The Story

Folkestone, 1900. Our hero, Kipps, is one of a group of young men employed by Edwin Shalford as apprentice drapers in his Emporium where they learn all about system, “fishency” and most of all, economy. Away from the shop young Kipps finds romance with his childhood sweetheart Ann to whom he gives a token of his love, “Half a Sixpence.”

All in the garden is rosy until an actor chap Harry Chitterlow enters the scene and tells Artie about a notice in the local paper concerning him. The upshot is our Artie has now inherited a fortune (£1200 a year) and life for Artie is about to change. With all his money society beckons and Artie meets Miss Helen Walsingham to whom he becomes engaged. The couple are invited to all the society “do’s” and it is at one of these – Mrs. Botting’s Houseboat party that Kipps meets up with Ann again, now Mrs. Botting’s maid.

Kipps realises he has made a mistake and breaks his engagement to Helen. Ann makes him suffer a little but finally agrees to marry him. All is not ideal; the money is coming between them and what they really want. The problem is solved for them by Helen’s brother who invests Artie’s money unwisely and loses it all. Poor but happy, Mr. and Mrs. Kipps buy a bookshop and some time later a baby arrives.

Life for the pair is lovely until the eccentric Harry Chitterlow reappears like some erstwhile godfather to make them wealthy again.

Kipps’ reaction to wealth is different this time.