# Major Tifto — The Duke’s Children character guide > Major Tifto in The Duke’s Children by Anthony Trollope. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Major Tifto, Tifto, The Major **First appearance:** 0005-vi-major-tifto ## Snapshot A shabby racing man with jewelled studs and a hangdog look, he was Silverbridge's dubious partner and hanger-on until the friendship soured. ## Who they are Tifto belongs to the racing, betting, and club world that the Duke's heir finds so dangerously seductive, and he trades on his association with Silverbridge to be admitted where he does not belong. His neediness and his willingness to be used make him both pitiable and untrustworthy, and the narrator casts him as a Mr. Worldly-Wiseman who will not let Christian reach the Strait Gate. His presence shadows the young lord's early manhood, testing whether Silverbridge can distinguish a friend from a flatterer. ## Relationships ### [Lord Silverbridge](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_duke_s_children_se/characters/lord_silverbridge) _professional_ Silverbridge partners with Major Tifto in horse racing, a disastrous business relationship that leads to scandal and betrayal. ### [Lord Silverbridge](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_duke_s_children_se/characters/lord_silverbridge) _professional_ Silverbridge partners with Major Tifto in horse racing, a disastrous business relationship that leads to scandal and betrayal. ### [Lord Silverbridge](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_duke_s_children_se/characters/lord_silverbridge) _professional_ Silverbridge partners with Major Tifto in horse racing, a disastrous business relationship that leads to scandal and betrayal. ## In the story ### [Major Tifto](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_duke_s_children_se/chapters/vi-major-tifto) Introduced as a new member of the Beargarden Club; a skilled horseman and Master of the Runnymede Hounds, but given to boasting and dishonesty. ### [The New Member for Silverbridge](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_duke_s_children_se/chapters/xiv-the-new-member-for-silverbridge) Invited by Silverbridge to accompany him to Silverbridge, though Silverbridge later regrets the choice; Tifto is more associated with racing than politics. ### [The Derby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_duke_s_children_se/chapters/xvii-the-derby) Silverbridge's partner in the horse, he is optimistic before the race but becomes moody and disappointed after Prime Minister loses. ### [Major Tifto and the Duke](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_duke_s_children_se/chapters/xxvii-major-tifto-and-the-duke) Intrudes on Silverbridge and the Duke, drunkenly discusses the Derby loss, and is later rebuked by Silverbridge. ### [What Came of the Meeting](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_duke_s_children_se/chapters/xxx-what-came-of-the-meeting) Mentioned as the influence behind Silverbridge's recent gambling bets, which Silverbridge regrets. ### [Tallyho Lodge](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_duke_s_children_se/chapters/xxxvi-tallyho-lodge) Hosts Captain Green at Tallyho Lodge, feeling ill-treated by Silverbridge and contemplating how to profit from their partnership. ### [What Happened at Doncaster](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_duke_s_children_se/chapters/xliii-what-happened-at-doncaster) Struggles with his conscience over the planned betrayal; attempts to warn Silverbridge early but is rebuffed; later returns with the groom to report the nail injury. ### [XLIV: How It Was Done](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_duke_s_children_se/chapters/xliv-how-it-was-done) Suspected of laming Prime Minister; his account of the horse's lameness is scrutinized. ### [There Shall Not Be Another Word About It](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_duke_s_children_se/chapters/xlv-there-shall-not-be-another-word-about-it) Denounced by Phineas Finn; reported to be at loggerheads with his associates; the Duke hopes Silverbridge will be kept apart from him. ### [XLIX: The Major’s Fate](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_duke_s_children_se/chapters/xlix-the-major-s-fate) The central figure of the chapter; he defends himself against accusations of laming Prime Minister, tells his story at the hunt meeting and the Beargarden Club, and ultimately resigns from the club. ### [The Meeting at The Bobtailed Fox](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_duke_s_children_se/chapters/lvii-the-meeting-at-the-bobtailed-fox) Attends the meeting in his best scarlet coat, defends himself against accusations of laming the horse, and proposes to refer the matter to Lord Silverbridge. ### [LVIII: The Major Is Deposed](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_duke_s_children_se/chapters/lviii-the-major-is-deposed) Writes an appeal to Silverbridge; is brokenhearted by the curt reply; is formally deposed as Master of the Runnymede Hounds. ### [No One Can Tell What May Come to Pass](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_duke_s_children_se/chapters/lix-no-one-can-tell-what-may-come-to-pass) Mentioned in Silverbridge's account of the 'two thunderbolts' and the letter from the Runnymede hunt. ### [LXXV: The Major’s Story](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_duke_s_children_se/chapters/lxxv-the-major-s-story) Appears shabby and humiliated, confesses to laming the horse under Captain Green's influence, and receives a pension from Silverbridge. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_duke_s_children_se/characters/major_tifto - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_duke_s_children_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_duke_s_children_se/characters