Lockwood & Co.

Holly Monroe is a member of the Lockwood & Co agency, handling the organizational and administrative aspects of the work. Holly brings to the team what Lockwood, Lucy, and George lacked: system, order, and clear processes—and this has noticeably changed the agency's workflow.

Holly's appearance is highly organized and polished: she has dark, shoulder-length hair and a neat, tidy appearance, as if she's just stepped into perfectly pressed clothes. Her style is strict but not cold: skirts, blouses, and sundresses are all clean, ironed, and free of unnecessary frills. The first impression is of someone "straight out of the box": fresh, neat, and impeccably organized. This outward perfection is part of her professional approach: for Holly, order in her things is order in her thoughts.

Holly's character is a blend of meticulousness, kindness, and inner strength. She's punctual, meticulous about detail, and abhors chaos. Yet she's no dry bureaucrat: she has a sense of humor, is supportive, and loves to bake, occasionally pampering the team with homemade baked goods. Her caring nature shines through in the small details: she'll tidy up the warehouse, organize gear by category, label boxes, and ensure that salt, silver, and iron chain supplies are kept within the recommended limits.

Before joining Lockwood & Co., Holly worked at another agency, where she gained experience and a deep understanding of how things work from the inside. Therefore, in her new team, she's not just an "assistant" but a full-fledged organizer: she organizes archives, keeps track of equipment, monitors schedules, and helps the team maintain focus when the going gets tough.

In the team, Holly balances Lockwood's impulsiveness, George's analytical isolation, and Lucy's collected seriousness: she creates that very "quiet support" without which even the bravest team quickly burns out.

Holly rarely goes on "field assignments" but organizes all the work from within

George Cubbins is a key member of Lockwood & Co. and is responsible for research and analytics on the team. George is the exact opposite of the impulsive Lockwood: if Lockwood pulls the team forward, then George keeps them from hasty steps, forcing them to understand the details first.

Outwardly, George is a thick, slightly clumsy teenager with sandy blonde hair and bright blue eyes; He almost never parts with his glasses, which he takes off every now and then to wipe on his sleeve. He looks careless, as if the clothes on him just "turned out" and were not carefully chosen: crumpled shirts, slightly oversized jackets, comfortable but shabby boots. This sloppiness is deceptive: behind it lies the habit of living among papers and archives, where accuracy is quickly lost in the pursuit of knowledge.

George has a good, though not outstanding, mediumistic gift: he does not see ghosts as clearly as Lockwood, nor can he feel them as keenly as Lucy, but he has a well-developed ear and sense of "strangeness"—he is the first to notice a soft grinding sound, an unnatural silence, or a subtle echo where it should not be. Thanks to this, he often records the manifestations of ghosts even before they become visible.

George's main strength is in his ability to work with information. He is able to sit for hours over yellowed reports, sorting out old newspaper clippings and comparing disparate facts in order to extract a working hypothesis from them. In the basement of the agency, he has his own "corner" with different papers. He likes to lead a "tablecloth for reflection": he draws spirals and diagrams on fabric to organize thoughts and see the connections between events.

George's character is restrained, sometimes sarcastic, he can't stand hypocrisy and empty bravado. At the same time, he is genuinely loyal to the team and often takes on the work that others would prefer to avoid. His humor — dry and a little prickly — often serves as a way to relieve tension.

Another important feature of George is his love of trifles and details, because it is in these little things that the key is hidden

The relationship with her parents was tense: there were many children in the family, her mother was single and could barely cope with the expenses, which is why she was constantly at work, and Lucy grew up under the wing of her older sister, which made her independent with a habit of not complaining about problems

1. At age five, Lucy's gift manifested itself: while playing with her younger sister by the river, she saw, or rather heard, the apparition of a woman's ghost. Noticing something was wrong, Lucy and her sister hurried away. It was later discovered that it was a ghost capable of killing children. Lucy was soon taken away for training as an operative.

2. An incident at the old mill: Lucy, a team of detectives, and an adult mentor, Inspector Jacobs, were tasked with checking the mill statue for guests. The mentor, lacking a gift, remained outside the building (out of fear), although he should have been with the children. Lucy, hearing something amiss, tried to warn the mentor, but he wouldn't listen without proof, and "feeling something amiss" wasn't proof. It turned out that a ghost of the second type had taken up residence in the mill, killing everyone except Lucy, who miraculously managed to escape. After this incident, the mentor escaped punishment, and Lucy, in a fit of rage, left home and the agency. After some time (she was rejected in other cities because of that disastrous incident), she arrived in London, where she was initially rejected at Fittis's because of the incident at the mill. Afterward, Lucy found Lockwood and George and stayed to live with them and work at the agency.

