Know Your Place (radio series)

Know Your Place is a short-lived BBC Radio 2 sitcom from the early 1980s, set in Worthing Court, a rundown Edwardian block of flats in Bloomsbury, London. The storyline centred around a series of conflicts - and the longstanding frisson - between the elderly caretaker 'the remarkable' Ramsay Potts (played by Roy Dotrice) and his assertive cleaner Elspeth Spurgeon (Patricia Hayes). They are further frustrated by management demands and occasional brushes with tenants. The title refers to the UK's enduring class system, with the associated deference of the cleaner to the caretaker and in turn, the caretaker to the management. Actors who appeared in more than one episode included Pat Coombs, Jon Blythe, Jon Glover, John Graham, Norma Ronald and James Taylor.

Storylines bear some similarities with the long-running The Men from the Ministry and the later Radio 2 series Mind Your Own Business. All three were produced by Edward Taylor.

The sitcom ran for two series in 1982–3. Both series were written by Andrew Palmer and Nell Brennan. Eight episodes have since been repeated on Radio 4 Extra.

Programmes

Series 1, 28 January – 11 March 1982

First broadcast Title Guest star28 January 1982 Lift off*Frank Thornton4 February 1982Not To Be Used For Babies*11 February 1982The Siege of Worthing Court18 February 1982Room to Manoeuvre*25 February 1982The New Broom4 March 1982Sick Benefit11 March 1982Marriage of Convenience*

Series 2, 16 June – 2 August 1983

First broadcast Title Guest star16 June 1983 Jumpers*23 June 1983 Sauce for the Goose30 June 1983 Interim Dividend7 July 1983 Sisterly Feelings*Avis Bunnage14 July 1983 If You Look Up Mine Can I Look Up Yours21 July 1983 Health Can Damage Your Smoking*28 July 1983 The Finger of SuspicionKenneth Connor2 August 1983Out of the Closet*Bernard Bresslaw

Programmes marked * have been repeated on Radio 4 Extra.

References