# Thomas Ashby — Agnes Grey character guide

> Thomas Ashby in Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Thomas Ashby, Sir Thomas, Sir Thomas Ashby, Sir, that odious Sir Thomas, Thomas

**First appearance:** 0019-xx-the-farewell

## Snapshot

Rosalie Murray's wealthy, dissolute husband, a man whose jealousy and temper turn her coveted marriage into a gilded confinement in the country.

## Who they are

Sir Thomas Ashby is the baronet Rosalie marries for title and fortune, only to find herself hurried off to his estate and kept there under the watch of his mother, Lady Ashby. His offence at her admirers and her spending, and his willingness to let his mother rule the house, make him less a husband than a sentence. He embodies the price of Rosalie's vanity, and his marriage shows Agnes what a match made for rank rather than love actually costs.

## Relationships

### [Agnes Grey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/agnes_grey_se/characters/agnes_grey)

_social_

Agnes knows Thomas Ashby as Rosalie's eventual husband, a wealthy but dissolute and cruel man.

### [Lady Ashby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/agnes_grey_se/characters/lady_ashby)

_family_

Lady Ashby is Thomas Ashby's mother, a proud, cold woman who values social standing over her son's moral character.

### [Rosalie Murray](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/agnes_grey_se/characters/rosalie_murray)

_romantic_

Rosalie marries Thomas Ashby for his wealth and title, but the marriage is loveless and he proves to be unfaithful and abusive.

### [Edward Weston](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/agnes_grey_se/characters/edward_weston)

_social_

Edward Weston and Thomas Ashby are acquaintances in the local gentry, with Weston disapproving of Ashby's immoral lifestyle.

### [Nancy Brown](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/agnes_grey_se/characters/nancy_brown)

_social_

Nancy Brown, as a poor villager, is subject to the casual cruelty and neglect of the wealthy Thomas Ashby.

### [Agnes Grey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/agnes_grey_se/characters/agnes_grey)

_social_

Agnes knows Thomas Ashby as Rosalie's eventual husband, a wealthy but dissolute and cruel man.

### [Edward Weston](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/agnes_grey_se/characters/edward_weston)

_social_

Edward Weston and Thomas Ashby are acquaintances in the local gentry, with Weston disapproving of Ashby's immoral lifestyle.

### [Nancy Brown](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/agnes_grey_se/characters/nancy_brown)

_social_

Nancy Brown, as a poor villager, is subject to the casual cruelty and neglect of the wealthy Thomas Ashby.

### [Rosalie Murray](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/agnes_grey_se/characters/rosalie_murray)

_romantic_

Rosalie marries Thomas Ashby for his wealth and title, but the marriage is loveless and he proves to be unfaithful and abusive.

### [Lady Ashby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/agnes_grey_se/characters/lady_ashby)

_family_

Lady Ashby is Thomas Ashby's mother, a proud, cold woman who values social standing over her son's moral character.

## In the story

### [The Ball](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/agnes_grey_se/chapters/ix-the-ball)

Mentioned as one of Rosalie's admirers; described as young, rich, gay, but ugly and wicked; Rosalie considers him a potential husband.

### [The Visit](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/agnes_grey_se/chapters/xxii-the-visit)

Sir Thomas; Rosalie's husband; mentioned as taking offence at Rosalie's behavior and hurrying her to the country.

### [XXIII: The Park](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/agnes_grey_se/chapters/xxiii-the-park)

Sir Thomas Ashby; Rosalie's husband, described as dissipated and neglectful.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/agnes_grey_se/characters/thomas_ashby
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/agnes_grey_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/agnes_grey_se/characters