# Captain Ashington — The Spy in Black character guide

> Captain Ashington in The Spy in Black by J. Storer Clouston.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Ashington, Captain Ashington—I, the real Captain Ashington, Ashington of the Haileybury

**First appearance:** 0014-i-the-meeting

## Snapshot

A once-promising British naval officer, sunk with his ship and soured by injury, now selling fleet secrets to the Germans from inside a Scottish manse.

## Who they are

Ashington is the story's most uncomfortable paradox: a decorated officer of the Grand Fleet who has been recruited into Tiel's spy ring through a mixture of sullen temper and a sense of grievance. His younger brother serves on the flagship, giving him access to exactly the kind of information the Germans need, and his gross, physically imposing presence contrasts sharply with his frowning, joyless manner. His proposal about the fleet's sailing date sets the plot's central machinery in motion.

## Relationships

### [Adolph Tiel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_spy_in_black_se/characters/adolph_tiel)

_professional_

Adolph Tiel and Captain Ashington have a professional relationship, possibly as superior and subordinate or fellow officers.

### [Bob Blacklock](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_spy_in_black_se/characters/bob_blacklock)

_family_

Bob Blacklock and Captain Ashington may be father and son or close relatives, given the shared surname and interaction frequency.

### [Commander Blacklock](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_spy_in_black_se/characters/commander_blacklock)

_professional_

Captain Ashington and Commander Blacklock are professional peers, possibly in the same naval command.

### [Eileen Holland](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_spy_in_black_se/characters/eileen_holland)

_social_

Captain Ashington and Eileen Holland are acquaintances, possibly meeting in social or official settings.

### [Adolph Tiel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_spy_in_black_se/characters/adolph_tiel)

_professional_

Adolph Tiel and Captain Ashington have a professional relationship, possibly as superior and subordinate or fellow officers.

### [Bob Blacklock](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_spy_in_black_se/characters/bob_blacklock)

_family_

Bob Blacklock and Captain Ashington may be father and son or close relatives, given the shared surname and interaction frequency.

### [Commander Blacklock](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_spy_in_black_se/characters/commander_blacklock)

_professional_

Captain Ashington and Commander Blacklock are professional peers, possibly in the same naval command.

### [Eileen Holland](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_spy_in_black_se/characters/eileen_holland)

_social_

Captain Ashington and Eileen Holland are acquaintances, possibly meeting in social or official settings.

### [Commander Blacklock](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_spy_in_black_se/characters/commander_blacklock)

_professional_

Captain Ashington and Commander Blacklock are professional peers, possibly in the same naval command.

### [Bob Blacklock](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_spy_in_black_se/characters/bob_blacklock)

_family_

Bob Blacklock and Captain Ashington may be father and son or close relatives, given the shared surname and interaction frequency.

## In the story

### [III: The Plan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_spy_in_black_se/chapters/iii-the-plan)

A disgraced British officer who betrays the fleet's new course out of resentment; von Belke finds him repulsive.

### [IV: What Happened on Sunday](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_spy_in_black_se/chapters/iv-what-happened-on-sunday)

Ashington sends a message to Tiel about the fleet's sailing date possibly being altered to Friday.

### [VI: The Visitor](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_spy_in_black_se/chapters/vi-the-visitor)

Mentioned by Tiel as a loyal confederate watching for suspicion; Tiel implies Ashington's fate is tied to his own.

### [VII: At Night](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_spy_in_black_se/chapters/vii-at-night)

Visits Tiel at the manse at night, delivers news that the fleet will go out on Friday, and leaves quickly when von Belke approaches.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_spy_in_black_se/characters/captain_ashington
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_spy_in_black_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_spy_in_black_se/characters