Marigold is the daughter and only child of Edith Crawley and the late Michael Gregson. She is the third grandchild and second granddaughter of Robert and Cora Crawley, and therefore the third great-grandchild and second great-granddaughter of Violet Crawley and Martha Levinson. She has two aunts, Mary Crawley and the late Sybil Branson, and two uncles, Tom Branson and the late Matthew Crawley. Sybbie Branson and George Crawley are her elder cousins.
Biography
Late 1922- early 1923
She was born in Geneva, Switzerland, and given up for adoption to Mr and Mrs Schroeder after her mother suckled her.
Before she was born, her mother had first considered having an abortion (because she feared becoming an outcast for having an illegitimate child, Michael having mysteriously vanished in Germany without a trace) but backed out at the last minute. She then considered giving her to a local farmer, Timothy Drewe, after she was born, so that she could be near her child without giving her away. But Edith's aunt Rosamund Painswick decided it best to take her abroad to keep Edith's reputation safe.
But after returning, Edith was troubled at having to give up her child. Rosamund insisted that the child was no longer hers, and Violet hurt Edith more by calling the child "it" instead of "she" and joking about Edith's "French" - the cover story of her travels being to improve her French. But Edith, fearing even more that she would never see Michael again, and knowing he gave her power of attorney, felt obliged to give at least half to her daughter should Michael indeed be proven dead.
Ultimately, Edith decided to go back to Switzerland and reclaim her daughter, and have her grow up on Drewe's farm. Drewe himself discovered her secret, but sympathetic to Lady Edith, agreed to keep it for her and raise her daughter.
1924
Edith repeatedly visited Yew Tree Farm to see her daughter, arousing the suspicions of Drewe's wife. Drewe revealed to Edith he knew her secret but would never reveal it, and approved of Edith wanting to love her child. He decided to name Edith as Marigold's godmother so she could continue to see her daughter, despite the fact that Margie's sister was named her godmother at Marigold's christening.
Margie (who views herself, her husband and children as Marigold's family) becomes very protective of Marigold against Edith, feeling that Edith views Marigold like a doll, and later angrily tells her husband that Marigold is their child and that Edith cannot have her.
When Rosamund and Violet learn Edith brought Marigold back, they insist on having her taken out of England again, possibly to a boarding school in France. But when Edith receives confirmation that Michael has been long dead, she decides she cannot stay in Downton and be happy. She goes to Yew Tree Farm and explains to Mrs Drewe that she is indeed Marigold's biological mother, showing her a copy of Marigold's birth certificate (she had signed it with her real name instead of a false one as her aunt had wished because she knew she might need proof she was Marigold's mother one day). Although Mrs Drewe does not believe her at first, she does relent and lets Edith take her daughter and her teddy bear (Mrs Drewe says she won't sleep without it). Edith reclaims her daughter and leaves in the hope that she can begin a new life and finally find happiness with Marigold.
Back at Downton, Cora learns from Mrs Drewe that she has a third grandchild. She is furious with Rosamund and Violet for never telling her the truth, and blames them for Edith's running away because of their wish to send Marigold back abroad. When Rosamund and Cora find Edith at work, Marigold is still at the hotel, where according to Edith they can arrange for a babysitter when necessary. Cora asks to see her, but Edith refuses. Edith had considered taking Marigold to America, dropping her title and inventing a dead husband. But because she would like Marigold to grow up English and does not wish for the magazine business to crumble, she chose not to do that.
Though she considered passing Marigold off as her orphaned godchild, Cora tells Edith she wants her to bring Marigold back home. She suggests the Drewes claim they cannot afford to keep her anymore and so have Edith adopt her. Rosamund objects, but Cora puts her plan into motion. They take Marigold back to Downton, where Mr Drewe meets them and briefly takes her so that the cover will work. Anna and Mary are there at the station. While Mary does not figure it out, Anna notices Mr Drewe with the child. She tells Mrs Hughes, but Mrs Hughes insists they should not speculate, noting all they should care about is that the child is "safe" and "loved".