All this formed Lucy's character, her trust in her instincts and gifts, as well as impulsiveness in cases similar to the one with the mill, but also composure and responsibility in work

Lucy Carlisle is one of the key figures of the Lockwood & Co. agency, an observant, collected and internally very persistent girl. She narrates in books, and her look sets the tone of the whole story: attentive, honest, without unnecessary pathos.

Outwardly, Lucy looks inconspicuous, but there is something in her appearance that makes people listen to her. She has neat facial features, a calm look, and she usually gathers her hair in a simple hairstyle - this is more convenient in work, where at any time you may need to move quickly. Lucy dresses practically: thick trousers, shirt, jacket, sturdy boots. The equipment invariably includes protective gloves and a belt with fasteners for equipment - lanterns, silver bombs, iron chains. Functionality is important to it: no unnecessary detail that could interfere in a dangerous situation.

Lucy's character combines caution and determination. She is not inclined to rush forward without assessing the risks, but if the decision is made, she acts firmly and to the end. She is characterized by internal discipline: she knows how to keep her emotions under control when there is chaos around, and at the same time does not lose the ability to sympathize and notice when others are struggling. It is she who often becomes the link that keeps the team from rash steps, and at the same time the one who will not allow you to retreat when it is impossible to retreat.

Lucy has a strong mediumistic gift, but she treats it not as something romantic, but as a tool: it gives her signals - cold, goosebumps, the feeling of someone else's gaze - and she learns to trust these sensations in order to notice the threat in time. At the same time, it does not rely only on intuition: it is important for it to rely on facts, check sources, compare data from archives and field observations.

Another of her strengths is her ability to work with information and people. Lucy listens attentively, remembers details, notices inconsistencies in stories and knows how to ask the right questions. This balances Lockwood's impulsiveness with George's immersion in research.

Anthony Lockwood's past is a story of loss and early hardening, which in many ways shaped his character.

Lockwood grew up in a family of paranormal researchers: his parents were professionally engaged in the study of ghosts and collected dangerous artifacts. Because of work, they were often absent, and Anthony was looked after by nannies - so from childhood he was used to relying primarily on himself. The house on Portland Row, which would later become the agency's headquarters, was his home, filled not with ordinary children's things, but with ghost guides, old reports, and boxes of his parents' findings.

A tragic turning point in Lockwood's life was the death of his older sister Jessica. She was dismantling one of the boxes with artifacts, and due to an accident, a ghost was released - Jessica died. Anthony took this loss hard: the feeling of guilt and pain made him withdrawn and cautious in the manifestation of emotions for a long time. At the same time, it was then that he finally strengthened his understanding of how real and merciless "Problem" is, and that it must be dealt with professionally and coolly.

Another important detail of the past is fencing. Lockwood was seriously engaged in this sport and even reached the final of the youth championship: this training gave him not only honed reflexes and confident use of the foil, but also the habit of calculating actions several steps ahead. Fencing discipline organically fell on his approach to working with ghosts: there, too, speed, accuracy and the ability to keep a cool head under pressure are important.

From an early age, Lockwood absorbed professional knowledge: he understood the types of ghosts, knew the basic methods of protection, knew how to read archival records and compare facts. This database allowed him to later confidently conduct investigations and not get lost even in the most confusing cases.

Anthony Lockwood is the leader of the Lockwood & Co. agency, a teenager with a pronounced character who is immediately remembered both in the team and among rivals. He is tall, thin, holds himself freely and confidently - in his posture and manner of movement, you can feel the habit of being the center of attention. He has blond hair, often carelessly styled, and lively, attentive eyes: he seems to be constantly scanning the space, noticing details.

Lockwood dresses practically, but with a slight casual elegance: most often he wears a dark jacket over a shirt, trousers, comfortable shoes - clothes in which you can meet a client, go down to a dark basement, and quickly get away from danger. An important detail of his image is the iron rapier, which he almost always carries with him: for him, it is not only a weapon, but also part of his professional identity.

