Daphne Winkworth
Encyclopedia
Dame Daphne Winkworth is a recurring fictional character
from the Blandings Castle
and Jeeves
stories of English comic writer P. G. Wodehouse
, being a menacing and scowling woman who is rarely seen to smile. She is an intimate acquaintance of Bertie Wooster's Aunt Agatha
, another old harridan character. She is the widow of Sir P. B. Winkworth, the noted historian. She has also been a guest at Blandings Castle
, making her, along with Roderick Glossop
, one of the links between the worlds of Jeeves
and Lord Emsworth
. She used to be the headmistress of a girl's school in Eastbourne prior to retirement.
, Hampshire, a large Tudor Manor which has been at its present location in the village of Kings Deverill for longer than anyone can really remember. She lives with her four sisters, all of whom have never been married and have spent their entire lives within the walls of Deverill Hall. They are: Emmeline (the serious one), Myrtle (the artistic one), Charlotte (the deaf one), and Harriet (the masculine one). Dame Daphne, however, is the widow of noted historian Sir P. B. Winkworth, though she wouldn't discuss the subject. She has a daughter, Gertrude Winkworth, who was engaged to Drones Club
member and actor Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright
with the complete disapprobation of Dame Daphne during The Mating Season. Dame Daphne and Aunt Agatha once arranged for Bertie to marry Gertrude, a proposal against which Bertie protested vehemently, on the grounds that when in company they would be known unflatteringly as Bertie and Gertie. The proposal didn't go ahead, because Gertrude fell in love with Gussie Fink-Nottle
, who at the time was engaged to Madeline Bassett
.
Bertie has been to stay with Dame Daphne on a number of occasions, though perhaps the most notable of these was when he had to take Gussie's place there after Gussie was arrested for a breach of the peace by swimming in the fountains at Trafalgar Square. Gussie had been summoned for inspection by Dame Daphne, for she was Madeline's godmother, to ensure he was suitable marriage material. However, things went to pot when Aunt Agatha came down to stay and the plot was uncovered. Bertie was packed off back to London in disgrace.
Dame Daphne was featured in one episode of the 1990-1993 British TV series Jeeves and Wooster
adapting The Mating Season (episode #15 "Right Ho! Jeeves", fourth of season three, aired 19 April 1992 in the UK), played by Rosalind Knight
.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the Blandings Castle
Blandings Castle
Blandings Castle is a recurring fictional location in the stories of British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being the seat of Lord Emsworth , home to many of his family, and setting for numerous tales and adventures, written between 1915 and 1975.The series of stories which take place at the castle,...
and Jeeves
Jeeves
Reginald Jeeves is a fictional character in the short stories and novels of P. G. Wodehouse, being the valet of Bertie Wooster . Created in 1915, Jeeves would continue to appear in Wodehouse's works until his final, completed, novel Aunts Aren't Gentlemen in 1974, making him Wodehouse's most famous...
stories of English comic writer P. G. Wodehouse
P. G. Wodehouse
Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, KBE was an English humorist, whose body of work includes novels, short stories, plays, poems, song lyrics, and numerous pieces of journalism. He enjoyed enormous popular success during a career that lasted more than seventy years and his many writings continue to be...
, being a menacing and scowling woman who is rarely seen to smile. She is an intimate acquaintance of Bertie Wooster's Aunt Agatha
Aunt Agatha
Agatha Gregson, née Wooster, later Lady Worplesdon, is a recurring fictional character in the Jeeves stories of British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being best known as Aunt Agatha, Bertie Wooster's least favourite aunt, and a counterpoint to her sister, Bertie's Aunt Dahlia...
, another old harridan character. She is the widow of Sir P. B. Winkworth, the noted historian. She has also been a guest at Blandings Castle
Blandings Castle
Blandings Castle is a recurring fictional location in the stories of British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being the seat of Lord Emsworth , home to many of his family, and setting for numerous tales and adventures, written between 1915 and 1975.The series of stories which take place at the castle,...
, making her, along with Roderick Glossop
Roderick Glossop
Sir Roderick Glossop is a recurring fictional character in the comic novels of P. G. Wodehouse.Sometimes referred to as "the noted nerve specialist" or "the loony doctor", he is the most famous practitioner of psychiatry in Wodehouse's works, appearing in several Wooster-Jeeves stories and one...
