Thomas frequently touches Jimmy, who is uncomfortable with Thomas's actions, but he goes along with it, as Sarah leads him to believe his position could be in jeopardy if he makes a fuss about it and that it is a good thing that Thomas likes him. While Ellis is visiting his parents, Thomas is approached by a man in the pub named Chris Webster, who brings him to Turton's, an underground gay club. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Offers may be subject to change without notice. He throws Thomas out of his room leaving him with tears in his eyes standing in the hallway. As time passes, however, Thomas starts looking more and more sickly, spurring several people, including the Dowager Countess, to remark on his ill looking appearance. Internally however, he seems to harbor a lot of self hatred and insecurity, proven by his attempt to fix himself through conversion therapy. Thomas impulsively says, "Well, I love you." She had her happy ending as well, of course, announcing her first pregnancy with new husband Henry Talbot. However, it is apparent that Thomas' near-death experience has changed him for the better, as he seems to show self-reproach for what he has done and no signs of the intense despair that he felt before. They also learned to appreciate the modern direction their life was headed, with Cora modernizing her Lady Grantham title by running the hospital. The status of Thomas' mother is unknown, but some have interpreted a mention referring to her in past tense to Matthew in the trenches during World War I as an indication she is dead. Thomas returns to find Baxter having formed a bond with Joseph Molesley. He plays extremely well in 1920, and is again praised by Lord Grantham. Thomas impulsively says, "Well, I love you.". Thus Thomas is given his current position of under-butler. He doesnt even seem to like her. Thomas also lends a hand when Jimmy has difficulty lifting a heavy trunk. Later on, Baxter hears a grunt coming from the bathroom. He was the first president of the Dexter School in 1926. It'sDownton as we've never seen it before and you have to keep it focused and keep it happier to a certain extent.". "It had the right tone. Thomas lures Lord Grantham's dog Isis away and puts her in a shed in the woods. *not an anachronism because, as we all know, there are no anachronisms in Downton Abbey. Thomas convinces Lord Grantham that this is proof of Alfred being not ready for the job and results in Alfred being demoted. Thomas Barrow ( Robert James-Collier) was originally the scheming footman, whose character had an enjoyable redemption arc as the Downton Abbey series progressed, so much so, that he was. It is at such times that he told Mrs. Hughes that he was afraid he might shock and disgust her with his sexuality, or admitted to Bates that he envied him for his happy relationship and good relations with the other downstairs staff. Luckily, Miss Baxter realises Thomas' plan as Mr. Molesley mentions his odd behavior earlier, when Thomas showed rare goodwill towards him by wishing him all the best in the future. Cora Crawley (ne Levinson), Countess of Grantham (played by Elizabeth McGovern) (b. The only clue as to his age is that in. In 1920 Thomas develops an attraction to the handsome new footman Jimmy Kent. While they are dancing, the club is raided, and Thomas and the other patrons are arrested. The next day, Denker visits the Abbey and tells the staff about these cuts. Robert Crawley, 7th Earl of Grantham (b. July 1865) is the patriarch of the Crawley family and the co-owner of Downton Abbey (along with his eldest daughter). Jimmy tells Thomas he sincerely appreciates his friendship, indicating how far they've come since their misunderstandings of season 3. Masterpiece Series Three promo "Downton Abbey: Robert James-Collier speaks on Thomas and O'Brien". Andy and Thomas seem to have established a good friendship, but Mrs Hughes and Mrs Patmore don't look favourably the relationship between the two men. Carson allows Thomas to stay a few days so he can work out his situation and later that evening is found outside by Mrs. Hughes, crying. He starts a rumour by telling Molesley that Sarah is going to leave Lady Grantham's service. She has considered Thomas a friend and he even knew her darkest secret. Jimmy is unsure about Thomas staying, but Robert tells him at the same time that he has been promoted to the job of the first footman. To Anna, he confided after hearing of Lady Sybils death that in [his] life, not many have been kind to [him]. "I can't really remember why he had to do that, but he did," he explains. April 1912. Meanwhile, Thomas strikes up a friendship with Richard Ellis, the king's second dresser. Thomas offers to teach him how to read and write. When Thomas lies about his father's illness in order to go to London to receive treatment to cure