George Bligh

**George Robert Bligh** is a wealthy landowner from Inverness. He is the father of James Bligh and the adoptive father as well as biological uncle of Anna Poletti. With Sarah Adams, George is the father of her newborn son David Bligh. George is the son of Elizabeth Bligh and her late husband Lewis Bligh. George is also the brother of Carolyn Bligh. He was once the widower of Elaine Bligh who died years earlier. George is now married to Elaine's sister Regina upon the suggestion of Sir Richard Bennett in order to heighten his chances of a career in politics.

## Biography

### Early Life

As a child George spent a lot of time at Ash Park as this was his home and inheritance, George also spent a lot of time with his father Lewis Bligh. However, Lewis was normally very critical of George and at some point when George was still a young teenager Lewis organized for a prostitute to be with George. George refused; later when George was still a teenager he discovered his father to be with one of the stable boys, having sex. George then followed Lewis who ran from the stable and galloped away on a horse; he was horrified to then find his father dead after being thrown from his horse. Until George was an adult he always believed that it was because he discovered Lewis with the stable boy that he committed suicide. According to Carolyn Duncan George used to be a big snob in his youthful years but she also stated that he quickly grew out of this phase.

### Season One

Following the recent marriage of George son James Bligh to Olivia Bligh in London, George travels home with the rest of his family from London to Australia. Whilst travelling home George meets Sarah Adams, a nurse who is tending to George's mother Elizabeth Bligh. George invites Sarah to dinner with his family on the final night of the boat's voyage; following dinner, George tells Sarah that if she ever needs a job then he can easily help her. Sarah then thanks George and bids him farewell.

Later, Sarah writes to George asking for his help, and George responds -- keeping true to his word. When Sarah arrives in Inverness, George shows Sarah to Ash Park which causes tension between Sarah and George's mother, Elizabeth Bligh. George later warns Sarah that as kind as her landlady Doris Collins is, she is prone to gossip and is known among the Inverness locals as a gossip. George later goes with his daughter, Anna Poletti, and Sarah to Sydney where he drops off Sarah at Peg Maloney's house; Anna questions George about Sarah's history to which they both laugh at how Anna is becoming more like Doris.

George then drives to Carolyn's Sydney Apartment where he drops Anna at with sister Carolyn Bligh; while dropping her off it is revealed that George and Carolyn share a very close bond. George goes to the Australia Club where he meets with Sir. Henry Swanson and Australia's Prime Minister Robert Menzies. After dinner, George plays snooker with Henry who tells George that Menzies wants Ash Park to host a Japanese business treaty party in hopes the Australian Government will join with the Japanese thus putting the years of war truly behind them by arranging a business deal. On George's return to Ash Park, Elizabeth Bligh suffers a heart attack that causes her to be put into the hospital. With Elizabeth in the hospital, George begins a secret affair with Sarah and the two fall in love. George tries to enlist the help of Jack Duncan in hopes that if Jack will attend the party then the rest of Inverness may be more sympathetic to the cause -- because Duncan was a prisoner in one of the Japanese camps during the war for longer than many others. Duncan, however, refuses and storms out from Ash Park.

