Markham (Black Orchid)
Sergeant Markham was a police officer in Oxfordshire during the 1920s.
Biography
Early life
Markham was a country-man (PROSE: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)"]) who was working as a police sergeant under Sir Robert Muir by the 1920s. (TV: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (TV story)"]) He had to deal with Cooper, a poacher, several times. His wife often remarked that he would be an inspector if he had any brains. (PROSE: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)"])
The Cranleigh murders
On 11 June 1925, Sir Robert summoned Sergeant Markham and Dr Hathaway to Cranleigh Hall following James's murder. Markham was in Chiddleton dealing with Cooper at the time and arrived late. (PROSE: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)"]) He was tasked with taking the Fifth Doctor, Adric, Nyssa and Tegan Jovanka to the police station and stopped at Cranleigh Halt so the Doctor could show them the TARDIS and prove that he was a time traveller.
The TARDIS had been confiscated, however, and the Doctor was unable to prove this until they reached the police station where Constable Cummings presented it to Markham. After Sir Robert learnt of the discovery of Raymond Digby's body, the Doctor flew him, Markham, Cummings and his companions back to Cranleigh Hall. (TV: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (TV story)"])
According to one account, Sergeant Markham attempted to stop George Cranleigh as he kidnapped Nyssa, believing she was Ann Talbot, and called the fire brigade to deal with the fire George had started. This account also stated that he stopped Adric from joining the Doctor and Charles in following George, (PROSE: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)"]) although another claimed that this was Sir Robert. Sergeant Markham witnessed George falling to his death. (TV: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (TV story)"])
Personality
Sergeant Markham was not very intelligent, a fact that he was aware of and which his wife never let him forget. (PROSE: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)"])
Appearance
Sergeant Markham was a corpulent man with a ruddy face. (PROSE: Black Orchid [+]Loading...["Black Orchid (novelisation)"])
