- "I will love you until the last breath leaves my body."
- —Matthew to his wife[src]
Matthew Reginald Crawley[2] (b. 1885[3] - September 1921[4]) was a lawyer from Manchester and the only son of the late Doctor Reginald Crawley and of his nurse wife; Isobel. By his father he was a distant relative of the Earls of Grantham and he became the heir of the title due the heirs's death. Matthew then met his third-cousin, once removed Robert Crawley, 5th Earl of Grantham and moved to Downton a few months after where he met and quickly fell in love with Robert's oldest daughter. He and Lady Mary Crawley entered a tumultuous eight year relationship ending with Matthew's second proposal in early January 1920. Mary finally accepts, five and one half years after the first. They get married in May 1920 and lived together in Downton Abbey. Matthew becomes co-owner following the Crawley's financial problems arising from bad investments, where Matthew is able to come to the rescue through moneys inherited from his late fiancée's father. Mary soon became pregnant and gave birth in September 1921 to their son George Crawley. However Matthew was killed the same day in a car crash after a visit to his newborn and wife at the hospital, making George the heir of the title, earldom, estate and fortune. His wife was devastated by the loss especially with her newborn baby that was just delivered.
Biography
Background
Matthew was the third-cousin, once-removed of Robert Crawley, fifth Earl of Grantham. His great-great-grandfather was the younger son of the third Earl of Grantham. His late father, Reginald Crawley, was a medical doctor who had done research on infections in children. Reginald Crawley trained, along with his future brother-in-law, Sir Edward Turnbull, under Matthew's maternal grandfather, Sir John Turnbull, who was also a medical doctor. His mother trained as a nurse during the Anglo-Boer War. Very little is known about Matthew's previous life. Born in 1885, he grew up in Manchester, Lancashire, as the son of an upper middle class doctor. He was educated at Radley College and then went on to Oxford where he studied law. He lived with his mother (his father having died sometime before 1912) while working as a solicitor specializing in industrial law. He met Lord Grantham once in London before being invited to move to Downton.
Heir of the Downton Abbey Estate
Matthew was a middle class lawyer from Manchester until he got a letter from Robert Crawley in 1912 that informed him that he was the heir to Robert's estate and would, eventually, be the 6th Earl of Grantham. He arrived at Downton Abbey in September 1912.
When Matthew learnt that he was to be the heir of Robert, he tried to refuse it, but there was no legal means to do so. He and his mother Isobel travelled from Manchester, Lancashire to Downton village, where he found a job at a law firm in Ripon called Harvell and Carter.
The eldest daughter of Lord Grantham, Mary, was less than pleased with Matthew's arrival; as a woman, she could not inherit the estate and title, so originally it had been planned for her to marry the previous heir, Patrick Crawley, but he drowned on the Titanic. Though she did not love Patrick, she had been raised around him and at least thought him of a better class than the distinctly middle-class Matthew. Matthew and Mary's relationship is further complicated by the fact that the first time they meet she overhears him referring to the possibility of the Crawley family's throwing one of their daughters at him, thus she initially resented and disliked him, assuming that he was arrogant, and even referred to him once as a "sea monster."
Matthew Crawley had been raised middle class and saw no need for servants to do everything for someone. Local man Molesley had been hired as his valet, but Matthew stubbornly kept dressing himself. Over time, Matthew came to accept his life in Downton, though he was initially reluctant to admit that his life had changed. However, he came to help Robert run the estate while working, and grew to accept his fate.
Although Matthew is taken with Mary from first sight, Matthew slowly tries to build a friendship with her. As the months progress in 1913 and 1914, their relationship matures, and Mary slowly falls in love with Matthew. He eventually proposes in 1914, but Mary decided to wait to give him an answer, as she was having trouble trying to tell him of her relationship with Kemal Pamuk, believing that not to tell him would be a lie, and if he found out, he would leave her. Matters were further complicated by the fact that Cora, who had last given birth eighteen years ago, became pregnant. If the baby were to be a boy, Matthew would be displaced as heir. Mary took advice from her aunt, Rosamund Painswick, who thought she should wait and see. Mary couldn't quite do this, and admitted to Matthew all the advice she had received, but her lack of an answer hurt Matthew, and he believed her lack of an answer was only due to his status as a middle-class country lawyer, and possible displacement of being the heir. After Cora miscarries, and Mary continues to not give him her answer, Matthew on the verge of tears, retracts his proposal at the garden party, and tells Mary he is moving back to Manchester: "the experiment is at an end." He walks away, leaving Mary in tears, with only Carson to comfort her. Minutes later, Lord Grantham tells the garden party that Britain has declared war on Germany. It is August 4, 1914.