Lockwood's character combines courage and prudence. He is not one of those who rush into adventures without a plan, but if there is a plan, he is ready to go to the end, even if the risk is great. It is important for him to maintain control over the situation, so he takes responsibility for decisions and is not afraid to argue with authorities. At the same time, he is not a cold commander: he has a sincere care for the team, the ability to support and joke in time to relieve tension.

Lockwood has a well-developed gift of medium: he subtly senses the presence of ghosts, distinguishes their types by subtle signs - cold, smell, flickering, a strange feeling of "emptiness" in the air. His sensitivity makes him especially valuable in the field, but he is also vulnerable: strong ghosts can affect him more than others.

Another important trait is a love for old things and mysteries. Lockwood is interested in studying archives, likes to dig through old records, and collects unusual items related to the paranormal. In his room and in the agency's library, you can find old books, yellowed clippings, maps, and artifacts that he picks up not for beauty, but because they may hold a clue

On the upper floors there are bedrooms for the agency's residents and small utility rooms. The attic is adapted for living space: there is enough space for a bed, wardrobe and chest of drawers, and the window overlooks the street.

In general, the house combines everyday life and workspace: each room is both residential and functional, and any details of the interior are subordinated to the main task - to ensure safety and readiness for work in a world where the phantom threat is real and constant.

The atmosphere is "worker's home chaos". In the kitchen there are constant blockages (food packages, dishes, information about affairs and more), and on the table there is always a "tablecloth of thoughts", written with everything - you can say a draft and a notebook for plans, daily affairs and other information.

The living room is the complete opposite: since customers are often received there, it is always tidy, convenient for talking to people, there are treats and there is nothing that could scare a person away.

there is also a room on the ground floor that cannot be entered - the former room of Lockwood's parents before they died, as well as the ghost of Lockwood's sister and many things left by his parents. Outside it is an ordinary room, but inside the door of the department is made of iron. no one goes there at Lockwood's request, so no one knows what's there except Lockwood himself.

The building of the Lockwood & Co. agency is an old mansion at 35 Portland Row in London. This is a typical city house of the Victorian era: elongated in depth, with a façade in a sober style, high windows and a massive front door. From the outside, the house looks solid, but not flashy - in the spirit of an area where old mansions and quiet streets coexist.

The building has a small rear orchard with apple trees; Due to the busyness of the inhabitants, it is slightly neglected: the grass grows tall, fallen apples lie on the ground. A glass door from the basement opens to the garden — it is made of reinforced glass, which is typical for houses in the era of the "Problem": protection from ghosts here is not a luxury, but a necessity. Around the house, you can see signs of protective measures, such as iron strips at the thresholds and grooves for running water: these barriers weaken ghosts and prevent them from getting inside.

Inside, the layout is multi-level. On the ground floor there is an entrance hall, a living room, a kitchen and a library. The hallway serves as a kind of "gateway": here you leave equipment, hang raincoats, put rapiers in a stand; there is also a skull-shaped lamp - not only a detail of the interior, but also a functional source of bright light that scares away Guests. The living room is used for meetings with clients and discussions: it has a fireplace, sofas and armchairs, arranged so that it is convenient to talk. The kitchen is a place where you cook and at the same time carry out operational work: notes, maps and to-do lists are laid out on the table, turning it into a work center.

The basement is the heart of the agency. There is a workspace with desks, shelves with archives and reference books, as well as a training area: here they practice rapier techniques and prepare equipment. A separate room in the basement is a storage room for supplies: iron chains, salt and silver bombs, lanterns and other means of protection are stored in it.

On the upper floors there are bedrooms for the agency's residents and small utility rooms. The attic is adapted for living space: there is enough space for a bed, a wardrobe and a chest of drawers.

Quill Kipps' group is a team of Fittis Agency operatives led by Quill Kipps. This group is a direct opposition to Lockwood's team: more resources versus ingenuity, regulations versus improvisation.

Kipps is an ambitious, blunt, and very proud agent; he is sensitive to reputation and constantly wants to prove that his team is the best (including better than Lockwood). In the books, he acts as both a rival and a situational ally: when the threat becomes too serious, Kipps is able to put aside personal animosity and act together.

His group includes:

Kat Godwin is a strong field agent, collected and cool, good with equipment and tactical competent.

