Year of Wonders Characters

Eyam’s tailors, the Hadfields are Anna’s neighbors and George Viccars’ employers. Their house is the first to be stricken by the plague, and their children the first to die.

The son of Alexander and Mary Hadfield, about Jamie’s age. Edward is the first child to die of the plague.

Martin Milne is Eyam’s mason, who dies fairly early in the progress of the plague.

The Talbots are Eyam residents. Richard Talbot is the village blacksmith. Anna first discovers Aphra’s fake charms in the Talbot’s cottage.

A young child, Sally is one of Anna’s neighbors, and dies of the plague along with her entire family.

Margaret is an Eyam citizen, and the first person in the village to survive the plague.

The Merrills are Eyam residents. On his deathbed, Jakob confesses his guilt over his bad treatment of Maudie, and Mompellion absolves him of his sins.

The Wickfords are Eyam citizens who die of the plague, along with all of their children except one, Merry. As Quakers, they are one of the few families with dissenting religious beliefs.

Merry is the orphaned daughter of George and Cleath Wickford, an engaging and well-mannered girl. Her father bequeaths her his valuable mine claim, and Anna and Elinor prevent it from being “nicked,” or stolen, by another miner, David Burton.

David Burton is a local miner who tries to steal Merry Wickford’s mine claim, and is foiled by Anna and Elinor.

The sexton is a local official whose job it is to dig graves. However, overtaxed by the exhaustion of digging graves for all the plague victims, he dies of heart failure, forcing Mompellion to take over his work.

Christopher is an Eyam resident and one of the first plague survivors. He survives Joss Bont’s attempt to bury him alive and instigates the trial and punishment that lead to Joss’s death.

Widow Brown is an Eyam resident. Joss Bont extorts a valuable bale of wood from her in exchange for burying her husband and son.

Albion is a young miner. One night, Mompellion and Anna catch him drunkenly having sex with Jane Martin in the middle of the road.

Andrew is an Eyam resident who responds to the panic of the plague by building a shack on the moors and living in complete isolation. He demonstrates one of the ways in which social order collapses in the face of catastrophe.

The Daniels are Eyam residents. Anna delivers Mary’s baby, her first experience as a midwife. Later, Randoll Daniel becomes convinced that flagellation is the only way to keep the plague at bay, and scourges himself publicly.

Mr. Holbroke is the rector of the neighboring town of Hathersage, as well as Mompellion’s trusted confidant.

The Mowbrays are Eyam residents. Characterized by Anna as foolish and gullible, they buy a number of fake charms from Aphra posing as the ghost of Anys Gowdie, showing how quickly superstition takes hold in a time of fear and danger.

Ahmed Bey is Anna’s mentor, employer, and husband (in name only) once she arrives in Oran. A wise and talented doctor, he helps her develop her skills and find purpose in a life of science.

Elinor is Anna’s daughter by Michael Mompellion. Anna’s choice to name her daughter after her dead friend, Elinor, shows that she considers that relationship far more important than her brief romance with Mompellion.

The sons of Anna and Sam Frith. When the plague comes to Eyam, the boys die quickly. Their deaths shatter Anna, though she nonetheless continues to work to help and support the rest of her afflicted town.

The oldest wife of Aphram Bey. She is friendly to Anna.

A cook for Colonel and Mrs. Bradford. When the plague strikes Eyam, The Bradfords flee the town and fire Maggie as well as all of their other staff. However, when Maggie returns to her home town, she is run out by residents who fear she might carry the plague.

A local judge, who adjudicates over everything from mining claims to the trial dealing with Josiah's act of thievery.

Anna's young step-sister, and the daughter of Josiah and Aphra. Anna seeks to protect and care for Faith. However, an insane Aphra insists on keeping the girl with her. Anna can do nothing as Aphra locks the girl in her house. Faith dies from the plague.

An old man who wonders why the plague more often strikes the young rather than older people who are ready to die.

A town resident who helps Brand to haul Aphra before the rest of the town when they catch her selling charms. When charged with keeping Aphra overnight before her trial the next day, Robert keeps her in a cave filled with pig manure. The experience drives Aphra insane.

A man who lives in Eyam. He takes to self-flagellation out of the superstitious belief that such religious penance will allow him to survive the plague.