# Old Mr. Delamere — The Marrow of Tradition character guide

> Old Mr. Delamere in The Marrow of Tradition by Charles W. Chesnutt.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Mr. Delamere, Old Mr. Delamere, young Delamere, young Mr. Delamere

**First appearance:** 0005-iv-theodore-felix

## Snapshot

The Delamere patriarch, a courtly relic of an older honor code, whose indulgent love for his grandson blinds him to the rot beneath the family name.

## Who they are

Old Mr. Delamere embodies the aristocratic ideal—courage, courtesy, scrupulous honor—that his grandson Tom merely mimics. He watches Tom and Clara at the window with an indulgent smile, musing on living on through his children, unaware of how little substance remains in his heir. His good intentions toward Dr. Miller's hospital and his quiet standing in Wellington make his eventual loss a blow to the very causes the town is learning to betray.

## In the story

### [The Marrow of Tradition](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_marrow_of_tradition_se/chapters/the-marrow-of-tradition)

An aristocratic white man who embodies the old Southern code of honor.

### [II: The Christening Party](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_marrow_of_tradition_se/chapters/ii-the-christening-party)

Attends the party with his servant Sandy; defends the negro race and praises Sandy's character.

### [XIII: The Cakewalk](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_marrow_of_tradition_se/chapters/xiii-the-cakewalk)

Sandy's employer; not directly involved in the chapter but referenced as the master of the household.

### [XIV: The Maunderings of Old Mrs. Ochiltree](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_marrow_of_tradition_se/chapters/xiv-the-maunderings-of-old-mrs-ochiltree)

Mentioned as being in declining health; Sandy reports he is good for a dozen more years if he avoids excitement.

### [The Social Aspirations of Captain McBane](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_marrow_of_tradition_se/chapters/xvii-the-social-aspirations-of-captain-mcbane)

Mentioned as Tom's grandfather, whose trust and moral standards Tom fears to betray.

### [XXIII: Belleview](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_marrow_of_tradition_se/chapters/xxiii-belleview)

Resolute defender of Sandy; insists on his innocence and personally goes to the jail to intervene.

### [XXIV: Two Southern Gentlemen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_marrow_of_tradition_se/chapters/xxiv-two-southern-gentlemen)

Visits Sandy in jail, expresses unwavering faith in his innocence, and tries to persuade him to explain the gold's origin.

### [The Honor of a Family](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_marrow_of_tradition_se/chapters/xxv-the-honor-of-a-family)

Visits Carteret at the Chronicle office to defend Sandy's innocence, reveals his shaken faith in humanity after learning of Tom's cheating, and pleads for time to prove an alibi.

### [The Discomfort of Ellis](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_marrow_of_tradition_se/chapters/xxvi-the-discomfort-of-ellis)

Deeply agitated after visiting Sandy in jail; meets Ellis and suspects the truth about his grandson.

### [The Vagaries of the Higher Law](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_marrow_of_tradition_se/chapters/xxvii-the-vagaries-of-the-higher-law)

Reveals Tom's guilt and insists on saving Sandy, but ultimately agrees to a perjured oath to prevent the lynching.

### [XXX: The Missing Papers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_marrow_of_tradition_se/chapters/xxx-the-missing-papers)

Named as executor of Mr. Merkell's will, but the letter remains undelivered.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_marrow_of_tradition_se/characters/old_mr_delamere
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_marrow_of_tradition_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_marrow_of_tradition_se/characters