George Matthew Crawley (b. between 9th and 30th September 1921) is the only son of Matthew Crawley and Lady Mary Crawley who became the heir presumptive of his maternal grandfather Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham's title and estate due to his father's death in a car crash a few minutes after his birth. He currently lives with his maternal family (including his grandmother, aunt, uncle and cousin) in Downton Abbey which he will ihnerit at his grandfather's and mother's death.
Background
George is heir presumptive to Robert's title and estate and the Crawley family fortune. His claim comes through his father's line as his paternal great-great-great grandfather was a younger son of the 3rd Earl of Grantham.
Biography
1921
With his parents.
- "Say "Hello" to your son and heir."
- —Mary presenting their newborn to Matthew[src]
Lady Mary Crawley was holidaying with her family at Duneagle Castle in September 1921, the Scottish estate of her cousins the MacClares. When she began to feel that she was not well she decided to go home alone. She came back to Downton early the next morning but immediately went to the hospital, realizing when she got off the train she was in labour a month early.
George was born soon after. His grandmother Isobel was there, as was Doctor Clarkson. His father came later. When Matthew went to Downton to relay the news to the rest of the family and return with them to the hospital, he was run off the road by a truck he neglected to see, as he was still overwhelmed by the day's events. Matthew was killed instantly by a blow to the head while Mary, smiling, held their baby boy.
1922-1923
In February 1922, George was half a year old, his mother was still grieving over the death of her husband (whom she saw in George, as did Isobel), and did not bond closely with him, instead leaving him in the care of nannies. One, Nanny West, favored him over his cousin because of their respective parents; George being the future Earl of Grantham while Sybbie is the daughter of a former chauffeur. After hearing Nanny West nastily insult Sybbie, Cora fires the nanny, forbids her to stay with her grandchildren and looks after George and Sybbie herself while waiting for a servant coming for the night. George and Sybbie eventually get a new nanny. Previously, when George's nanny suggests to Mary a walk with her son Mary declines and kisses him. She even refers to him as a "poor little orphan". Anna, Mary's maid, replies that George isn't an orphan because he's got his mother and an orphan has no mother. Mary remarks that her child isn't poor either. Later when Tom says to Mary that she has to find an interest she answers that she has one, her son, or will be interested in him soon. During a conversation with her grandmother, in which Mary is told by Violet that she must remember George and that he needs his mother very much, Mary explains that she knows that but she doesn't think she may become a very good mother because of Matthew's death. Eventually though, she gradually learns to love her son very much and be a good mother, spending time with him, his cousin, and uncle in the nursery. She even feeds him herself. Isobel also visits him in the nursery, and learns to be close to him even if she was first pained to see Matthew in George. She decides that George could call her Grandmama so Cora could be Granny. At some time George "meets" Charles Blake when he and his cousin are brought into the library to spend time with their family. Mary asks her son to "wait that mama puts her cup" but Charles offers to take baby George in his arms. During Rose's ball, in Summer 1923, Mary explains to Lord Gillingham that her destiny is to save Dowton for George "by spending every penny and every waking minute holding it together".
Appearances
| Appearances and Mentions | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Series 3 | Episode 1 | Episode 2 | Episode 3 | Episode 4 | Episode 5 | Episode 6 | Episode 7 | Episode 8 | Christmas Special Appears |
| Series 4 | Episode 1 Appears |
Episode 2 | Episode 3 Mentioned |
Episode 4 | Episode 5 Appears |
Episode 6 Appears |
Episode 7 | Episode 8 Appears |
Christmas Special Mentioned |
| Series 6 | Episode 1 | Episode 2 | Episode 3 | Episode 4 | Episode 5 | Episode 6 | Episode 7 | Episode 8 | Christmas Special |
Notes
- Though not officially confirmed, it is most likely George was christened by Reverend Travis, which would make him the only one so far of his generation in the Crawley family confirmed to be Anglican (his cousin Sybbie being Catholic), though his other female cousin might be as well.
- Some sources have said George's middle name is Matthew.
- The courtesy title of the Earldom of Grantham is "Viscount Downton", and this is what Robert was known as before his own father died. However, courtesy titles may only be used by direct male-line descendants of the present holder of the title. As George is not a male-line descendant of Robert (because George is Robert's grandson through Robert's daughter Mary, rather than through any son of Robert's; as noted above, George is heir to the title not because he is Robert's grandson, but because through his father he is also Robert's male-line third cousin twice removed), George will never be able to use the courtesy title of "Viscount Downton" before he inherits the earldom.
