Rev. Dr. Reginald Wakefield was the local minister in Inverness around the time of Frank and Claire's second honeymoon, and a good friend of Frank's. He was also an amateur historian. The Reverend adopted his great-nephew, Roger Wakefield, after the boy's parents died during the war. He also had a housekeeper by the name of Mrs. Graham, a friendly, charming woman.
Personal History[]
Descended from vicars and curates "with the occasional bookseller thrown in for variety,"[2] Reginald Wakefield was a Presbyterian minister and an avid amateur historian. He adopted his great-nephew, Roger, after his niece and her husband died during the War.
Events of the Novels[]
While the Reverend appears alive in just the first novel, his legacy is laced throughout all the novels in the form of his collection of historical records, his journals and letters, and in Roger's memories of him.
Outlander[]
While Frank Randall and his wife Claire are Inverness, Rev. Reginald Wakefield hosts them at his home. Reginald shares Frank's interest in history and was helping Frank in his research of his ancestors. Frank is particularly interested in records concerning his ancestor Jonathan Randall, who was a captain of dragoons in the 18th century.
Dragonfly in Amber[]
In 1948, the Reverend Wakefield helps Frank and Claire in May after Claire's reappearance through the stones. He associates publicly with them to try and dampen down the gossip. After spending some time with Claire he is convinced of her sanity and can sense she has some terrible secret. A week or so after Claire's reappearance Frank asks the Reverend to do some research on Jonathan Randall and James Fraser. The Reverend discovers that Jack Randall is buried at St. Kilda.
In 1968, the Reverend has recently died, and his adopted son, Roger, is working to clear out his father's things when Dr. Claire Randall and her daughter, Brianna, arrive unannounced with specific research questions about the Jacobite Rising of 1745. Among the chaos of the Reverend's books, papers, and memorabilia, Roger finds an old newspaper clipping with a startling revelation about Dr. Randall.
Voyager[]
As they continue their search for Jamie Fraser through the historical record, Roger, Claire and Brianna spend long hours in the Reverend's study, who remains constantly in Roger's thoughts during their quest.
Drums of Autumn[]
At a Celtic festival in New England in 1969, Roger recalls a story to Brianna that the Reverend had told him about his ancestor, Mary Oliphant. The Reverend had asked her why, of her six husbands, did she only have children by Jeremiah MacKenzie, and she responded with an old Gaelic proverb: "Is fhearr an giomach na 'bhi gun fear tighe."[3] – "Better a lobster than no husband."
At the Gathering at Mount Helicon in 1770, Roger tells Jamie about a letter from Frank Randall to the Reverend, which contained both a confession and a request.
The Fiery Cross[]
In trying to decide on a wedding gift for his new bride, Roger recalls an event during his adolescence in which the Reverend was sought for assistance: Mrs. Abercrombie, a member of the Reverend's congregation, had brained her husband with the new electric steam iron he had given her for their anniversary and thought she killed him. She hadn't, though, and Mr. Abercrombie had seemed baffled by his wife's reaction, insisting that she had complained about the condition of the old iron.
Later, Roger tells Bree about Frank Randall's letter to the Reverend, in which he had asked his friend to place a false gravestone in the kirkyard at St. Kilda.
A Breath of Snow and Ashes[]
Roger recalls that the Reverend sent him to spend his summers on fishing boats when he was an unruly teenager. He also tells Brianna about how he and the Reverend would go to see monster films on Saturdays and made up their "monster" names – "Regor" and "Eigger", their own names spelled backwards – while they pretended to be Godzilla-like monsters stomping on cities made of blocks and soup cans.
As Roger comes into his vocation as a minister, he frequently remembers what the Reverend would have done in a given situation.
Having returned to the twentieth century, Roger finds a wooden chest among the remaining boxes in the garage at the Manse, with a note written by the Reverend as to the chest's origins.
An Echo in the Bone[]
While giving a seminar to Inverness locals about the Gaelic language, Roger talks about the Reverend's copy of an old hymnal containing countless prayers and incantations from the oral tradition of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.
Written in My Own Heart's Blood[]
In a letter written to Brianna, Frank Randall mentions that the Reverend Wakefield is someone that he has entrusted with information about his time in the Service – and possibly other secrets – and that the Reverend is someone Brianna should talk to once Frank is dead.
In a moment of moral quandary, Roger remembers the Reverend saying that sometimes the best (or only) thing you could do for a parishioner was to listen and pray for them.
Personality[]
Reginald was an inquisitive man with a keen interest in local history. He was also a pack rat; upon his death, he left behind hundreds of boxes filled with everything from original historical documents to his own faithfully kept journals. Though a confirmed bachelor, he was a loving father to his adopted son Roger, whom he raised with the assistance of his housekeeper, Mrs. Graham.
Physical Appearance[]
Described as a short, tubby man.[4]
Name[]
- Reginald is from Reginaldus, a Latinized form of Reynold,[5] from the Germanic name Raginald, composed of the elements ragin "advice" and wald "rule".[6]
- Wakefield originally indicated a person who came from the town of Wakefield, which means literally "field for the yearly wake or festival".[7]
Trivia[]
- Reverend Wakefield owned an ancient flatbed lorry.[8]
- In 1948 Reverend Wakefield own a dog named Herbert.[9]
TV Series[]
English actor James Fleet portrays Reverend Wakefield in the STARZ Outlander television adaptation.
Appearances[]
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ A Breath of Snow and Ashes, chapter 6: "I was the odd man out, not only for being the preacher's lad, but for having an English father and an English name." (Roger)
- ↑ Outlander, chapter 2
- ↑ Corrected in The Outlandish Companion, Vol. II to "Is fheàrr an giomach na bhith gun fhear-taighe."
- ↑ Outlander, chapter 2
- ↑ Behind the Name: Reginald - accessed 07 July 2016
- ↑ Behind the Name: Reynold - accessed 07 July 2016
- ↑ Behind the Name Surnames: Wakefield - accessed 07 July 2016
- ↑ Dragonfly in Amber, chapter 1
- ↑ Dragonfly in Amber, chapter 4