With the Japanese reception soon approaching, Regina Bligh arrives due to Elizabeth Bligh calling her in a bid to try and get George and Sarah to break up. When the day of the reception with the Japanese arrives Jack does decide to attend with Sarah alongside him, George's efforts to forge a business alliance work and the Japanese join with the Australia. When George's relationship with Sarah becomes public Elizabeth threatens to disown him and giving Ash Park to James Bligh upon her death instead of George. Despite being hurt by this threat George decides that his love for Sarah is so strong that he is willing to give up Ash Park to keep Sarah, thus deciding to propose to her. In response to this Sarah thinks of declining, not wanting George to be torn away from his home. She decides that her love is so powerfully strong toward George that she happily accepts the proposal. George and Sarah start to celebrate, but their celebrations are dampened when George is confronted by Bert Ford who now also knows of James's homosexuality, this leads Bert to blackmail George saying that he will tell the world of James's true nature if he does not pay 1000 Australian Dollars. George then rushes to Sydney having learnt that James is a homosexual form Bert Ford. George then hurtfully confronts his son and tells him that it might have been best if he had died on the boat. This leads to James having a mental breakdown and going into intensive care, James then begins his shock treatment in a bid to get rid of his homosexuality. Olivia Bligh then confronts George saying that his reaction was revolting, embarrassed by his reaction George then tells Olivia he will stand by his son and he will help them get through this tough time. Upon arrival home to Ash Park George learns that Sarah and Elizabeth have been able to reach an agreement, the pact being that if Sarah can live for three months in Ash Park as the mistress of Ash Park then Elizabeth will step away and allow the marriage between Sarah and George. George and Sarah then talk about the pact, and Sarah tells George she is willing to do anything to keep them together, George replies that she doesn't need to do anything as he loves her enough to lose everything he has.

### Season 2

With Sarah's trial period of three months going well George begins to organize their engagement party, George then goes to Sydney where he tells Elizabeth that she is welcome to come if she wants to. George also goes to the hospital where James Bligh is having his shock treatment and asks that James be allowed to be briefly discharged in order for him to attend the party. However James's doctor Dr. Milsen refuses and George with a heavy heart leaves. When the eve of the engagement party arrives George tells Gino and Anna that the are allowed to come, however they must pretend that they are not in love. Peg Maloney then arrives, and Sarah introduces George to her, on the day of the party Peg proposes a toast to the happiness of Sarah and George to which George and Sarah kiss. At the party George witnesses Gino and Anna lovingly hold hands. When George realizes that their love is just as strong as his with Sarah George decides to allow the engagement between Anna and Gino. In the evening of the party day George and Sarah are embracing in the Ash Park living room. Carolyn Bligh arrives, and she worryingly tells them that she has made a terrible mistake: George and Sarah are confused by this and Carolyn explains that when James came to her looking for a physiatrist he said he needed on for Olivia rather than him. Due to this she suggested Milsen however Doctor Milsen is a specialist in Women's Issues and when he is dealing with gay men's problems his methods are painfully brutal toward the patient. In light of this information George, Sarah and Olivia rush to the hospital the next morning, at he hospital George gets Sarah alone with James so she can investigate what has been done to James. She discovers that James has been sedated on a regular basis, has been starved and has been tied to the bed several times leading to his blood flow being disrupted. Sarah then tells Milsen, George and Olivia that they need to save James saying she knows exactly what is been done to him as it has been done to her in the past, George then takes Sarah outside and questions Sarah about what she has just said. Sarah then offers George an ultimatum that if he leaves James at the hospital then there is no future for their relationship since she cannot bear the thought of what George really is if he allows this to continue with his son. In response to this George demands that he is left alone with his son, George then sits on the bedside with James and whispers to him. Asking if he wants to stay, James then begs to be freed from the hospital. James then helps to carry James from the hospital and they quickly drive back to Ash Park where they are met by a frantic Carolyn. Sarah then rushes inside to call Jack Duncan. George inquires whether they can trust Jack. A little later on whilst James is sleeping George and Olivia discuss what to do, at first George cannot bare the thought that James will not go back to treatment however Olivia eventually make shim see that if he goes back to treatment he could die George decides to let James decide what to do as Olivia is planning to. Following, James waking up from sleep and making the decision not to return to treatment George accepts James for what he is and then goes on a ride with Sarah. The two then stop halfway through the ride and sit down, Sarah then tells to George her deepest secret. It being that during the war she was in a concentration camp and was raped by the Nazi officers everyday for two years. George is shocked and horrified by this, however he tells Sarah that he is not disgusted with her only with what was done to her. George then declares his love to Sarah. George then goes to Elizabeth and tells her that he knows what she is doing, her plan being that Regina has gone to Europe to find a secret that will destroy George and Sarah's relationship.

