Benjamin Hutchinson
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| Portrayed by Harry Lloyd | |
| Full Name | Benjamin Hutchinson |
|---|---|
| Title | None |
| Associated Noble House(s) | None |
| Date of Birth | 15th February, 1788 |
| Father | William Hutchinson |
| Father's Rank | Middling Gentry |
| Mother | Martha Hutchinson (nee Goodnow) |
| Mother's Rank | Middling Gentry |
| Town Residence | 9 Gracechurch Street, Cheapside |
| School | |
| University | |
| Profession | Banker |
| Income | Barely sufficient |
Benjamin Hutchinson is the oldest surviving son of a country gentleman and his devout wife. He currently resides in London with his younger sister, Susannah Hutchinson. He works as a humble banker but serves a number of the more prestigious names in town, including Geoffrey Stapleton and George Hackett, Lord Selwyn. Both the Hutchinson siblings are played by Amy.
Contents
Family
Father: William Hutchinson, born 1760, a minor landowner
Mother: Martha Goodnow, born 1765, a parson’s daughter
Brothers: William, born 1786 [died 1794]; George, born 1796; Matthew, born 1800; Robert, born 1803
Sisters: Alice, born 1789 [died 1794]; Susannah, born 1791; Sarah, born 1793 [died 1794]; Jenny, born 1798; Martha, born 1801
Early Life: 1788-1808
Ben was the second-born child of a modestly genteel family. In 1794, the bright, athletic boy and several other Hutchinson children suffered a severe illness. Only Sukey escaped the fever entirely. Ben lost two younger sisters and the older brother he idolized. Although Ben lived, he would never fully recover either physically or psychologically. He grew tall, but not strong, and wise, but not open. Despite his height, his posture, soft voice, and unobtrusive manner all convey the impression of smallness. Likewise, his spare frame, sallow skin, slow walk, and sad green eyes indicate continued ill health. As a youth, Ben was unable to be of much use at home and unequal to the sports and pursuits of others his age. Usually, his sister Sukey could be relied upon to cheer him up and include him in play. On the very rare occasions when Ben upset his parents, whatever he had done had been Sukey's idea, though Ben would never point a finger of blame. Ben's childhood friends were few outside his family, though he had a warm heart and an unspoken eagerness to be loved. Neither did Ben ever form any requited attachments to young women, though he showed an early tendency to rescue damsels in distress. The lack of a normal childhood meant that Ben behaved maturely from a young age, especially in his fatherly attitude toward his siblings. Thwarted in social relationships, he excelled instead at academics, and over time, the more exuberant aspects of his personality were subdued. Noting Ben's reserved and studious character, his father managed to provide for his higher education. In that environment of learning, Ben felt that he came into his own, and he left university having forged friendships and acquired a firmer sense of self. Ben is determined never to burden his family, emotionally or financially, and with the help of a friend, Ellery Innis, he entered into a career of banking in London in 1808.
Life in London: 1808-1811
Ben occupies modest rented rooms on Gracechurch Street and employs a servant, Randolph, who formerly belonged to the family in Wiltshire. His concern for others' welfare is both an asset and a hindrance to his job at the bank; he hates to see people spend imprudently and will sometimes caution his clients against it, with mixed results. One such exchange, with Geoffrey Stapleton, turned humorous and led to lasting friendship. Ben is such a retiring individual that few could be said to really know him well, but Mr. Stapleton is an exception. Ben is acutely conscious of his low social standing in London, a knowledge that keeps him removed from the ton. Though he secretly yearns to marry and have children of his own, he struggles with feelings of guilt and inadequacy and fears that, due to his profession, quiet personality, and physical weakness, he could neither attract nor support a wife. This may be partially correct: some ladies have, at first, considered him a handsome young man, only to be taken aback by the expression of extreme age and weariness in his eyes. Those who find this troubling soon note that his nose is a bit too large, his chin a bit too weak, his body ill-proportioned, and really, he is nothing much to look at after all. Consequently, his social life in London has not involved any serious courtship. When he has the time and money, Ben enjoys attending concerts or the theatre, but he is mostly content to accumulate books for his small library and spend his evenings peacefully at home. Ben’s London acquaintances would probably count him among the most selfless and gentlest of men, a diligent worker, and a true Christian. Sukey would concur, except to add that severity of judgment is his most obvious fault, with worrying being next in degree. Highly introspective, Ben is aware of more personal flaws than are obvious to the world at large. His faith is not as strong as he (or his mother) would like, nor is he as brilliant and successful as his family believes.
Current Season: 1811
The Hutchinson family is now struggling with its expenses, and Ben has generously taken in his younger sister Sukey to help ease the strain. Constantly and discreetly pinching pennies, he strives to provide for Sukey in the manner she was led to expect. Of all his brothers and sisters, Ben always felt closest to Sukey, the only other child who had survived the fever of 1794. Some signs suggest that, had it not been for the spirit-crushing effects of illness, Ben's personality would have been much like hers. For instance, he shares with his sister a fascination with faraway places, though her interest tends to be in people while his centers on history and the arts. Similarly, they are the only two Hutchinsons to venture from their Wiltshire farm. Like Sukey, Ben takes pleasure in music, playing the violin as well as singing. Since Sukey's arrival, music has been a highlight of evenings in the Hutchinsons' home. Accompanying his sister to parties and balls, Ben has come into society as never before and seems to have a brighter spark of life in Sukey's company. However, London can be a dangerous place, and Ben is consequently more than a little paternal towards her. He has hired a local woman, Mary Tibbord (Polly), to serve as his sister's maid and companion during the day when Ben leaves for the bank. His own relationship with Polly is unusual; she has become his confidante as well as his sister's. Indeed, he treats Polly almost as a member of the family, recognizing her capabilities and relying on her judgment when his own will not suffice. In only one respect has he been thoughtless. Over late-night pots of tea, Ben has revealed to Polly his infatuation with Imogen Rathbone, whom he met first at Almack's and again at the Emerson Ball. That the beautiful Lady Imogen is dying of consumption--and bearing it like a saint, at least in Ben's opinion--only deepens his regard. Having experienced the ravages of illness within his own family, Ben knows all too well that this is one damsel he has no power to rescue from her distress. What he fails to recognize is that his confidante is herself in love with him, and that the secrets he entrusts to her are acutely painful.
He is wary of sister Sukey's interest in George Hackett, Lord Selwyn, given the economic gulf between their families. Though he values Lord Selwyn as not only a client at the bank, but also a friend, Ben would rather not risk associating too closely with high society. There can be no future in it, in his opinion. Nor can he face the thought of his sister being courted and taken away from him so soon after her arrival in London. She is his best friend. He is, however, encouraging Sukey in her friendships with Anne Gibson and Eleanor Clare, particularly the former, as she is a close neighbor. Ben was favorably impressed by Miss Gibson's practicality, her humility, and her amiability in general. He believes she is exactly the sort of young woman who could complement Sukey's personality--and, were he to think about it, his own.
Most recently, he and Sukey took an unfortunate tumble into the Serpentine while out for a walk. Rescued by the combined efforts of Lord Selwyn and Robert Vickery, and transported home in the latter's conveyance, the siblings have been largely confined to Gracechurch Street ever since. Ben has fallen ill with a fever on account of the unexpected dunking, and though it seems that he is probably out of danger, Sukey is reluctant to leave him for long.
Friends
- Geoffrey Stapleton
- Mary Tibbord
- Ellery Innis
- George Hackett
- Anne Gibson