his homosexuality, Baxter tells him she feels sorry, as his father was always nice to her. Well presume we have access to the current existing cast for the final episode, although its unclear whether Branson (Allen Leech) has definitively left the show. When Lady Edith is left at the altar, Sarah says that she wouldn't be able to handle the shame. When he enraged Bates by asking Daisy out on a date to embarrass William in his footman days, Bates slammed him into a wall in the hall of the upstairs bedrooms. Later, it is implied that he falls in love with Edward Courtenay, who dies by suicide. And shes wearing Greens trademark bowler hat. And yes, I'm still here, and busy as a bee." From 1927 until 1946, he was director of the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ) founded in 1859 by Louis Agassiz at Harvard University in Cambridge , Massachusetts . Despite this, he is easily forgiven by the members of the upstairs, who often gossip about him. Sarah O'Brien, in an attempt to get Thomas fired, is leading him to believe that James has feelings for him. Thomas is beaten and robbed in his place, after Jimmy runs away and leaves him there. He says that he likes the sun. As of 1924, both dogs have passed away. She is told by Thomas to mind her own business. He tells Anna that he can't let a man have his life taken away. July 1865) is the patriarch of the Crawley family and the co-owner of Downton Abbey (along with his eldest daughter). Though jilted, Baxter is happy as she now replaces Mrs Hughes as Downton Abbeys housekeeper. He was the son of Thomas Barlow (1772-1840) and Mary (Clark) Barlow (1772-1860). Thomas goes into James's room when he is asleep and kisses him, thinking his feelings will be returned. More than a year after these events, in the 2012 Christmas Special, Jimmy at first still appears uncomfortable around Thomas, and does not want to be alone with him or even accept the gift of a pop when Thomas offers to buy everyone one. After Andy's secret is revealed in front of Mr. Mason, Mr Dawes, Mrs. Patmore, and Daisy, Mr. Dawes volunteers to teach him how to read and write properly, dismissing Thomas' suggestion that he and Andy still continue with their lessons, as that may interfere with his teaching method and confusion for Andy. Mr Carson calls Thomas "foul" because of his homosexuality but despite everything, Thomas sticks up for himself saying "I'm not the same as you, but I'm not foul". Later in the episode, when Lady Anstruther shows up and lures Jimmy to her room, Thomas agrees to stand guard for him. Fellowes says there was a possibility of uniting all the characters around a central 'disaster,' but that felt tonally off from what they hoped to accomplish with the film. In defense of his kissing Jimmy in his sleep, he told Carson after the incident that when one is like him, they must read the signs as best as they can, as no-one dares to speak aloud about it. Mrs Hughes and Mr Carson marry and go and run a B&B in Dawlish. In result, he is beaten and robbed in Jimmy's place, after the latter runs away and leaves him there. Thomas Barrow (Rob James-Collier) is perhaps one ofDownton Abbey'smost polarizing figures; originally a solid villain of the piece, over the course of six seasons, he gradually became one of the most beloved members of the Crawley family staff, eventually taking over Carson's position as a butler. Thomas Barrow is the main antagonist of the UK-US produced period drama, Downton Abbey, serving as one of the two main antagonists (alongside Miss O'Brien) in Series 1-3 and the main antagonist in Series 4-6. That night Thomas goes into Jimmy's room when he is asleep and kisses him passionately, thinking his feelings will be returned. He claims to Carson that he has to go see his father who is ill, but instead uses his time off to go to London to receive what is later revealed to be electroconvulsive therapy in order to change his sexuality. Andy, in the boot room, also reveals to the Bates that he is not interested in the rumors about Thomas and the couple doesn't seem to hinder the friendship between the two young men as Mrs Patmore and Carson do. He can also be extremely brave when his loved ones are at stake, such as when he took a beating for Jimmy at the Thirsk fair. "There was a slightly more ambiguous ending to that story in the original script. He does relate what he knows to O'Brien. O'Brien advises Thomas to take something of his lordship and then find it and return it, to prove his trustworthiness. Downstairs, Thomas says farewell to the rest of the staff; Andy again apologising for his earlier treatment of him. While in York, Thomas and Richard prank call Mr. Wilson, persuading him to send all of the footmen back to London. When Lady Grantham learns an old love has left her a villa in . A wealthy American heiress of Jewish descent, she