A little later when Prudence Swanson invites The Blighs to a garden party is Sydney George is cautious to allow Sarah to go thinking it will be a trap to attempt to see Sarah out of her depth which in fact it is. However Sarah says she is tough enough to endure whatever the upper class of Sydney can throw at her. In fact Sarah successfully puts down any insults or difficult conversation and George proudly supports her. After the party George and Sarah go to Hotel Australia where they make love and happily go back to Ash Park. However, upon arrival home Regina Bligh has uncovered a secret about Sarah's past, George is shocked at the secret and drives to the hospital where he reveals what Regina has found. It being that Sarah's previous husband Rene Nordmann is actually alive, in response to this Sarah says goodbye to George. As the two say farewell tells Sarah that if it works out with her husband then she must bring him to Inverness as this is his home now, Sarah objects but George insists that Inverness has become her home now. He then pays for Sarah to fly to Paris where Rene is and Sarah then tells George that she loves him and George replies by saying he always will. While Sarah is in Paris, George coldly blames Elizabeth or what has happened; he shouts and argues with Elizabeth and begins to slip into depression knowing he has lost Sarah forever. Despite George's deep sadness he helps Anna Poletti prepare for her wedding, on the day of the wedding George gifts some champagne to Anna's room while Carolyn is helping her to get ready. George then goes downstairs to Elizabeth and tells her that she must make amends with Anna if the wedding day is to be a success, thanks to George Elizabeth and Anna are able to resolve their differences and Anna invites Elizabeth to her wedding. Before the wedding Carolyn talks to George and thanks him for taking care of Anna when Carolyn fell pregnant all those years ago, George then tells Carolyn he should be the one that is thankful as she gave him a wonderful daughter. At the wedding George walks Anna down the aisle but while there he sees Sarah having returned with Rene Nordmann. The two stare at each other and it is obvious that the two still bare feelings for one another. Following the wedding George talks to Doris Collins. George then waves off Anna and Gino as they go on their honeymoon. In the season finale Regina's scheming reaches a head as after Anna's wedding Regina's plan begins, the plan being that her driver will beat her up and then Regina will run crying to George thus playing the damsel in distress and taking advantage of George's kind nature. This works to a great success as George begins to forgive Regina and is allowed to move into Ash Park. Regina's quest to get George as her partner seems to be playing out perfectly. Yet George goes on a ride around the fields near Roy Briggs's House and disaster strikes. Sarah's husband Rene Nordmann goes to commit suicide on the fields but instead shoots George Bligh by accident, with Regina present at the shooting as she had been out riding trying to follow George. As the series cliffhanger starts George falls to the ground having been tragically shot by Rene.