The Great War
When the First World War started, Matthew enlisted in the army, being ranked as Lieutenant Crawley, and stayed away from the Crawleys for two years. In 1916/1917 he was made an ADC of a British General and was promoted to the Rank of Captain. As a result, he went on a recruitment drive in Northern England. During the war he met his future fiancée Lavinia Swire, the daughter of a solicitor. He briefly returned to Downton to introduce her to the Crawleys in 1916, before leaving for the front again. Early in the morning at the train station before he boarded, Mary surprises him, by being the only one there to see him off. Mary gives him a good luck charm, a stuffed dog from her childhood, kissed him on a cheek, and asked him to take care. Despite this exchange, the two kept their lingering feelings for each other hidden, especially since Mary was now being courted by Sir Richard Carlisle. Back in the trenches, when Matthew is on patrol or about to fight, he rather than putting Lavinia's framed photo in his pocket, he always puts Mary's good luck dog with him.
In 1917, upon the urging of Lord Grantham, Mary writes Matthew a letter that arrives in the trenches. Matthew is upset to receive a letter from her informing him that she is now engaged to Sir Richard. Although Matthew himself is engaged, the news deeply shakes him, and he tells William (Downton's footman who is now Matthew's batman in the war), that he wants to go out on patrol with him only. William questions Matthew about this abrupt decision. While on patrol, they are outflanked by the German Infantry, causing them to be reported as missing in action. Robert hears the news, and only tells Edith. Robert is very shaken up by this, telling Bates that he "loves Matthew like a son." Later Edith feels she needs to inform Mary about Matthew being missing, not to be spiteful, but because she knows Mary still loves him, and Edith wants to prepare her. Unfortunately, she tells Mary this news right before she is to perform a duet (Edith on piano, Mary as the singer) for the recovering wounded at Downton. Matthew and William both turn up at Downton Abbey while Mary is performing the song "If you were the only girl in the world." Mary is extremely relieved that Matthew is safe, and Matthew joins in with Mary to finish the song. Although they clearly love each other, Matthew asks about her engagement and saddens Mary when he tells her he is anxious to go to London to see Lavinia while on brief leave.
In 1918, he fought at the Battle of Amiens, where he and William Mason were caught by a falling shell during a charge. Bravely, William threw himself in front of Matthew, protecting Matthew from the blast, but in doing so, the two fall down into a muddy ditch, with William falling on top of Matthew, with Matthew's back hitting a broken wood wagon wheel below. This heroic act saved Matthew's life. Moseley wakes Robert up to inform him about William and Matthew's serious injuries. Mary is heartbroken, but relieved he is still alive. Both of them are sent back to Downton. Although William does not appear injured, he has sustained serious lung damage, and the doctor warns both his father and Williams' love Daisy, that he will surely die. William is then transferred to one of the Abbey's bedrooms to rest, rather than in hospital, where he marries Daisy on his death bed. Matthew is transported to the Downton hospital upon arrival where Sybil Crawley and Mary were waiting. After being cleaned, dressed, and rested, his mother Isobel returned from France to see him. Mary devotes herself to being Matthew's nurse.
Doctor Clarkson later informed Robert that Matthew had sustained spinal cord damage and that he believed Matthew would not only never walk again, but never be able to father children. Mary later told Matthew that his spinal cord had been damaged after asks her repeatedly what is wrong with him, and Matthew realizes he is paralyzed from the waist down. After deducing himself that he was likely impotent, Matthew broke off his engagement with Lavinia so she would not have to spend the rest of her life as his childless nurse.
Mary Pushing Matthew
After the War
- "You loved her once - you sure you can't love her again? "
- —Violet to Matthew about his love for Mary
As Matthew recovered, Cora and Sir Richard believed that Mary was getting too close to Matthew, so Cora invited Lavinia to Downton under the pretense that Matthew had wished it; her appearance there clearly shocked Matthew, Mary, and Robert.
When Matthew broached the subject of their relationship with Mary, he said he could not father an heir while Sir Richard could give her children. Later, Lavinia informed Matthew that she was still in love with him and would take care of him, no matter what, which touched him greatly. Lavinia was willing to sacrifice her life because of her deep love for him, no matter what.
Whilst alone in a room, Lavinia went to remove a tray of tea cups, but tripped over a footstool, this prompted a wheelchair-bound Matthew to stand up by reflex and grab her arm, to stop her from falling and injuring herself. His standing stunned both of them. Whilst most people in the house were happy with Matthew's recovery, Sir Richard had become worried that Mary would now leave him for Matthew. Doctor Clarkson also revealed that he had been cautious with Matthew's diagnosis because he hadn't wanted to give him false hope about walking. Matthew then announced he would marry Lavinia after all.
As he recovered, Matthew used a cane to walk and remained at Downton Abbey, rather than Crawley House with his mother, slowly learning to walk himself down the wedding aisle. However, Violet visited him in his room and informed him that Mary was still in love with him, and she wanted him to marry her instead of Lavinia. Violet warned him that "divorce" was not an option for someone in his position, and said he should think very carefully. Matthew, despite loving Mary, believed it was his duty to marry the caring Lavinia since she wished to marry him despite his being a cripple and impotent.
