£10 to get it started, someone.

SOMETHING would be good!

Yes, something would do.

£5, gentleman here has obviously seen it.

CR: Oh, well done!

PHILIP: £5 only.

Congratulations.

You don't need to see it at this price, do you really?

At £5.

I'll have to sell it you know at five.

It goes at £5 only.

(GAVEL) VO: And that's broken even.

Charlie's struggling to make any profits today.

Oh Charlie, we're not having a good day, are we?

You're having an absolute stormer.

CS: Charlie... CR: 40 quid on your bottles... CS: £130 bought... CR: Forget that.

£25 sold.

Just forget that and move on.

Move on.

That's not a good day in my book.

VO: What you both need is a bit of music to your ears.

Will the harp sing?

What shall we say, £20 to get it started for the zither?

£10 for the zither to get it started, thank you, 10 I'm bid.

Result, frankly!

20 now, 25.

£25 for the zither.

25, 30 in the corner.

This is a world record for a zither!

At £30, in the very corner there at 30.

Last time again, let it go ma'am, you're going to get it again at 30, finished at £30.

You're a wonderful man.

VO: It's another loss.

Oh dear.

Chuffed?

Over the moon.

VO: Next, Catherine's rustic wheelbarrow.

£20 I'm bid, is it 20 here?

Only at £20.

25, should think so too, at 25.

£30 now sir, at £30, 35 will you?

35 I have.

It's on the back wall now at £35.

PHILIP: 40.

CS: Ooh!

At £40, at 40.

CS: On the internet.

PHILIP: At £40.

Ooh!

45.

At 45.

50 I have.

Beside me now at 50.

Oh, thank you!

Last time it is at 50, sells on £50 on the desk.

(GAVEL) CS: Thank you everybody!

VO: An excellent profit on the wheelbarrow, considering it's a silver sale.

I think you've got to laugh or you'll cry.

VO: Up next, Charlie's only silver of the auction - silver jubilee, that is.

PHILIP: Any bids at £5?

CS: No.

Get me started surely.

£2 I'll take if you wish.

£2 on my right, the bid is at £2.

Somebody's bid £2.

CR: Oh, someone's bid on the internet!

Marvelous!

PHILIP: £2 only.

(GAVEL) VO: Ah, that bottle sank.

I've got to pay commission on that, Ms Southon.

I've got to pay about 35p!

VO: Hopefully Charlie's champagne plated vesta will pick up his profits.

Shall we say £20 to get it started?

£10 if you wish then, someone.

Thank you, 10 I'm bid.

15 bid now.

Thank you sir, at £20.

CS: I'm surprised actually.

CS: I'm very surprised.

CR: Cheap isn't it?

PHILIP: Let it go though.

CS: That's not on.

25, thank you sir, £25.

Haven't seen one of these before at 25.

£30 I have, thank you sir, £30.

At 30, 35.

£35.

It deserves to do well this, Charlie.

In the seat at the back now, the bidder's at 35.

All done and happy?

PHILIP: Letting it go, £35.

CR: Not quite what I paid.

(GAVEL) That really surprises me.

VO: Champagne Charlie loved it, but sadly no one else seemed to.

I would have bought that, definitely.

VO: Now it's the last lot of the day - Catherine's embossed perfume bottle.

She sure needs it to make a profit.

Will we say, start it straight in at £50 to start it?

55, 60 now, 65.

£65 bid.

CR: Well done.

PHILIP: At 65.

PHILIP: At 70 bid.

CS: He's bidding.

Have you all done this lot?

I'm letting it go, any further bidders then?

On £70, it sells at 70.

(GAVEL) CR: Well done Catherine.

VO: A great profit for Catherine, but has it made a dent in her bruising loss on the bricks?

Let's splash out, I'll buy you a glass of water.

Enjoy your bricks sir.

VO: What a roller coaster this auction has been.

VO: Charlie started this leg with £135.30 and has made a loss of £33.32 after auction costs.

That leaves him with a rather meager total of £101.98 to carry forward.

Don't look so sad.

VO: Catherine had a disaster with her bricks, but her other profits meant she's still today's winner.

She began this with £194.96 and made a loss of £22.76, bringing her total to £172.20 to spend next time.

CR: Right Ms Southon, allow me.

CS: Thank you.

Oh most prestigious brick buyer!

You're not allowed to mention that word!

CR: Why?

CS: Although... just bumped into the buyer who bought the bricks.

CR: Yeah.

CS: £25?

He did.

He's just sold them for 50.

CR: (CHUCKLES) CS: I cannot believe it.

CR: Thank you Lord!

CS: Insulting.

CR: Onward and upward.

Whee-hee, off we go!

VO: Next time on the Antiques Road Trip: Charlie's none too pleased.

My budget is s-severely limited.

VO: And Catherine ups the ante.

I think you need to go down the back.

Why?

Because it's the more sort of cheaper area.

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