T he year is 1775 and social ills plague both France and England Jerry Cruncher an odd job man who works for Tellsons Bank stops the Dover mail coach with an urgent message for Jarvis Lorry The message instructs Lorry to wait at Dover for a young woman and Lorry responds with the cryptic words Recalled to Life At Dover Lorry is met by Lucie Manette a young orphan whose father a once eminent doctor whom she supposed dead has been discovered in France Lorry escorts Lucie to Paris where they meet