Robert Thoyt

**Robert Thoyt** (portrayed by Nicholas Woodeson) is the solicitor of the Delaney family.

## Official Description

"*Delaney family lawyer, who has strong ties to the East India Company, which is most certainly a conflict of interests.*"

## Character Overview

**Robert Thoyt** is an elderly lawyer serving the Delaney family for several generations. His dual nature, however, makes him an untrustworthy ally. Hideously scarred by smallpox, Thoyt is a sinister figure who tries to mediate between James Delaney and the East India Company, intending to gain favours from both sides through his legal advice.

## Story

Background

**Robert Thoyt** is a lawyer who for years has tried to extort the Nootka Treaty from Horace Delaney, later hired by the East India Company in order to get their hands on useful private documents, and obtain reliable pieces of information.

The Devil's Advocate

**Robert Thoyt** attended the funeral of his former client, Horace Delaney. In church, he witnessed James Delaney made his return, and was so shocked by the occurrence that he had to ask for confirmation from Zilpha Geary. The woman, similarly shocked, confirmed the identity of the man who interrupted the funeral service. Later, while he was at a public urinal, the lawyer was approached by none other than James and the two conversed briefly about the death of Horace and the family inheritance. The following day, Thoyt went to the headquarters of the East India Company in London, to advise Sir Stuart Strange and other members of the return of James Delaney, and the consequences that this would have caused to their expansionist plans.

Robert Thoyt chaired the testamentary reading of the last will of Horace Delaney, after informing James Delaney of some bureaucratic loopholes. When Lorna Bow showed up at the attorney's office, claiming to be the widow of Delaney senior, Thoyt felt forced to report what he had found out to Sir Stuart Strange and the rest of the East India Company's Desk. Together, they started to plot to get Nootka Sound from James Delaney by using the alleged widow.

Interrupted by his assistant during a nap in the office, Thoyt received a visit from James Delaney, intending to draw up a last will and testament.

As an attorney, Thoyt witnessed the duel between James Delaney and his brother-in-law, Thorne Geary, receiving an advance payment from both sides.

Thoyt took part in the meeting between Solomon Coop and the major exponents of the East India Company, namely Sir Stuart Strange, Benjamin Wilton and John Pettifer at the Royal Palace, to report the outcome of the complaint to the judge against Delaney's activities. Since a warrant was issued on Delaney's head, Thoyt was charged with seeking and expressing bureaucratic loopholes that spanned Delaney's property between the Crown and the East India Company, as treachery charges allowed to confiscate all the assets of the traitor, James Delaney.

## Memorable Quotes

**Thoyt**: "*I attended the late Mr Delaney’s funeral. And a ghost appeared. A son we all thought dead in Africa.*"
— informing the EIC Council of James' return
## Gallery

* Screencaps
* Promotional Posters

## Appearances

Series 1
* Episode 1
* Episode 2
* Episode 3
* Episode 4
* Episode 5
* Episode 7

## References

1. ↑ *BBC One - Taboo Cast & Characters*
2. ↑ Knight, Steven (writer) & Nyholm, Kristoffer (director); January 7, 2017 BBC; January 10, 2017, FX; "Episode 1". *Taboo*.
3. ↑ Knight, Steven (writer) & Nyholm, Kristoffer (director); January 14, 2017, BBC; January 17, 2017, FX; "Episode 2". *Taboo*.
4. ↑ Knight, Steven (writer) & Nyholm, Kristoffer (director); January 21, 2017 BBC; January 24, 2017, FX; "Episode 3". *Taboo*.
5. ↑ Knight, Steven & Hervey, Ben (writer) & Engström, Anders (director); February 4, 2017 BBC; February 7, 2017, FX; "Episode 5". *Taboo*.
6. ↑ Knight, Steven (writer) & Engström, Anders (director); February 18, 2017 BBC; February 21, 2017, FX; "Episode 7". *Taboo*.