, one of the links between the worlds of Jeeves
Jeeves
Reginald Jeeves is a fictional character in the short stories and novels of P. G. Wodehouse, being the valet of Bertie Wooster . Created in 1915, Jeeves would continue to appear in Wodehouse's works until his final, completed, novel Aunts Aren't Gentlemen in 1974, making him Wodehouse's most famous...
and Lord Emsworth
Lord Emsworth
Clarence Threepwood, 9th Earl of Emsworth, or Lord Emsworth, is a recurring fictional character in the Blandings stories by British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse. He is the amiable and somewhat absent-minded head of the large Threepwood family...
. She used to be the headmistress of a girl's school in Eastbourne prior to retirement.
Overview
Dame Daphne's seat is at Deverill HallDeverill Hall
Deverill Hall is a recurring fictional location in the Jeeves stories of British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being the country seat of Dame Daphne Winkworth, a formidable old harridan, friend of Aunt Agatha Gregson and therefore no friend of Bertie Wooster, Jeeves's master.-Overview:Deverill Hall...
, Hampshire, a large Tudor Manor which has been at its present location in the village of Kings Deverill for longer than anyone can really remember. She lives with her four sisters, all of whom have never been married and have spent their entire lives within the walls of Deverill Hall. They are: Emmeline (the serious one), Myrtle (the artistic one), Charlotte (the deaf one), and Harriet (the masculine one). Dame Daphne, however, is the widow of noted historian Sir P. B. Winkworth, though she wouldn't discuss the subject. She has a daughter, Gertrude Winkworth, who was engaged to Drones Club
Drones Club
The Drones Club is a recurring fictional location in the stories of British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being a gentlemen's club in London. Many of his Jeeves and Blandings Castle stories feature the club or its members....
member and actor Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright
Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright
Claude Cattermole "Catsmeat" Potter-Pirbright is a recurring fictional character from the Jeeves stories of British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being a member of the Drones Club and a longtime school friend of Jeeves's master Bertie Wooster...
with the complete disapprobation of Dame Daphne during The Mating Season. Dame Daphne and Aunt Agatha once arranged for Bertie to marry Gertrude, a proposal against which Bertie protested vehemently, on the grounds that when in company they would be known unflatteringly as Bertie and Gertie. The proposal didn't go ahead, because Gertrude fell in love with Gussie Fink-Nottle
Gussie Fink-Nottle
Augustus "Gussie" Fink-Nottle is a fictional character in the Jeeves novels of British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being a lifelong friend of Jeeves's master Bertie Wooster and a possible member of the Drones Club...
, who at the time was engaged to Madeline Bassett
Madeline Bassett
Madeline Bassett is a recurring character in the Jeeves stories by English comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being one of the young women to whom Bertie Wooster periodically finds himself threateningly engaged.-Overview:...
.
Bertie has been to stay with Dame Daphne on a number of occasions, though perhaps the most notable of these was when he had to take Gussie's place there after Gussie was arrested for a breach of the peace by swimming in the fountains at Trafalgar Square. Gussie had been summoned for inspection by Dame Daphne, for she was Madeline's godmother, to ensure he was suitable marriage material. However, things went to pot when Aunt Agatha came down to stay and the plot was uncovered. Bertie was packed off back to London in disgrace.
Dame Daphne was featured in one episode of the 1990-1993 British TV series Jeeves and Wooster
Jeeves and Wooster
-External links:*—An episode guide to the series, including information about which episodes were adapted from which Wodehouse stories.*—Episode guides, screenshots and quotes from the four series....
adapting The Mating Season (episode #15 "Right Ho! Jeeves", fourth of season three, aired 19 April 1992 in the UK), played by Rosalind Knight
Rosalind Knight
Rosalind Knight is an English actress. She was the daughter of actor Esmond Knight and his first wife, Frances Clare and the stepdaughter of actress Nora Swinburne....
.
Stories
Dame Daphne is featured in:- The Mating Season (1949) – Jeeves novel
- Galahad at BlandingsGalahad at BlandingsGalahad at Blandings is a novel by P. G. Wodehouse, first published in the United States on January 13, 1965 by Simon & Schuster, Inc., New York under the title The Brinkmanship of Galahad Threepwood, and in the United Kingdom on August 26 the same year by Herbert Jenkins, London.It forms part of...
(1965) – Blandings novel - Sunset at BlandingsSunset at BlandingsSunset at Blandings is an unfinished novel by P. G. Wodehouse.-Publication history:The book was first published in the United Kingdom on November 17, 1977 by Chatto & Windus, London and in the United States on September 7, 1978 by Simon & Schuster, Inc., New York. The book was republished by...
(1977) – Blandings novel