As they arrive on the island, the families must adapt quickly to their new way of life, but bad weather, lack of experience, and limited rations lead to hunger and frustrations. It’s only a last-minute effort by the women that saves the day. Aside from dealing with the practical realities of living in 1900, the families strive to forge a community to help each other through tough times.

As the weather finally improves, the men head out to sea to try for a successful catch, while the women cope with unrelenting domestic chores, and the children attend school. But the sense of community starts to fray as rivalries and hunger take their toll. Gavin Davies struggles to feed his large family, until a cargo boat arrives with the chance to earn some much-needed cash.

The four families have managed to settle into the rhythms of 1900 life, but that doesn’t make subsistence any easier. At the start of the week, the community seems at its most fragile, as different priorities and attitudes start to take shape. The men set sail for a three-day fishing trip, while their wives and children back on the island have no way of knowing whether they are safe or not.

In their last days on the island, modern mechanization causes prices to plummet. Facing a rude awakening, the men and women on Llanddwyn resort to cockling and gathering shellfish to make ends meet. But as one family leaves the island early, the others bid a fond if tearful farewell to 1900 life and head back to the modern world.