 Alistairs  father borrowed £500 from Lionels father in 1947 to start a  publishing firm. In Season 5 Episode 3, Alistair approaches Lionel  with a book for Lionel to adapt in to play or film. Alistair tells  Lionel he "snapped up the rights" per his publishing company. Later  in the episode, Lionel finds out that Alistairs father bought the  rights in 1932. The publishing firm wasnt created until 1947.