Mary and Robert object to Edith's announcement at adopting Marigold, but Robert agrees when Cora insists they offer "little Marigold" a home in the Downton nursery. Robert later notes Edith's obsession with the girl. He admits to Cora he agrees with her that she is a "dear little thing", but feels there is something about her, a "sense of deja vu" that he cannot quite understand. When he realizes after the unveiling of the village war memorial that Marigold reminds him of Michael Gregson, he guesses the truth and confirms it with Cora. He agrees to keep the secret at her request, even from Edith, and believes he will love his new granddaughter.
Later that year, as the family is leaving for the grouse season at Brancaster Castle, Marigold and her cousins are bid farewell. As Mary tells George to "come to Mommy" Edith almost says the same to Marigold, but cuts short and says "me" instead. Later, Robert does reveal to Edith he knows who Marigold is, and feels that they must do the best for her, for both Edith's and Michael's sake, but of course to keep Marigold's true identity within the family. Edith is deeply moved, and later Tom reveals he knows the truth as well, saying where he grew up "there were quite a few Marigolds" - his cousin Nuala had had a daughter out of wedlock who was brought up as her sister, and though the family never talked about it, they all knew the truth.
Edith, Tom, and Mary each bring up stockings for the children that Christmas while they are with their grandmother downstairs. Robert asks what Marigold should call him. When Sybbie says "Donk!" he agrees - and states that whenever Marigold calls him Donk, she would remind him of Sybbie (who was leaving with her father for Boston the following month).
Gallery
Notes
- Edith is listed on Marigold's birth certificate as her mother, which she used as proof to Mrs. Drewe.
- Since Micheal was not around or alive to claim paternity, Marigold could not be a Gregson, legally.
- So far, the only members of the immediate Crawley family who do not know Marigold is Edith's daughter are Mary and Isobel.
- Marigold is the only member of her generation in the Crawley family not born in England.
- Marigold is the second child born out of wedlock on the show, the first being Charlie Parks.
- Marigold's present official last name remains unknown. It is possible while living with the Drewe family (given that they had her christened) she was christened Marigold Drewe. But she is also listed at tvtropes.org as "Miss Marigold Gregson".
- 4.9 (early summer 1923) opens with Ivy saying that Edith just came back from 8 months away in Switzerland. She nursed her for a few months so that puts her birth around January/February 1923, perhaps December 1922.
- However, Rosamund says - in 5.05 - that she spent "10 months" of her life making sure the baby came safely. Possibly, Rosamund may have been counting the weeks or so that she knew that Edith was pregnant and then the many months that proceed it in Geneva with Edith during her pregnancy. Or better yet, Edith and Rosamund may have spent a month or two in Switzerland after Marigold was born as Edith is already two months pregnant (having been told mid-June and trip announcement in August) when they announce that they would to leave to go aboard to Switzerland to study French.
Appearances
| Appearances and Mentions | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Series 4 | Episode 1 | Episode 2 | Episode 3 | Episode 4 | Episode 5 | Episode 6 | Episode 7 | Episode 8 | Christmas Special Mentioned |
| Series 5 | Episode 1 Appears |
Episode 2 Appears |
Episode 3 Appears |
Episode 4 Appears |
Episode 5 Appears |
Episode 6 Appears |
Episode 7 Appears |
Episode 8 Appears |
Christmas Special Appears |
| Series 6 | Episode 1 | Episode 2 | Episode 3 | Episode 4 | Episode 5 | Episode 6 | Episode 7 | Episode 8 | Christmas Special |
References
External Links
- Granny's Past and a Baby Bates? Downton Abbey Season 5 Scoop: By TV Guide. Posted Jul. 23, 2014 @ 12:05 am, Page 1
- Downton Abbey’ Season 5 SPOILERS: Twins Cast To Play Edith’s Baby Daughter; Filming Begins With New Cast Members at Fashion N Style
- Downton Abbey The Crawley Family at TV Tropes