Bobby Vernon is energetic, fast, often proactive; Responsible for reconnaissance and quick maneuvers.
Previously, Ned Shaw was on the team - his line emphasizes the risks of the profession and how quickly the situation can get out of control.
Kipps' team is typical of a large agency: they have the best equipment, access to Fittis' archives, clear protocols, and support from above. Their style of work is as controlled as possible: minimum risk, maximum insurance, everything is according to plan. At the same time, it is precisely because of this "correctness" that they sometimes lose to Lockwood: in non-standard situations where you need to quickly come up with a non-standard solution, the cumbersome system fails.

During major cases, Kipps and his group often cross paths with Lockwood, and these skirmishes show the difference in approaches: Kipps relies on strength and status, Lockwood on intuition and courage. At critical moments, Kipps still shows professionalism and helps, even if he does it reluctantly.

What is the Fairfax Iron Company
It is a manufacturer of iron products – and in the world of books, this is critically important because iron is one of the main means of protection against ghosts (along with silver and running water). Long before "Problem", the company produced cast iron and iron goods, and when it turned out that iron weakens the Guests, the business grew dramatically.

Fairfax Iron supplied:

iron filings, chains, seals - for agency equipment;
components for "ghost lanterns" (bright street lamps that repel ghosts);
household protective items – for example, iron necklaces and bracelets for babies, iron gnomes as decorative, but functional amulets.
That is, the company does not catch ghosts, but provides the industry with protective equipment. It's part of the infrastructure that allows agencies like Fittis, Winkman, and even little Lockwood to do field work.

John Fairfax and communication with the company
John Fairfax is the head of Fairfax Iron. In the plot, he appears as an influential person from the "business world", accustomed to acting tough and pragmatic. His interests overlap with the work of agencies, because he is directly dependent on the demand for iron in the paranormal sphere, and he also often becomes a client of hunters himself: in one of the cases, Lockwood's agency is hired to clear his house of a ghost.

After John's death, the management of the company passed to his niece Angelina Crawford. This also has plot significance: due to the circumstances of his uncle's death, the relationship between the Fairfax family and the agencies becomes strained, and this affects the reputation and perception of the company in the professional environment.

Fittis Agency is the most influential and largest. It was founded by Marissa Fittis, and by the time of the action of the books, it is led by Penelope Fittis. The agency has an extensive network of branches, huge budgets, access to closed archives and its own research centers. An important element of the infrastructure is the Fittis Furnaces in Clerkenwell: these are specialized installations for destroying the Origins. Fittis's reputation is largely based on Marissa's scientific writings, including her theory of Type Three ghosts. The Agency is actively involved in the formation of standards and rules of work, and its opinion is weighty for DEPIK (state regulator).

The Winkman Agency (led by Julius Winkman) is another serious player. It is known for aggressive business tactics, the desire to intercept lucrative contracts, and fierce competition with other agencies. Winkman relies on scale and demonstrative efficiency, often using PR and pressure to strengthen his position in the market.

In addition, there are many smaller agencies in London, as well as the state-owned DEPIC, which oversees the industry, distributes licenses, and monitors compliance. At the same time, all large agencies rely on the same specifics: the main fighting force for them remains teenagers with the gift of seeing ghosts, and adults occupy managerial and administrative roles.

Ghost of the Third Type (rarest and most dangerous)
Extremely rare Guests with an almost complete personality and the ability to communicate meaningfully. Only people with a special level of Gift can interact with them. Only a few examples of such ghosts are directly mentioned in the books.

Features:

able to conduct a dialogue and convey information;
often associated with very strong Origins and large-scale tragedies;
Their behavior is unpredictable: they can both help and intentionally mislead.
Due to the rarity and difficulty of interacting with them, agencies try to avoid direct contact and operate through the isolation of the Source. many consider this type to be a myth, but after the appearance of the "skull" (It is a ghost of the Third Type, encased in a jar of silver glass. Its Source is the skull itself, which is why it is called that. very cunning, sarcastic, does not give direct answers, but prompts, and the behavior is very unpredictable and depends on the mood, sometimes tries to manipulate others) the company of Lockwood and Fittis believe in them

Important common features of all types:
The ghost's touch is deadly. Even a weak Type One Guest can kill on direct contact if not immediately helped.
Connection with the Source. Any ghost is bound to an object or place (the Source): as long as it exists, the ghost can manifest again and again.
Weaknesses. All types are vulnerable to bright white light, iron, silver, and running water, all of which are the principles of all Operators' equipment.
Manifestations. Many ghosts have a distinctive aura ("otherworldly light"), temperature (extreme cold), smells, or sound effects.

