THE ANGELA THIRKELL SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICACompanion to The Demon in the House
A group of short stories featuring the vain, egocentric, boastful schoolboy, Tony Morland. Includes visits with Tony’s schoolmate Robert Wesendonk (Donkey), George and Anne Knox, Stoker, Adrian and Sibyl Coates and their new baby Laura. Marvelously captures the persistent pestiferousness of small boys, as well as their complete insensitivity to the feelings of anyone else. Amusing, though one could often cheerfully murder Tony—makes one feel that Herod might have had the right idea!
Book Title and Abbreviation
| High Rising | HR |
| Wild Strawberries | WS |
| The Demon in the House | DH |
| Mrs. Morland and Son | MMS |
| August Folly | AF |
| Summer Half | SH |
| Pomfret Towers | PT |
| The Brandons | B |
| Before Lunch | BL |
| Cheerfulness Breaks In | CBI |
| Northbridge Rectory | NR |
| Marling Hall | MH |
| Growing Up | GU |
| The Headmistress | H |
| Miss Bunting | MB |
| Peace Breaks Out | PBO |
| Private Enterprise | PE |
| Love Among the Ruins | LAR |
| The Old Bank House | OBH |
| County Chronicle | CC |
| The Duke’s Daughter | DD |
| Happy Return | HR2 |
| Jutland Cottage | JC |
| What Did It Mean? | WDM |
| Enter Sir Robert | ESR |
| Never Too Late | NTL |
| A Double Affair | DA |
| Close Quarters | CQ |
| Love at All Ages | LAA |
| Three Score and Ten | TST |
Character, Description, and Book Abbreviations
| Albert | Lord Stoke’s footman, later butler. Brother of Mrs. Knox’s housemaid, Annie. Cousin of Mrs. Panter of Hatch End. | DH, ESR, NTL, 3S&T |
| Annie | “Mr. Knox’s Annie.” Housekeeper for George Knox at Low Rising Manor House both before and after his marriage to Anne Todd. Sister of Lord Stoke’s footman, Albert. | HR1, DH, 3S&T, MMS |
| Birkett, Amy | Wife of William Birkett, headmaster of Southbridge School. “Ma Birky” to the schoolboys. Daughters Rose and Geraldine. Close friend of Laura Morland, the novelist. | HR1, DH, SH, CBI, NR, GU, MB, PBO, PE, LAR, OBH, CC, HR2, JC, WDIM, 3S&T, MMS |
| Brown, Henry | Cousin of Mr. Brown the garageman and Sid Brown of High Rising. Lived in Low Rising, rented canal boats owned by Mr. Brown of the garage. Tony Morland used a bike his mother leased from Henry and returned it in poor condition. | DH |
| Chiffinch, Nurse | Known as “Squiffy” to her nursing friends, Sisters Heath and Ward. First seen in PT caring for those ill of influenza. Drove Julian Rivers to distraction by being motherly. Later was nurse to Mrs. Keith and Lady Emily Leslie. Was at Cottage Hospital in MB. Shared apartment with Sisters Heath and Ward, and they planned to open a nursing home for wealthy patients needing unnecessary care. | DH, PT, CBI, MH, GU, HM, MB, PBO, CC, DD, HR2, WDIM, ESR, NTL, DA, CQ, LAA, 3S&T MB |
| Coates, Adrian | Publisher of Laura Morland’s books. Lived in London and had some “Jewish blood.” Proposed to Mrs. Morland under the influence of a motor wreck and George Knox’s punch, was refused (to his relief), later married Knox’s daughter Sibyl. | HR1, DH, PT, B, CBI, NR, MH, MB, PBO, LAR, CC, DD, HR2, JC, WDIM, ESR, LAA, 3S&T, MMS |
| Coates, Laura | b. 1934. Eldest daughter of Adrian and Sibyl (Knox) Coates | DH, CBI, MMS |
