Horace Bryant

Horace Bryant
Mr Bryant
Physical information
Gender	Male
Hair colour	Black
Family information
Family	Daphne Bryant (wife) Charles Bryant (son) Charlie Parks (grandson)

"Your grandaddy is a bit of a bully."

—Mrs Hughes to Baby Charlie

Horace Bryant is the father of Major Charles Bryant. He wrote to the Countess of Grantham in 1918, telling her that his son had been killed in the Battle of Vittorio Veneto, as the Major had stayed at Downton Abbey while it was being used as a convalescent home.

Later he and his wife, Daphne, stop for luncheon at Downton Abbey on their way to Maryport. While eating, Ethel bursts in to inform he that his late son is the father of her son, Charlie. While Mrs Bryant is more receptive, Mr Bryant demands proof and when Ethel is unable to do so, he demands she leave at once. He is visibly angry, even openly accusing her of falsifying her child's paternity (becasue Major Bryant was an only child) in an attempt to raise her own social standing.

Later Mrs Bryant writes to Ethel to arrange a meeting between the Bryants and Ethel. The Bryants have accepted that Charlie is their grandson and Mr Bryant offers to raise him as his heir since Major Bryant was an only child. He would educate Charlie at Harrow and Oxford. He would tell Charlie that his parents married during the war and his mother died from Spanish flu. Ethel offers to be Charlie's nurse and never tell him that she is his mother and Mrs Bryant is open to the idea, but Mr Bryant rejects it calling Ethel "a drudge" and that she will not be able to kept her secret. Mr Bryant offers Ethel time to consider his offer and he and his wife leave. Later Ethel comes to Mrs Hughes to inform her that she is keeping her son.

By 1920, Ethel has fallen on hard times and ultimately decides for the sake of her son's happiness to let Mr. and Mrs. Bryant take him back with them. Charlie is next to his grandfather when he waves goodbye to his mom.

Appearances

• Episode 2.06 (Mentioned only)
• Episode 2.07
• Episode 2.08
• Episode 3.04

Behind the scenes

• Mr Horace Bryant is played by Kevin McNally, the real life spouse of Phyllis Logan who plays Mrs Hughes.