Bleak House. Bagstock, Major Joseph Neighbour of Miss Tox and friend of Paul Dombey who introduces Paul to Edith Granger and Mrs Skewton. The Major describes himself as "tough, Sir, tough, and de-vilish sly!" in Dombey and Son Bamber, Jack is an old man whom Mr Pickwick meets in The Pickwick Papers. Bantam, Angelo Cyrus is the Master of Ceremonies at a ball in The Pickwick Papers. Barbara Modest and pretty servant of the Garlands. She befriends Kit when he is also employed by the Garlands. Barbara later marries Kit in The Old Curiosity Shop. Barbary, Miss 'Godmother' who raises Esther Summerson. Later found to be Esther's aunt, the sister of Lady Dedlock in Bleak House. Bardell, Martha is Mr Pickwick's landlady in The Pickwick Papers. After a misunderstanding which leads her to believe that Pickwick has proposed marriage to her, she starts a breach of promise action against him, encouraged by the unscrupulous attorneys Dodson and Fogg. Bardell, Thomas is the son of Martha Bardell in The Pickwick Papers. Barkis A carrier between Blunderstone and Yarmouth. He marries Clara Peggotty. Quote: "Barkis is willin'" is his proposal of marriage to her in David Copperfield Barley, Old Bill Clara Barley's bedridden father, a retired ship's purser, who suffers with gout which he treats with an abundance of rum and pepper in Great Expectations. Barley, Clara Herbert Pocket's fiancée, she cares for her invalid father, Old Bill Barley, in a waterside house at Mill Pond Bank where Magwitch is hidden. After her father's death she marries Herbert in Great Expectations. Barnacle family, The Controls the Circumlocution Office, where everything goes round in circles, and nothing ever gets done. Includes Lord Decimus Tite Barnacle, his wife, Lady Jemima Bilberry, nephew Tite Barnacle, and his son Clarence Barnacle (Barnacle Junior) in Little Dorrit. William and Ferdinand Barnacle also appear. The family is allied by marriage with the Stiltstalkings. Barsad, John (alias Solomon Pross) Barsad testifies against Charles Darnay at the treason trial at the Old Bailey. Later Barsad turns up as a spy in Paris and is found to be the brother of Miss Pross. Threatened with exposure, Barsad helps Sydney Carton exchange places with Charles Darnay in prison in A Tale of Two Cities. Bates, Charley Member of Fagin's band of thieves. Often referred to by Dickens as "Master Bates." He mends his ways after Fagin is captured in Oliver Twist. Bazzard