| Crawley, Josiah | Canon, Dean of Barchester. First seen as a friend of Lady Pomfret in PT. Eight children, 17 grandchildren in PE. Had shared digs with George Knox at Oxford. Once blackballed Sir Ogilvy Hibberd for Polyanthus Club. Grandson of Josiah Crawley, curate of Hogglestock in Trollope’s novels. Opposed Bishop’s parsimony and low-church, Liberal views. | DH, SH, PT, B, CBI, NR, MH, GU, HM, MB, PBO, PE, LAR, OBH, CC, DD, HR2, JC, WDIM, ESR, DA, CQ, LAA, 3S&T |
| Dubois, M. | Tony Morland’s French master at Southbridge School. | DH |
| Dudley, Matron Poppy | Matron at Southbridge School, aunt of George Empson the wireless expert. Frequently at odds with Mr. Ferris, the Housemaster. | HR1, DH, SH, CBI, GU, MB, PBO, PE, CC, HR2, JC, ESR, NTL, CQ, 3S&T, MMS |
| Edward | Handyman at Southbridge School. Became butler there when Simnet left. | HR1, DH, CBI, GU, PE, CC, JC, NTL, CQ |
| Fairweather, Geoffrey | Elder brother of John. Sister Edith married Robert Keith. Contemporary of Tony Morland at Southbridge. Not brilliant, but good athlete, captain of boxing. School nickname “Fairy.” Married Geraldine Birkett, had son John. Became a Colonel in the Barsetshire Regt. during war. | DH, SH, CBI, GU, PBO, PE, JC, CQ |
| Ferris, Mr. | Assistant Maths master at Southbridge School, son of a country doctor. Tony Morland’s housemaster and scoutmaster, constantly at odds with Matron. Later became one of H.M.’s Inspectors of Secondary Schools. | HR1, DH, CBI |
| Ford, Dr. James. | Kindly, garrulous and gossipy old G.P. at High Rising. Proposed to Anne Todd and was refused in HR1. Proposed to Sylvia Gould in DH, married her 20 years later after she had a broken engagement in GU. Could be very brusque to those he disliked. | HR1, DH, B, CBI, GU, MB, PE, OBH, CC, DD, JC, WDIM, ESR, NTL, DA, CQ, LAA, 3S&T, MMS |
| Fowkes, Gen. | Nurse Chiffinch once nursed his wife in the New Forest. | DH |
| Gould, Dora | b. 1920. Frequently argued with Tony Morland and invented the imaginary land of Dorland in reply to Tony’s land of Morland. | DH, LAA, 3S&T MS |
| Gould, Mrs. | Wife of Vicar of High Rising. Patient, competent and tactful with her often testy husband. | DH, LAA, 3S&T, MMS |
| Gould, Rose | b. 1922. Admired Tony Morland. Great horsewoman. | DH, LAA, 3S&T, MMS |
| Gould, Ruth | Ran a chicken farm with the-friend-that-I-live-with. | DH, 3S&T |
| Gould, Sylvia | b. 1910? Worked at Adams’ Pomfret Towers operation. Refused Dr. Ford’s proposal in DH, but married him thirty years later in 3S&T. Was once games mistress at a Swiss girls’ school. | DH, LAA, |
| Gould, The Rev. Mr. | Vicar of High Rising. Daughters Rose, Dora, Sylvia, and Ruth. Strict, impatient, old-fashioned and High Church. | DH, NTL, LAA, 3S&T, MMS |
| Grey, Una | Former secretary at Southbridge School, discharged because of nervous instability, then secretary to George Knox at High Rising. Known to Mrs. Morland and Mrs. Birkett as “The Incubus,” she made a permanent exit from High Rising after failing to get George Knox to marry her. Mentioned later as having married a naval man after great exertions, after having been companion to old Mrs. Knox. | HR1, DH, 3S&T |
| Heath, Sister | “Heathy” who shared apartment with Sister Ward and Sister Chiffinch. Nurse. Acted as paying guest to care for Miss Pemberton in her last days. | DH, MB, PBO, CC, DD, HR2, WDIM, ESR, NTL, DA, CQ, 3S&T |
