# Ethel Brown — Just William character guide

> Ethel Brown in Just William by Richmal Crompton.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Miss Ethel

**First appearance:** 0000-i-william-goes-to-the-pictures

## Snapshot

William's red-gold, blue-eyed older sister, whose beauty draws suitors and whose composure William can shatter without ever meaning to.

## Who they are

Ethel moves through the house as the family's elegant centre of gravity, admired at parties and pursued by tongue-tied young men like James French. She is fond of William in the abstract and exasperated by him in practice, especially when his schemes drag her into scandal or leave her blushing at the wrong moment. Her presence raises the stakes of William's mischief: what he wrecks is not just crockery but the delicate machinery of grown-up courtship.

## Relationships

### [William Brown](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/characters/william_brown)

_family_

Ethel is William's older sister, often exasperated by his mischief but with an underlying sibling bond.

### [Mr. French](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/characters/mr_french)

_romantic_

Ethel and Mr. French are involved in a flirtatious courtship, much to William's annoyance.

### [Robert Brown](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/characters/robert_brown)

_family_

Ethel and Robert are siblings who often bicker but unite against William's troublemaking.

### [Mrs. Brown](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/characters/mrs_brown)

_family_

Ethel and Mrs. Brown have a mother-daughter relationship, often discussing Ethel's romantic interests.

### [William Brown](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/characters/william_brown)

_family_

Ethel is William's older sister, often exasperated by his mischief but with an underlying sibling bond.

### [William Brown](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/characters/william_brown)

_family_

Ethel is William's older sister, often exasperated by his mischief but with an underlying sibling bond.

### [Mr. French](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/characters/mr_french)

_romantic_

Ethel and Mr. French are involved in a flirtatious courtship, much to William's annoyance.

### [Mrs. Brown](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/characters/mrs_brown)

_family_

Ethel and Mrs. Brown have a mother-daughter relationship, often discussing Ethel's romantic interests.

### [Robert Brown](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/characters/robert_brown)

_family_

Ethel and Robert are siblings who often bicker but unite against William's troublemaking.

## In the story

### [William Goes to the Pictures](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/chapters/i-william-goes-to-the-pictures)

William uses her name to deliver a false love message to Mr. Morgan; she is later called to deal with Mr. Morgan's visit.

### [William the Intruder](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/chapters/ii-william-the-intruder)

Accompanies the picnic, chatters gaily, and remarks that they have 'given William the slip.'

### [III: William Below Stairs](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/chapters/iii-william-below-stairs)

William's elder sister, who suffers a mild nervous breakdown due to William's balloon prank.

### [IV: The Fall of the Idol](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/chapters/iv-the-fall-of-the-idol)

William's sister who reports the theft of hothouse flowers to the police.

### [A Question of Grammar](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/chapters/vi-a-question-of-grammar)

William's sister, who is annoyed by him and later has her room invaded.

### [The Best Laid Plans](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/chapters/xi-the-best-laid-plans)

Object of Mr. French's affection; terrified by the rat in her bedroom.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/chapters/i)

William's sister, object of Mr. French's infatuation; she is flattered by his attention and grateful for his help with William.

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/chapters/ii)

Angry at William and Mr. French after the church incident.

### [Jumble](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/chapters/xii-jumble)

Ethel criticizes William's appearance and reports on the new neighbors at Lavender Cottage.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/characters/ethel_brown
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/characters