Geoff Secombe is a major supporting character in the crime comedy thriller, The Gentlemen. Vinnie Jones essays the role in the show, now streaming on Netflix.
In acknowledgment of his years of faithful service, Archibald leaves Geoff a lifetime tenancy on the gatekeeper’s cottage.
He acts as a great confidant and naturally, the late Duke could always confide in Geoff, who swore loyalty to him ever since the Duke saved him from a really tough spot once.
The gamekeeper
As the gamekeeper, Geoff knows and is familiar with every inch of the estate.
There’s no nook or cranny hidden from him and there’s no one who tries to hide themselves within it that he can’t find.
When Jethro takes a hike and Freddy and Eddie chase after him, Geoff is asked to tail him as well.
While Eddie gasses himself out running on foot, and Freddy uses a quad bike, the gamekeeper catches up to him effortlessly.
In fact, Jethro doesn’t even see him sitting beside him, and the old man isn’t even winded or troubled or anything.
He’s confident and laidback because he can just catch up to him if he makes a run for it again.
Geoff is the trusted, experienced old man in Halstead Manor who all family members rely on in different capacities.
A man of loyalty & resourcefulness
Apart from protecting the estate from outsiders, wildlife, or unwelcome social animals, he also offers help and advice to the Halstead family.
Eddie comes to him when his trust in the Glass family has attenuated heavily. Geoff tells him to bide his time and prepare for all eventualities in the meantime.
He also alerts Eddie when the Gospel comes knocking with his army of gangsters, and helps the family protect their vulnerable while also preparing various kinds of perilous weapons.
When Eddie is struggling to find other pastures for his criminal associates to expand their weed farming upon, Geoff gives Sabrina the idea that they should lend their help to the new Duke.
He shows her to Mr. Rokes, the farmer who owns the neighboring acres of land he can’t afford to keep.
He then encourages Lady Sabrina to use her persuasion skills and get Mr. Rokes to lease his land for illegal operations.
A blood relation to the family
Geoffrey’s connection to the Halstead family goes deeper than it may seem at first. He is the biological father of Charly, the youngest sibling.
She grew up practically learning everything from him and always saw him with admiration. She came about after a secret affair between Lady Sabrina and Geoff.
He decided to keep it a secret and let Charly grow up as the daughter of the Duke, which is all he could do as a father.
It was made easier for him because of the fact that he never had to part ways from her; he could see Charly anytime he wanted, as she was never that far away from him within the estate.
As an adult, when Charly returns to the estate, pregnant, it takes her little time to sense the awkwardness and secret and figure out her father is none other than the man she’s always been impressed by so much.