The Splendid Spur · Character

Mr. Hannibal Tingcomb

A sallow lawyer in black who eats ham over a coffin he has nailed shut himself, and swears the corpse inside is his own master.

supporting

Also known as Hannibal, Master Hannibal Tingcomb, Master Tingcomb, Tingcomb

First appearance: i the bowling green of the crown

As a supporting figure in The Splendid Spur, Mr. Hannibal Tingcomb is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Seen in a carriage at the fair; identified by Joan as steward of Gleys.

In the storyXIII: I Buy a Looking Glass at Bodmin Fair: And Meet with Mr. Hannibal TingcombOpen this moment free

See Mr. Hannibal Tingcomb in XIII: I Buy a Looking Glass at Bodmin Fair: And Meet with Mr. Hannibal Tingcomb Book page

Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.

Hannibal Tingcomb is the Killigrews' scheming steward, a man whose straight hair, soft voice, and appetite for ham hide a colder purpose. When Jack and Delia arrive at Gleys, they find him presiding over a closed coffin and a household of hired mourners, insisting the master is dead. His performance is the hinge on which the middle of the book turns: a villain who works through paperwork, poison, and other people's grief.

Continue beside the text

The fuller portrait of Mr. Hannibal Tingcomb sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Mr. Hannibal Tingcomb in i the bowling green of the crown

Character Web

10 connections

A slice of how Mr. Hannibal Tingcomb sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Other

Character groups

Main Royalist Characters
Protagonist

+5 more in the full Character Web

Open in reader

Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This chapter marks the dramatic climax because it presents the protagonist’s emotional nadir—his bitter humili…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

Follow the arc while reading

In the story

Mr. Hannibal Tingcomb appears across 4 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

XIII: I Buy a Looking Glass at Bodmin Fair: And Meet with Mr. Hannibal Tingcomb
Seen in a carriage at the fair; identified by Joan as steward of Gleys.
XIV: I Do No Good in the House of Gleys
Confronted at Gleys; exposed as the white-haired man from Oxford; writes a confession under duress.
XV: I Leave Joan and Ride to the Wars
Mentioned as the villain who tricked Jack; Jack plans revenge.
The Adventure of the Hearse
Mentioned as the intended target of the hearse ambush; the minister refers to him as still living and awaiting them at his house.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Mr. Hannibal Tingcomb unlock in the free preview.

See Mr. Hannibal Tingcomb in i the bowling green of the crown

See Mr. Hannibal Tingcomb in XIII: I Buy a Looking Glass at Bodmin Fair: And Meet with Mr. Hannibal Tingcomb