Kay Miniver and her family live a comfortable life at a house called "Starlings" in Belham, a fictional village outside London. The house has a large garden, with a private landing stage on the River Thames at which is moored a motorboat belonging to her devoted husband, Clem, a successful architect. They have three children: the youngsters Toby and Judy, and an older son, Vin, a student at Oxford University. They have live-in staff: Gladys, the housemaid, and Ada, the cook.