### Season 3

With George shot and bleeding on the ground, Sarah Adams arrives and begins to tend to George's bleeding body. George is then carried into a hospital ambulance and rushed to the Sydney Hospital, while at the hospital Bligh says Sarah's name while being in sleep which is witnessed by Regina Bligh. A little later on George wakes up and returns home to Ash Park where he invites the whole family to dinner that night, including Sir. Richard Bennent. While at dinner George announces that he plans to enter into politics as a member of the Country Party as a representative of Inverness. Elizabeth then tells George that she supports his new venture, George then tells Elizabeth that he has finally forgiven her and that he wants to hear what she has to say. Elizabeth then tells George to be cautious but that he will make a spectacular politician. With Regina's background in politics George enlists her help making her his new political campaign manager, with his political career growing support George goes around Inverness and begins to build up support for his name. George goes with Roy Briggs to one of the local farmers and learns that a lot of the roads are unpassable once the rain falls, however while his campaign begins to get many supporters back at Ash Park tensions arise when Carolyn Bligh learns that Regina has been using her knowledge of James's homosexuality to blackmail people. Carolyn then tells George and George demands for Regina to leave Ash Park immediately. George later does a speech at the Inverness town square, this was his first public appearance. Moments before George's speech Regina show sup and offers George some advice which due to James's opinion agreeing with Regina's he takes it. George announces that he wants t help Inverness come into the ages rather than be stuck in the olden days, George tells the people that he plans to do this by repairing the roads and enlarging the market space allowing for more produce to be grown and sold. Later Rene Nordmann goes to Ash park where he is involved with a fight toward one of the policemen, George is angered by this and allows Rene to come inside. In side Rene apologizes to George saying that he is sorry for shooting George and that he did not mean to, George's kind nature then allows him to forgive Rene for what has happened. When the anniversary of his father Lewis Bligh's death arrives George is plagues with memories of the gruesomeness of his father toward him as a child, George then encounters a memory that tells him Lewis was a homosexual as George one day walked in on him in a stable making love to one of the farmers. The next memory that plagues George then comes to be Lewis's death, it is then revealed that George has always thought that he caused his father to commit suicide due to George knowing he was a homosexual. Once George rides out to where Lewis was discovered he returns to Ash Park here he confides to Elizabeth that he has always blamed himself for Lewis's death, Elizabeth is hurt by this and tells George that Lewis's death was a tragic fatal accident. When Elizabeth reveals that she also knew of Lewis's homosexuality George tells her he is sorry and he now understands how she noticed James's secret before everyone else. George is finally then able to openly mourn for his father with his mother by his side, George the next morning then goes to Lewis's grave where he promises that he will prove Lewis wrong. Meanwhile, James leaves Ash Park following a large argument with Olivia. George worried that James might have gone to Sydney to end his life as he has previously tried to goes to Regina and asks he to contact him if she hears anything, knowing that despite Regina secretly using James as a weapon the two are close. With the christening of Georgie Bligh around the corner George tells Olivia that it might be best to postpone the christening until James returns from wherever he is. Yet thanks to Regina James returns to Ash Park for Georgie's christening, at the reception of the christening George forgives Regina and allows her to move back to Ash Park. George is later at the Inverness Hospital where he overhears Doris Collins talking to some of the nurses about Sarah's recent pregnancy, shocked at this George goes into Sarah's hospital room and questions her about the baby's father. She then reluctantly tells him that the baby belongs to him, in shock George asks Sarah if Rene knows. She then answers yes and that they have planned to raise the baby as their own, George is angered at this as he was not even consulted and then angrily leaves the hospital. A little later on George is prompted by Sir. Richard to find a wife so his campaign will be boosted further, in response to this he decides he will ask Regina marry him for "the good of the country". Even though Regina is hurt by this as he is only marrying her for the campaign rather than for love, despite this when she learns that Sarah is now available as Rene has just died she decides that she must marry George or she will lose him forever. George then marries Regina, later on thanks to the help of Doris Collins George is able to do another speech at the Inverness Hospital. During the speech George changes the lines and decides to go along a different route than Regina had planned due to him getting distracted by Sarah suddenly showing up. After the speech Collins introduces George to one of the most injured children of the hospital, which also happens to be Sarah's patient. This causes tension as when the local newspaper photographer takes a picture Sarah stands far away from George; When Jack Duncan later comes to Ash Park needing help with a legal issue as he had an involvement with Sarah's attempted abortion. George then questions why Sarah might have an abortion however he suddenly realizes that Sarah attempted to get rid of their unborn child. In horror George quickly drives to the pond near Roy Briggs's House and confronts Sarah, in disgust George learns the truth and shouts at Sarah for not consulting him; however she tells him that there can be no future for them ever. George then leaves Sarah in anger, little did he know that Regina had witness the conversation between them. George later goes to Roy Brigg's House where he tells Sarah that he was wrong to judge her and then she tells him that's he loves him. George tells Sarah that he has always loved her through everything, and that he will wait as long as is needed to be with her.