married Robert in 1890 when the Crawleys were in straitened circumstances; her fortune helped rescue Downton. Lord Grantham, walking out early in the morning with Isis, is so impressed by Thomas's effort to find his dog that he decides Thomas has changed and is convinced to give Thomas a trial at being his valet, until Bates can be released from his incarceration, much to Mr. Carson's surprise and doubt. They are as "thick as thieves" according to Lord Grantham. Later Mrs. Hughes sticks up for Thomas to Carson telling him that James unintentionally flirted with Thomas to help himself get in good terms with the staff and that she did not find it right that Thomas should be ruined by this as he served and was wounded for the King and their country. Jimmy confides in Thomas after he receives numerous romantic notes from Lady Anstruther, his former employer. He is the son of the 6th Earl of Grantham and Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, and the brother of Lady Rosamund Painswick. She tells James that unless he insists, that someone like Thomas cannot be allowed to go to another respectable position, people will think that he is a homosexual too, and that they might suspect him of encouraging Thomas's advances. Although it appears that he has grown bitter from always having to keep his sexuality a secret for fear of prison and his failed romances, outwardly he remains a very proud man, not ashamed of who he is. He currently lives at Downton Abbey with his maternal grandparents, his mother, stepfather, half-sister, uncle, and eldest cousin. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. The shows final shots saw Edith exchange vows with Bertie, making her the Marchioness of Hexham. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! James is uncomfortable with Thomas's familiarity, but he goes along with it, as Sarah leads him to believe his position could be in jeopardy if he doesn't. Thomas repeatedly insults Alfred, and O'Brien and Thomas each repeatedly try to damage the reputation of the other. Spratt the butler witnesses this incident and knows their secret. Thomas's relationship with Daisy was rocky, at first. and says that Thomas and O'Brien met through the common bond of smoking together outside to avoid Mr Carson. He then calls Thomas a "stupid fool" for not giving him the regular entree. Julian Fellowes, the writer of the show, has said that Thomas is not as smart as he thinks he is. He is subsequently shown sobbing after both their deaths, also emphasizing his great ability to feel and care despite his aloof and cold exterior. It allowed us to do these grand set pieces and it involves all the characters in this grand mission.". Edith finally got her happy ending. No reference after 10 years would make it almost impossible for him to find another job. The First World War (called the Great War) is going on and Thomas, who has enlisted in the army as a medic, is in the trenches, alongside Matthew Crawley. O'Brien hides all of Lord Grantham's dress shirts and Thomas gets blamed for losing them. It is this incident which prompts Isobel Crawley to persuade Cora to turn Downton Abbey into a convalescence hospital for the duration of the war. Robert (Lord Grantham) is played by Hugh Bonneville, and Elizabeth McGovern stars as Cora (Lady Grantham.) Jimmy is satisfied that Thomas will be leaving, but it is not enough for Sarah O'Brien. I dont believe for a second Robert would touch OBrien. After Thomas's relationship with O'Brien ends away, Jimmy is the only member of the downstairs staff whom Thomas likes. She eventually gets over him, finds her voice and starts telling him to stop "being so unkind." He often gets people in trouble, usually by presenting his own intentions as good and implying the worst while not knowing for certain the truth. It was reported today that series six due to air in the UK in September (series five is currently on PBS in the US) will be the last gasp of the Crawley dynasty. Unexpectedly, Thomas appears and steps in to protect him. What should happen if series six is the finale? Later, he spies Edna talking to Tom Branson, and later finds her singing in the boot room. Making a splash: A deep dive into the live-action Little Mermaid with a new generation's Ariel. He didn't always like being a footman. Ill put two of the links below. He makes the comment that "It's Barrow now, Mr. Bates. Thomas comes to his door, while Jimmy is getting dressed. When he confronts her about it, she tells him to keep his histrionics to himself, and later when the shirts mysteriously are returned, she just tells him to go and get his lordship into his pajamas and dismisses Thomas's threats about if anything like this happens again (Thomas after this hides a couple so as not to be caught out again). To make matters worse, Alfred sees it and tells Mr. Carson