Comedy prequel to Keeping Up Appearances, set in the 1950s and charting the early life of the remarkable Hyacinth. Long before she became Mrs Bucket (pronounced Bouquet), young Hyacinth was already dreaming of matching china and a bedroom in pastel shades. But her desperate attempts to transform her sisters and her darling Daddy into an altogether better class of family are not appreciated. Daisy goes around wearing Daddy's overalls, Rose has a new boyfriend every week, and if Violet continues consorting with her married manager, she could be inches away from shame and destitution. The girls live together in a crowded canal cottage with their father, a part-time brush salesman with a drink problem. If only the family were more like the Cooper-Smiths, in whose house Hyacinth works as a maid. Because now she has had a glimpse of how the elegant upper classes live, there can be no looking back.

Hyacinth puts a advertisement in the local paper to host parties for people and gets strange results. Daisy and Onslow loose Daddy again.

After Lydia Hawksworth beats Hyacinth out in a contest, Hyacinth cons Richard into getting them to test drive a Rolls-Royce so she can put Lydia Hawksworth in her place.

Hyacinth is determined to star in an amateur musical production and in the process, gets everyone to her sister Violet's house for a barbecue.

Hyacinth plans a casual audition after learning her neighbor Emmet is rehearsing an amateur production of 'The Boyfriend'.

With Hyacinth so excited about attending a country house sale, Richard is worried that she will spend too much.

Hyacinth gives her husband Richard a surprise birthday present that he never would have guessed.

Hyacinth decides that a riverside picnic is the thing to have so she drags everyone to the river.

Richard discovers that he has forgotten their anniversary and because of a rash of burglary's in the ares, he decides that a home alarm system is the perfect gift.

Hyacinth hassles Richard about the invitations they used to get from Richards past employer to the Mayors fancy dress ball. Richard then wrangles a invite for them and Hyacinth goes as Marie Antoinette.

Hyacinth volunteers at the church to help take a group of senior citizens to a boardwalk attraction on the beach for a day outing.