| Holland | One of the masters at Southbridge School. | DH |
| Johns | Publisher in firm of Johns and Fairfield. Published George Knox, Hermione Rivers, and Susan Barton. Uncle of Mr. Wickham. His wife was well-known for giving extremely dull parties for literary lions. | HR1, DH, PT, CBI, MH, PE, LAR, OBH, CC, HR2, JC, CQ, LAA, 3S&T |
| Knox, George | Pompous, verbose historical novelist who could turn a single sentence into a discourse of parenthetical expressions. Widower, lived in High Rising with his daughter Sibyl. Escaped the clutches of his secretary, Una Grey, and became engaged to Anne Todd in HR1. | HR1, DH, B, CBI, MH, GU, MB, PE, CC, DD, HR2, WDIM, ESR, NTL, DA, LAA, 3S&T, MMS |
| Knox, Mrs. | “Old Mrs. Knox,” mother of George. Resided in large Victorian house in London. “Eccentric and crabby.” A Frenchwoman, she had lived in England since her marriage. House was in Rutland Gate. | HR1, DH, B, MB, 3S&T |
| Knox, Sibyl | Daughter of widower George Knox of High Rising. Rather silly, and, after an unsuccessful attempt to become a writer, became engaged to Adrian Coates, publisher, in HR1. 3 children by time of CBI, eldest is Laura. | HR1, DH, PT, CBI, GU, MB, DD, LAA, 3S&T, MMS |
| Koska, Madame | Main character in series of romantic suspense-thrillers by Mrs. Morland. Ran a designer dress shop and repeatedly saved the British Empire. | HR1, DH, MH, MB, PBO, PE, LAR, OBH, CC, DD, HR2, JC, WDIM, SR, DA, CQ, LAA, 3S&T, MMS |
| LePoer, Mr. & Mrs. | Nurse Chiffinch once nursed their child. | DH |
| Mallow | Stationmaster at High Rising, nephew by marriage of Dr. Ford’s housekeeper. | DH, MMS |
| Mallow, Mrs. | “Mr. Knox’s Annie’s aunt,” housekeeper to Dr. Ford at High Rising. Aunt by marriage of High Rising stationmaster. Widow of previous doctor’s gardener. | HR1, DH, LAA, 3S&T |
| Morland, Dick | b. 1911. Son of Henry and Laura Morland. Serving in, China before war. Mentioned as serving in destroyer Flatiron during war. | HR1, DH, B, CBI, GU, MB, OBH, CC, DD, JC, WDIM, 3S&T |
| Morland, Gerald | b. 1917. Son of Henry and Laura Morland. Explorer in Mexico. Married just before war, had unspecified children. Attended Southbridge School. | HR1, DH, B, CBI, GU, MB, OBH, CC, DD, JC, WDIM, LAA, 3S&T |
| Morland, Henry | Deceased husband of Laura Morland. Somewhat of a nonentity, Laura said he was “quite easy to get on with and then he died.” | HR1, DH, NR, GU, MB, JC, LAA, 3S&T |
| Morland, John | Son of Henry and Laura Morland. Stationed in, Burma. In Navy during war. Married, attended Southbridge School. | HR1, DH, B, CBI, GU, MB, OBH, CC, DD, JC, WDIM, LAA, 3S&T |
| Morland, Laura | b. 1891. Widow of Henry Morland, sons Dick, John, Gerald, and Tony. Lived at High Rising. Author of Madame Koska mystery thrillers, which she began writing to support herself and sons. Also wrote two books anonymously. Attractive but rather scatter-brained, tended to lose glasses and hairpins. Acted as unofficial secretary at Southbridge School during war. It is generally thought that she is at least partially based on the author herself, though AT was, by repute, a more sardonic personality than Laura Morland. | HR1, DH, SH,B, CBI, NR, MH,GU, MB, PBO, PE, LAR, OBH, CC, DD, JC, WDIM, ESR, NTL,DA, CQ, LAA, 3S&T, MMS |