who says that Thomas will have to leave Downton, but that he will be given a good reference. Perhaps the most beleaguered characters (debatable, considering Ediths luck), earned their own happy ending as well, with Annas water breaking in Lady Marys room. Thomas later mistakenly makes an advance on Kemal Pamuk, a Turkish envoy who is staying as a guest for a hunt, but Kemal slaps his hand away and says he will tell Lord Grantham if Thomas does not tell him where Mary Crawley's room is. Upon his mother's second marriage, Henry Talbot became his stepfather. Thomas Barbour (August 19, 1884 - January 8, 1946) was an American herpetologist. Thomas disagrees and says that he should have run, if he didn't get away what was the point of Thomas doing any of it. All Rights Reserved. The thing with the movie is, this may well be the final installment, or if there is another installment that probably won't be on screens for another couple of years, so you want happy endings. We hope you enjoy your stay. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Mr Moseley marries OBrien, with whom he has had a secret, cupboard-based affair for years. O'Brien has Jimmy go to Thomas to show him how to wind the clocks. Upon returning from London, he continues to show an unhealthy interest in what's going on with Mr. Bates and Anna regarding the murder of Mr. Green. Thomas, in a rare display of friendship and loyalty, helps Andy avoid Denker's schemes and get the money back that Andy lost. Carson is not pleased, as this makes Thomas his superior. Is Barrow Lord Grantham's son? and our When the staff and the family travel to London for Lady Rose's wedding to Atticus Aldridge, Carson hires a temporary footman, Andrew. Due to Stowell's rudeness to Tom, Lady Mary asks Baxter to ask Thomas to get Stowell into trouble with Lord Sinderby. Edward committs suicide with a razor he sneaked into his bed. It is only the intervention of John Bates who not only takes the matter to Lord Grantham, but also uses information he gets from Thomas to force Sarah O'Brien to make Jimmy take back his threat, that allows Thomas to keep his job. Cora scolds him for having known about her past and concealed it. He is not so fond of the family as they appear to be fairly boring, and is lonely with such a small number of staff who he doesn't know, and he hates it. When Sybil dies in childbirth, Thomas is reduced to tears, and Anna comforts him outside. And Lady Mary has an exciting new haircut (potential spin-off series: Marys Bangs). Both dogs shared a very close connection to the Earl of Grantham, as they are always beside him. He realises that he will be forced to return to Downton Abbey as a footman. His first act as the new Lord Grantham is to change the familys coat of arms to a picture of a maroon leather glove. He competed on behalf of the Virgin Islands at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he participated in the one-person Laser-class . Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. (Potential spin-off series: Bleak Guest House.) To begin with, Thomas is good friends with Sarah. Thomas is not affected by Edna's words, and calls her a "manipulative little witch" and expresses his happiness that her schemes have come to nothing. He has a younger half-sister named Caroline Talbot . . During the 2014 Christmas Special, Mr Carson wants to hire a new footman and Thomas and takes this opportunity to advise him to hire Andy, since he had proved adept at Lady Rose's wedding. Robert Crawley, 7th Earl of Grantham, is a patriarch and co-owner of Downton Abbey. Thomas Barrow is played by Robert James-Collier on "Downton Abbey." Jaap Buitendijk/Focus Features After starting "Downton Abbey" as a scheming, Machiavellian mastermind, season six saw Thomas undergo a change of heart, playing with . He asks Carson if this is true, and Carson's manner suggests that it is true, and tells the staff that "it is not something for the here and now". Despite finding love with Richard Ellis (Max Brown) in the . Magazines, Digital Thomas feels an immediate attraction to him. The drastic measures involved in this (such as electroconvulsive therapy and investing a lot of money in this) show a certain level of pain, desperation, and determination towards changing himself behind his usually well-maintained behaviour. During the second series, the animosity between Thomas and Bates is not seen much, due to many reasons, one being that Thomas was in the Army Medical Corps for a short time and then Bates is arrested, tried, and sentenced to hang, for the murder of his ex-wife Vera. Thomas Barrow is the former butler of Downton Abbey, having previously worked there as junior footman, first footman, head valet, and under-butler, as well as serving in the army as a Corporal and later Lance Sergeant. He was joined in the cupboard the following year by OBrien, the housemaid who put the miscarriage-causing soap by the bath tub. Welcome to the Downton Abbey subreddit, a place to discuss all things related to the show, the 2 feature films, the cast and the real-life history/context of the franchise. However, Thomas notices that Andy is having difficulty reading a book that Mr Mason gave him to aid with his work on the farm. Lord Grantham's lawyer and close confidante continues to aid the family. