Edgar Gascoyne Bickersteth

Edgar Gascoyne Bickersteth
John Savident playing Edgar Gascoyne Bickersteth
First appearance	The Full House
Created by	P. G. Wodehouse
Portrayed by	John Savident
Information
Gender	male
Relatives	son "Bicky"
Nationality	British

Edgar Gascoyne Bickersteth, 8th Duke of Chiswick, is a recurring fictional character from the Jeeves novels of British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being the father of Francis Bickersteth ("Bicky"). In the 1990s television series Jeeves and Wooster he is portrayed by John Savident . Adapted from "Jeeves and the Hard-Boiled Egg" (from Carry On, Jeeves) and "The Aunt and the Sluggard" (from Carry On, Jeeves).

Edgar Gascoyne Bickersteth is the luxury-hating father of Francis Bickersteth (Bicky) believes, that his son is in Colorado learning farming if he wants to keep his allowance. Bicky is staying in New York and the Duke of Chiswick finds out. He arrives in New York and believes Bertie's apartment belongs to his son, and seeing that Bicky is apparently doing well, cuts his allowance off. Since Bicky needs funds to start a chicken farm, something he believes will make him independent of his allowance, this happens at an unfortunate time for him. As for Bicky's situation, Jeeves suggests charging a fee to let people shake the Duke's hand, which would give Bicky enough money for the chicken farm. His father would not approve of the scheme and has to be convinced that a large group of men who queue up to shake his hand are all friends of his son. The ruse is discovered however, and the Duke tells Bicky he must come back to England with him, when Jeeves suggests that the story about the deveived Duke could be sold to the newspapers. As the Duke abhors reporters, he agrees to keep paying Bicky an allowance.

References

Primary sources consulted

• Wodehouse, P. G. (1975) [1938]. The Code of the Woosters. New York: Vintage Books. pp. 221–222. ISBN 0-394-72028-8. 
• Wodehouse, P. G. (1999) [1954]. Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit. London: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-028120-7. 

Secondary sources consulted

• Usborne, Richard (2003) [2002]. Plum Sauce: A P. G. Wodehouse Companion. Woodstock, New York: The Overlook Press. pp. 137–207. ISBN 1-58567-441-9.