By April 1919, Matthew was getting ready for his marriage to Lavinia, however the Spanish Influenza epidemic had by then reached Downton and Charles Carson, Cora and Lavinia were infected with the disease, as well as others. Initially, Cora was the one who was extremely ill, whilst Lavinia appeared only to have a mild case, and rested at Downton after excusing herself from dinner. Whilst she rested, Matthew tested the gramophone they had been given as a wedding present and invited Mary to join him for a dance. While they were dancing, they discussed their relationship. Matthew then apologised for rescinding his proposal, told her about Violet confronting him and confided that he was marrying Lavinia out of duty and implied he was still in love with her. They then kissed whilst unbeknownst to them, Lavinia stood on the stairs behind them. Lavinia then announced herself, feigned ignorance of their discussion and headed back to bed.
Lady Mary and Matthew dancing
Due to the illness in the house, Lavinia and Matthew postponed their wedding. Lavinina did not want her father to come either, as he had a weak heart and Spanish Flu would put his health in danger. As Lavinia lay, appearing only slightly ill, with Matthew beside her, she confronted him about what she had heard and told him that she loved him, but did not wish to marry him since he loved Mary. She also stated that she was a "small person" and realized the Downton estate and title were enormous, and that she did not want to be "Queen of the County." Matthew was stunned by this and tried to make her reconsider, but she asked him to leave as she was tired. Matthew did so, but wished to continue the discussion at a later time.
Only a brief time later, as Matthew was eating dinner, Sybil rushed in to inform him that Lavinia's condition had worsened considerably. The illness had settled in her lungs, making it incurable. The family rushed to her bedside, where Lavinia told Matthew that it was better this way because "he won't have to make a hard decision" (whether to marry her or Mary) and that she just wanted him to be happy. She then died, as Matthew tried to reassure her and hold her hand. After her funeral, Matthew revealed to Mary that Lavinia had seen and heard them before her death. He believed that she died of a broken heart and that they were the cause. He called their relationship "cursed" and stated that they could never be together. Crushed but understanding, Mary accepted Sir Richard's offer to walk her home.
1919 Christmas
- "You lived your life and I lived mine, now it's time we live it together."
- —Matthew's second proposal to Mary
By Christmas of 1919, Matthew had repaired his friendship with Mary, although it was plain for everyone to see that they were still in love. Richard Carlisle became jealous that Mary would not set a date for their wedding and the two began to argue. Matthew tells Mary that she does not have to marry Richard, or marry anyone for that matter, and that as long as he is alive, Mary will have a home at Downton Abbey always. Lavinia's father Reginald (also the name of Matthew's father and Matthew's own middle name), meanwhile has died, and it is Matthew's job to bring his ashes to Lavinia's grave. Mary asks if she can be there when this is done, which also upsets Richard, as he is not invited. While they depart Lavinia's grave in the rain, Isobel tells Matthew to fight for Mary, and not to give up by blaming Lavinia's memory. Even though Matthew insisted that he deserved unhappiness, his love for Mary soon prevails.
When Robert Crawley's dog went missing, Matthew helped to search for her and asked Mary why she wished to still marry Sir Richard, when it is obvious they do not get along. Despite initially resisting, she eventually admits that she lost her virginity to Kemal Pamuk and that he died in her bed, which shocks Matthew. He also realized that Sir Richard was keeping the story from publication, initially out of fondness to Mary, but now as a sort of blackmail. After keeping the Kemal secret from Robert for many years, Cora also finally tells Robert that Kemal did not die of a heart attack in his own bed, but that Kemal died in Mary's bed, and she helped Anna and Mary move his body back to his room. Mary later admits this to her father. Robert in his own sort of way, also tells Mary that she is not the only one to have "made a mistake." Robert had almost slept with a housemaid, and only did not, when Bates almost walked in on them. When Robert urges Mary to break off the engagement, and to move to the U.S. to find a "cowboy" Mary is relieved and breaks it off with Sir Richard. Sir Richard is extremely mad, and as he argues with Mary, Matthew enters the room. Sir Richard upset by Matthew protecting Mary yet again, prompts Richard to tell Matthew that Lavinia had admitted to him that she knew Matthew never loved her. A fight then broke out between the two men, which was broken up by Robert. Richard left the following day and Mary told Matthew she would go to New York to visit her maternal grandmother to wait out the scandal.
That evening, during the Servant's Ball, Mary goes outside to stand by herself in the softly falling snow. After Matthew broke off their original engagement on August 4, 1914 at the garden party, Mary asked him, "would you have stayed, had I accepted you?" This time around January 3, 1920, Matthew asks Mary, "will you stay, if I ask you to?" Mary is worried Matthew will bring up the "Kemal incident" and won't be able to get how he betrayed Lavinia out of his head. Matthew assures her that "he has lived his life, and she has lived hers, and now it is time to live them together." Mary is stunned, and Matthew gets down on his knee to propose again, as Lady Mary happily accepts, and Matthew scoops her up to hug her in the snow.- ↑ The Series 1 Script for Episode 2 has Isobel say that her father and brother were called "Sir John Turnbull" and "Dr Edward Turnbull" respectively.
- ↑ Matthew's grave reveals his middle name is Reginald, as seen here (slide 1, number 2/10)
- ↑ Matthew's grave confirms he is born in 1885, as seen here (slide 1, number 2/10)
- ↑ Dan Stevens Why I Left Downton Abbey at The Telegraph