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1831, and commenced practice in Canastota. The two of them are constantly plotting to get John Bates fired, although none of their schemes are successful. He tries to reason he wanted to give her another chance, but Cora reminds him that should've been her decision, not his. News arrives that threatens the future of Downton Abbey: Lord Grantham's (Robert Crawley) cousin, James Crawley, heir presumptive to the earldom, and his son Patrick have died in the RMS Titanic disaster. He goes to Lord Grantham and reveals he has a candidate to replace Braithwaite he'd like to put forth. Thomas Barrow is the former butler of Downton Abbey, having previously worked there as junior footman, first footman, head valet, and under-butler, as well as serving in the army as a Corporal and later Lance Sergeant. Peter is the son of Bertie Pelham and Lady Edith Crawley, Edith found out she was pregnant shortly before the royal visit at Downton and was initially afraid Bertie would not be around during the baby's birth as King George had asked him to accompany him during an upcoming tour. In an episode that was all about job prospects lost and found, let's get right to the business of Bates, Thomas, Jimmy, and the late night lip-locking that made so many lines of dialogue . Thomas says he felt an attraction to Jimmy and thought that he felt the same, but he was wrong. Thomas and Mr. Bates part on courteous terms with Bates telling him he would rather part as friends than as enemies. Anna and Bates die in a suicide pact motivated by frustration that no one seems to want anything good to ever happen to them. Violet also delighted in learning that Spratt had been writing for Ediths newspaper as an advice columnist. Violet confides in Denker that there might be upcoming staff cuts and tells her to keep quiet. It is only the intervention of John Bates who not only takes the matter to Lord Grantham, but uses the information he gets from Thomas to force Sarah O'Brien to make James take back his threat. ), moving on from Downton with handshakes and warm wishes for both those from upstairs and downstairs. Baxter tries to get inside and spots a medicine box with needles. Creator Julian Fellowes says there was also a more emotional reason for choosing to resolve Barrow's story more positively. As a result, he apparently has a natural affinity with clocks, saying that he grew up with them and "understands" them. Daisy has a crush on Thomas, and Mrs Patmore tries to tell her that Thomas isn't a ladies man, but naive Daisy does not understand why that isn't a good thing. He has worked at Downton for over 10 years, and as a footman used to wind all the clocks in the house. However, when he goes out that evening to retrieve her, he finds that Isis is not in the shed. Fortunately for Thomas, Lord Grantham doesn't want to lose his most talented player for the yearly cricket match. Thomas had struggled, worked and schemed for 9 years to rise to the level of valet in a noble house. Later Alfred is serving a valet for Matthew, and, despite the fact that Thomas hadn't wanted the extra work, he is angry that he wasn't asked to do it. Is Thomas Barrow Lord Grantham's son? Sarah sees this. James is satisfied that Thomas will be leaving, but it is not enough for Sarah O'Brien. He is immediately disliked by the Sinderby's butler, Stowell, who is also rude to Baxter and mocks Branson's background for being Irish and a chauffeur. This is Coras long-term revenge on her husband. "So you had Robert with the plumber, bonding, and it was quite nice material but we had to cut the script back a bit, it was just too long, and that was an easy bit to take out. After this, he is also more sympathetic and defends Baxter. Thomas starts job hunting thinking he will be fired soon, and visits Ripon for a job interview, and later to Dryden Park for another interview. Thus, it appears that the outside worlds reaction to him and his sexuality specifically has made him very bitter. Thomas believes that he is beaten. Thomas had struggled, worked and schemed for 9 years to rise to the level of valet in a noble house. But with the help of loving wife Mrs. Hughes, he faced his fears head on, securing a spot in the Downton household for as long as hed like. If you google who is Thomas barrows parents it says he is the illegitimate son of O'Brien and Robert .