Ghost of the First Type (Least Dangerous)
These are the weakest and most common Guests. They can be frightening, create unpleasant effects, but are rarely able to cause serious physical harm. Often manifest as subtle visual or sensory phenomena.

Examples and subtypes:

Glimmers look like sparks of otherworldly light and can be passed through without harm.
Shadows and Lurkers are faint silhouettes that slide along walls and corners, most often just signaling the presence of the Source.
Pale Stench - give a strong smell of decay, but almost do not manifest themselves visually; dried lavender helps against them.
Cold Maidens and Soaring Brides are female ghostly figures, often with missing body parts; can cause severe chills and discomfort.
Shimmering are unstable, quickly disappearing images.
To combat them, lanterns, iron objects and simple barriers are usually enough.

Ghost of the Second Type (dangerous and intelligent)
Strong Guests who are already purposefully threatening people. They retain the remnants of their minds, are aware of the living, and are able to plan simple actions to do harm. Contact with them is deadly.

Examples and subtypes:

Spectra are bright, well-defined figures, often with a dark or sinister aura; actively persecute people.
Poltergeists manifest themselves through the movement of objects, blows, slamming doors; can create traps.
The Raw Bones are eerie, "unfinished" figures, as if assembled from fragments; cause intense fear and disorientation.
Howling Spirits - Can be nearly invisible, but emit screams that are inaudible to the normal ear that paralyze the victim, leaving them vulnerable to Touch.
Doubles - copy the appearance of familiar people to disorient and frighten; dangerous precisely because of the psychological effect.
Fetches and Dark Ghosts - Often act in groups, hunting down prey and attacking in a coordinated manner.

Serious means are needed against them: iron rapiers, silver dust, powerful lanterns, sometimes traps and barriers of running water.

Ghost Weaknesses and Equipment
In this world, clear methods of struggle have been developed, based on traditional superstitions, but presented as practical science:

ghosts are afraid of iron, silver, bright light and running water;
operatives use iron rapiers, chains, chain traps, silver dust, lanterns and other special equipment;
detective work plays an important role: you need not only to fight, but also to find out the history of the ghost, search for the Source, study archives and old records.

Social and economic situation
The problem has hit the economy hard: many enterprises cannot work at night, some production facilities are closed, budgets are redistributed to combat the paranormal threat. There is tension between different agencies, competition, bureaucracy and corruption in society, and the fate of former operatives who have lost their gift with age is often sad: they are unclaimed and psychologically broken.

Atmosphere and locations
London in the books is a city of old mansions, narrow streets, dark basements and abandoned houses, where danger can lurk behind every door. Frequent locations:

gloomy houses with "cursed" rooms and stairs;
archives and libraries where information about ghosts is searched;
cemeteries and old burials;
the streets of the night city, illuminated by ghostly lanterns.

The world of the Lockwood & Company series (by Jonathan Stroud) is a gloomy, noir London, similar to the reality of the mid-twentieth century (there is electricity and cars, but no television and the Internet), where humanity is faced with a large-scale paranormal threat — the so-called Problem.

The essence of the problem
Ghosts have spread throughout Britain (in books they are called "Guests"), which are not just frightening, but really dangerous: contact with them can hurt or kill. Ghosts are associated with material objects – the so-called Origins: it is through them that restless souls are kept in our world. To get rid of the ghost, you need to find and destroy or isolate the Source.

How the world has adapted to the
threat Society has rebuilt itself under constant danger:

Curfew. After sunset, it is not safe for people to go outside: ghosts are more active and dangerous in the dark.
Ghost lamps. There are special bright lanterns on the streets, whose white light scares away Guests.
Protection of houses. People strengthen their homes: they surround the thresholds with iron strips, dig grooves with running water - all this weakens ghosts.
Special services. There are government agencies (for example, DEPIK – Department of Parapsychological Investigations and Control) and many private agencies that are engaged in clean-ups and investigations.

Who fights ghosts
The key feature of the world is that the mediumistic gift (the ability to see, hear and feel ghosts) is possessed mainly by children and teenagers; This gift usually disappears after the age of 20. Therefore, the main operatives in agencies are boys and girls aged 12-18, and adults often act as curators, administrators and mentors.

Lockwood & Company is one such agency, and the smallest: it has only three teenagers (Anthony Lockwood, Lucy Carlisle, and George Cubbins), and they do not have an adult curator, which is why they regularly face bureaucratic and reputational difficulties.