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Mrs Hughes: "If you'd only see the child. He's a lovely wee chap."
Major Bryant: "Mrs Hughes, the last thing I would wish to be is rude, but in this case I really must be left to my own devices. Now, I'll say good-bye. It's time I was making tracks."
Mrs Hughes urges Major Bryant to go and see his son.[src]

Major Charles Bryant (d. between October 24th and November 3rd, 1918)[1][citation needed] was a man who fought for the British Army during the Great War.

Biography[]

He was injured sometime during the late stages of the war, sometime in 1917 or 1918, and was sent to Downton Abbey to recover, as the house was being used as a convalescent home for officers. Once there, he started flirting with one of the maids, Ethel Parks, who, wanting more than she had at present, began an affair with the handsome officer. The Major got involved with Ethel, promising to take her with him to York. Mrs Hughes, however, caught the pair of them in bed, dismissing Ethel who, unbeknownst to anyone, had become pregnant with the Major's son.

Ethel went to live in an empty cottage, with their baby, fed from the kitchens at Downton Abbey with Mrs Hughes' assistance. Major Bryant repeatedly ignored Ethel's pleas to come, at least to see Charlie, their baby son, showing he wanted no responsibility for the child. He soon left Downton for the war front once again. He was sent to the Italian Front, where he was killed, mere weeks away from the armistice, during the Battle of Vittorio Veneto between 24 October and 3 November, 1918.

He was an only child. When his parents learned of the existence of their grandson, they eventually adopted him by 1920.

Appearances[]

Appearances and Mentions
   
Series 2 Episode 1 Episode 2 Episode 3
Appears
Episode 4
Appears
Episode 5
Appears
Episode 6
Mentioned
Episode 7
Mentioned
Episode 8
Mentioned
Christmas Special
   
Series 3 Episode 1 Episode 2 Episode 3 Episode 4
Mentioned
Episode 5 Episode 6 Episode 7 Episode 8 Christmas Special

References[]

  1. Not a reference: The days that the Battle of Vittorio Veneto was fought. As Major Bryant died during the battle, he died between those days.
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