| Morland, Tony | b. 1921. Son of Henry and Laura Morland. Student at Southbridge School at first appearance, major interest was model trains. Became Sr. Monitor at Southbridge. Talkative, self-centered, well- intentioned with frequently disastrous results, one-track mind when a child. Attended Oxford. In Army in, Burma during war. Worked for Red Tape and Sealing Wax Office after war. Married with four children. | HR1, WS, DH, SH,B, CBI, NR, MH,GU, MB, PBO, PE, LAR, OBH, CC, DD, JC, WDIM, ESR, NTL, LAA, 3S&T, MMS |
| Protheroe | Master at Southbridge School who returned after brief time in Canada. Tony Morland considered him strict because he gave impositions for pushing a chap at drill and drawing pictures in his Ovid. | DH, SH |
| Reid, Mr. | Air-raid warden in High Rising in WWII. Kept a shop. | DH, CBI |
| Stoke, Lord | Father of the present Lord Stoke. Twice married; first wife was a Miss Hooper from Somerset. | DH, BL, OBH, JC, ESR, LAA, 3S&T |
| Stoke, Lord | Great-grandfather of present Lord Stoke. Built new Rising Castle. | DH, 3S&T |
| Stoke, Lord | Fourth Lord Stoke. Defended Rising Castle against Cromwell. | DH |
| Stoke, Lord Thomas | b. 1866. Ancient and eccentric antiquarian, half-brother of Lucasta Bond. A bachelor who once loved Edith Thorne (who married Old Lord Pomfret). Traveled by horse and carriage or on horseback in defiance of modern age. Was convinced that everything he dug up was Viking remains. Extremely and conveniently deaf. In NTL, he is called Algernon Courcy Stoke and is said to have been born in 1876. | HR1, DH, PT, B, BL, CBI, MH, GU, MB, PBO, PE, LAR, OBH, CC, DD, JC, WDIM, ESR, NTL, DA, CQ, LAA, 3S&T, MMS |
| Stoker, Mrs. | Housekeeper to Laura Morland at High Rising. Garrulous, irreverent, dictatorial, and easily offended but with a soft spot for Tony Morland. | HR1, DH, CBI, HR2, ESR, NTL, DA, LAA, 3S&T, MMS |
| Swift-Hetherington, J.W. | Student at Southbridge School whose gym shorts were used by Tony Morland to mop up hair fixative he spilled. Also a participant in boxing competition against Fairweather. | HR1, DH, CBI |
| Sylvia | Mrs. Birkett’s cocker spaniel. | HR1, DH, SH |
| Todd, Anne | Laura Morland’s secretary, married George Knox, novelist and windbag, of High Rising, after turning down proposal from Dr. Ford. WVS secretary in war. Competent and practical, unlike her garrulous husband. | HR1, DH, GU, MB, PBO, PE, ESR, NTL, LAA, 3S&T |
| Todd, Mrs. | d.1933. Slightly dotty invalid mother of Anne Todd. Placed huge orders with local merchants for things they neither needed nor could afford. Lived at High Rising, died at end of HR1, freeing Anne to marry George Knox. | HR1, DH, LAA, 3S&T |
| Ward, Sister | Nurse “Wardy,” who shared an apartment with Sisters Heath and Chiffinch. | DH, MB, CC, DD, HR2, JC, WDIM, ESR, NTL, CQ, 3S&T |
| Wesendonk, Robert | Friend of Tony Morland at Southbridge School. Intelligent but never said anything (only uttered once in several books where appeared.) Interested in model trains and electricity. Had three sisters and was fond of babies. Played harmonica to indicate emotional moods. Later became an Olympic swimmer. | HR1, DH, SH, MB, 3S&T, MMS |