Matthew Crawley

Matthew Crawley
Biographical information
Born	1890
Marital status	Engaged
Residence	Crawley House, Downton, Yorkshire Manchester, Lancashire (formerly)
Title(s)	Mr Crawley Mr Matthew Cousin Matthew
Military career	Captain Crawley Lieutenant Crawley
Physical information
Gender	Male
Family information
Family	Reginald Crawley (father) † Isobel Crawley (mother) Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham (third cousin-once-removed) Lady Mary Crawley (fourth cousin/fiancee) Lady Edith Crawley (fourth cousin) Lady Sybil Branson nee Crawley (fourth cousin)
Affiliation
Occupation	Lawyer

Matthew Crawley (born 1890) is the only son of the late Reginald and Isobel Crawley. He is a middle class lawyer from Manchester until he gets a letter from Lord Grantham informing him that he is the heir to his estate and will, eventually, be the Seventh Earl of Grantham. He and his feisty mother Isobel travel to Grantham village where he works as a lawyer and works out helping on the estate. After a lengthy, on-again, off-again courtship, he becomes engaged to Lady Mary Crawley.

Family

Matthew is the third-cousin-once-removed of Robert Crawley, Sixth Earl of Grantham. His late father, Reginald Crawley, was a medical doctor who had done research on infections on children. Reginald Crawley trained under Matthew's maternal grandfather, who was also a medical doctor. His mother trained as a nurse during the Anglo-Boer War.

Biography

Background

Little is known about Matthew Crawley's previous life. He grew up in Manchester as the son of upper middle class doctor. He lived with his mother while working as a solicitor specializing in industrial law. He met Lord Grantham once in London before being invited to move to Downton.

Heir of the Downton Abbey Estate

When he learns that he is to be the heir of Lord Grantham, he tries to refuse it but there is no legal means to do so. He is reluctant to admit that his life has changed and so must he. However, he helps Robert run the estate while working in a partnership in Ripon called Harvell and Carter, and grows to accept his fate.

The Great War

When the First World War starts, he enlists in the army, being ranked as Lieutenant Crawley. In 1916/1917 he is made an ADC of a British General and is promoted to the Rank of Captain and goes on a recruitment drive in Northern England. It is during the war he meets his future fiance Lavinia. In a patrol and outflanked by the German Infantry he is reported to be missing in action. Later on he turns up at Downton Abbey on leave. In 1918, he fights at the Battle of Ameins, where he and William are caught by a falling shell during a charge. If it was not for William protecting Matthew from the blast, Matthew probably would have been killed. Matthew is thought to have been paralyzed from the waist down and unable to have children. After he learns this he breaks his engagement with Lavinia, breaking her heart.

Relationship with Lady Mary Crawley

Matthew and Mary finally agreeing to marry each other in the 2011 Christmas Special

At their less-than-cordial first meeting, Mary snidely remarks that the idea of him being the new heir is a joke. Even though Mary refuses to acknowledge him, he falls in love with her. Eventually they get more acquainted and become friends. After saving Lady Sybil from a riot in Episode Six, they kiss and he proposes. She takes time to think it over. Ultimately, Lady Mary decides to wait until the season is over before giving him her decision, which is further complicated by her mother's unexpected pregnancy. If the baby is a boy, then Matthew will no longer be the heir and Mary would simply be the wife of a middle-class lawyer. The delay causes Matthew to doubt her feelings and he withdraws his proposal. At the start of Series 2, he is engaged to Lavinia Swire. However, he breaks off the engagement after he is told that he can never have children due to his injury. Mary, though she is also newly engaged to Sir Richard, becomes his primary caregiver, until Lavinia is secretly invited back to Downton by Cora. When Lavinia trips over a footstool, Matthew steadies her without realising that he is standing up. He slowly begins to recover and they announce they are again to be married at Downton. On the night of their announcement Violet tells Matthew that Mary is still in love with him but he knows that his loyalties lie with Lavinia.

In the Series 2 finale, both Cora and Lavinia contract Spanish flu and must remain bed-ridden at Downton. While Lavinia recuperates, Matthew talks to Mary and apologises for his behaviour, before they share a kiss. However, Lavinia sees them and flees to her room. Her condition worsens as the days progress and on her deathbed, she confesses that Matthew and Mary should be together, before she dies.

In the Christmas special, everyone heralds the start of the 1920s. Cora reveals to Robert that Mary is only marrying Sir Richard as he has threatened to expose details of her one night stand with Pamuk. Robert later talks to Mary and gives her permission to call off the engagement. Mary tells Matthew what had happened between her and Kemal Pamuk, which left him in shocked and stunned, he told Mary that he never would and never could despise her.

Matthew later interrupts an argument between Mary and Sir Richard after Mary called off the engagement, when Sir Richard makes another threat again, Matthew punches him and they fight, before being stopped by Robert. Sir Richard leaves Downton the following day and later that night Matthew told Mary, that her history with Mr Kemal Pamuk will never come between them in their present and future life together. Matthew still loves her and he proposes to her, who happily accepts, after some firm persuasion by his mother.

Quotes

Series 2

• "I hardly know him, but I'm sure I'll like him when I do. That's if he's good to you. If he's not, then he has me to answer to."

Behind the scenes

• Matthew Crawley, is played by actor Dan Stevens in Downton Abbey television series.