In rural Great Ayton, William Bradley is sent to live with his ageing grandparents, away from his burdened mother, who has too many mouths to feed and a drunken husband to support. Adjusting to a new life, William aspires to follow in his grandfather's footsteps in the mining business. He also falls for a beautiful girl, Susan, but heartbreak is in store when Susan reveals her own ambitions for advancement in life.
William makes his mark in the mining business but discovers that his vocation may lie elsewhere than in mining whinstone. When William is struck by a series of tragedies, he is forced to evaluate his future and make some challenging decisions. Full of the vigour of youth, William leaves the safety of everything he has known and forges a new life, with surprising results.