# Reverend Theodosius Longmoor — The Black Gang character guide

> Reverend Theodosius Longmoor in The Black Gang by H. C. McNeile.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** the Reverend Theodosius, Longmoor, old Theodosius Longmoor, old Longmoor, Mr. Longmoor

**First appearance:** 0010-xi-in-which-hugh-drummond-and-the-reverend-theodosius-longmoor-take-lunch-together

## Snapshot

A blandly courteous clergyman whose polite table talk conceals a criminal intelligence already aware that Drummond leads the Black Gang.

## Who they are

Over chops and small talk, the Reverend Theodosius probes Drummond about the Black Gang's manifesto and its leader, betraying knowledge no innocent clergyman should possess. His calm is a weapon: he lets Drummond know his identity is exposed without ever dropping his clerical mask. This duel of double meanings establishes the novel's central cat-and-mouse game between two men who each know exactly who the other is.

## In the story

### [In Which There Is a Stormy Supper Party at the Ritz](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_black_gang_se/chapters/ix-in-which-there-is-a-stormy-supper-party-at-the-ritz)

Revealed to be a ruthless criminal mastermind, furious about the destruction of his diamonds.

### [X: In Which Hugh Drummond Makes a Discovery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_black_gang_se/chapters/x-in-which-hugh-drummond-makes-a-discovery)

Revealed to be Carl Peterson in disguise, he engages Drummond in conversation and plots to use Phyllis as a potential hostage.

### [XI: In Which Hugh Drummond and the Reverend Theodosius Longmoor Take Lunch Together](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_black_gang_se/chapters/xi-in-which-hugh-drummond-and-the-reverend-theodosius-longmoor-take-lunch-together)

The alias used by Peterson during the lunch; he presents himself as a benevolent clergyman.

### [In Which Count Zadowa Is Introduced to Alice in Wonderland](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_black_gang_se/chapters/xii-in-which-count-zadowa-is-introduced-to-alice-in-wonderland)

Mentioned by both Atkinson and Drummond as the person Atkinson must report to at the Ritz.

### [In Which the Home Secretary Is Taught the Foxtrot](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_black_gang_se/chapters/xviii-in-which-the-home-secretary-is-taught-the-foxtrot)

International criminal who escaped from Maybrick Hall; suspected of murdering the Grand Duke's son and stealing the diamonds.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_black_gang_se/characters/reverend_theodosius_longmoor
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_black_gang_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_black_gang_se/characters