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Gregson: "You can send me a cheque for the rest."
Sampson: "I am not sure I can allow that."
Gregson: "You better allow it or I will tell Lord Grantham how you won and there won't be a club in London that will touch you with a 10 foot pole."
Sampson: "Will you take a note for the remainder of the debt?"
Michael Gregson and Terence Sampson[src]

Terence Sampson is an acquaintance of Robert Crawley from his gentleman’s club in London,[1] though Robert himself clearly does not think well of Sampson.

Biography[]

1922[]

Invited to a house party at Downton Abbey, he plays poker with Lord Grantham, Michael Gregson, Lord Gillingham, and John Bullock.

After Robert, Gillingham, and Bullock have been swindled out of their money, and Sampson has their IOUs in his pocket, Gregson insists on another game. He uses old skills as a card sharp[2] to swindle Sampson in turn, and when Sampson complains, Gregson threatens to reveal that he had swindled the others, which would bar him from any of the London clubs. Sampson capitulates. Gregson cancels the IOUs of the others, winning new respect from Robert.

The following morning, Sampson speaks to Gregson again, having learned Gregson gave the others their money back. He asks for his note back too. Gregson does so only at the insistence of Edith, and only for her sake, not Sampson's.[3]

1923[]

Sampson shows up again at a party in London, prior to Rose MacClare's coming out, as the escort of Rosamund Painswick. He then joins Rose, Madeleine Allsopp and Freda Dudley Ward at the Embassy Club, where Rose accidentally reveals the existence of a compromising letter to the latter from the Prince of Wales. Sampson steals the letter from Mrs Ward's handbag when no one is looking.

After Freda tells Rose that the letter has gone missing, Rose speaks to Robert with suspicion that Sampson did it. He remarks that Sampson took it to make money, either to blackmail Mrs Dudley Ward or sell the letter to foreign newspapers. Nevertheless, as a monarchist, Robert distracts Sampson with a card game so that Sampson's flat can be searched. The game includes Lords Gillingham and Aysgarth, Tom Branson, and Harold Levinson. Sampson remarks on the disappearance of Michael Gregson, noting how mysterious it is, but is relieved that Gregson is not at the game. He hints that Gregson might have cheated before, but since Gregson is missing he leaves it.

The search of Sampson's flat is unsuccessful. However Bates then suspects Sampson would have not left the letter at home but rather would carry it with him wherever he went. He finds it in Sampson's overcoat pocket and lifts it right before helping Sampson put his coat back on.

Sampson returns to his flat and realizes his plans have been foiled when he checks his coat pocket after realizing someone had been searching his flat.

Appearances[]

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

References[]

  1. Downton Abbey, Episode 3, Press Centre, ITV.com, 25th September, 2013.
  2. Card shark vs. card sharp A card sharp is typically a British term for one skilled at cheating at cards, a card shark is typically an American term for someone particularly skilled at cards that takes advantage of lesser players. Thus 'card sharp' is the correct term in this context.
  3. This scene in episode 4.04 appears in the PBS version, but not as originally broadcast on ITV.

External Links[]

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