We have had my lists of the Top 10 Jinty Villains and the Top 10 Misty Villains. Now it makes sense to conclude with Top 10 Tammy Villains. In compiling this list I found Tammy was relatively low on supernatural and SF villains. I believe this is because Tammy had a high emphasis on cruel, abusive villains who tortured and exploited the protagonists, particularly in her early years. Jealous rivals, scheming employers and gold diggers were also frequent.
As always, I have tried to be as broad as possible in the types of villains that appeared in Tammy, and acknowledge that the list may be subject to second guessing and alternative suggestions. Please express your views in the comments below.
Now, the countdown will begin…
10: Sir Edgar Whitland
Story: The Fairground of Fear
Creators: Diane Gabbot (artist); writer unknown
Although Sir Edgar was not initially set up as the villain in the story he turns out to be the true one, and it is his ruthless acts that are responsible for why “the fairground of fear” is bringing such trouble to the village of Baychurch. He is such a snob and a hard-hearted man, and holds the good name of Whitland so high above all else that there is nothing and nobody he won’t destroy in order to uphold it. He is capable of wrecking the lives of innocent people, even those of his own family, just to uphold the name of Whitland. He ruined his own daughter’s marriage to Alan Barker by having Barker sent to prison on a false charge, just because he could not stand the thought of “that nobody” being part of the “great Whitland family”.
When Barker returns for revenge and clearing his name, Sir Edgar absolutely refuses to bow to Barker’s coercion to make a confession because he will not destroy the great name of Whitland. He even destroys the evidence that would have cleared Barker. He does not care squat that the village is suffering because of his refusal to confess or even when it puts the life of his adopted daughter/granddaughter Julie in danger. Instead, he abandons Julie to her fate and won’t make any confession to save her. All he cares about is the great name of Whitland. He does not even make any effort to help Julie. It’s no wonder Julie never wants to see him again after that. Sir Edgar Whitland is one of the most despicable characters ever to appear in Tammy. Not many Tammy villains would arouse the same repugnance that readers would have for this ruthless snob with a heart of stone.
9: Aunt Aggie
Story: Aunt Aggie
Creators: J Badesa (artist); Pat Mills (writer)
You know those serials about a girl who seems so sweet and angelic but in reality is a dirty schemer who takes advantage of people? Aunt Aggie is the adult version. Aunt Aggie is the star of a famous down to earth chat show and famous for her kind, generous personality and helping people. However, her adopted daughter Helen Gray knows all too well that off-screen, Aunt Aggie is a hard-hearted, selfish, scheming woman. She only gets involved in charity events in order to pull dirty tricks to turn the event to her own advantage. However, Helen always comes up with the answer to thwart those schemes of Aunt Aggie’s and give her would-be-victims the last laugh without them even realising it. Aunt Aggie was so popular that she even spawned her own competition where readers had to send in ideas of schemes of her to pull and Helen to foil.
8: The Crystal Aliens
Story: E.T. Estate
Creators: Guy Peeters (artist); Jake Adams (writer)
Space aliens were not common villains in Tammy, but these gaseous crystal aliens are ones to dread far more than most alien invader serials. They are body snatchers who feed off the life forms they replicate (and keep trapped in their crystals). They spell doom for any planet they land on because they will continue to feed off all its life forms until the planet is stripped bare and all life on it becomes extinct. In other words, it’s genocide and mass extinction on a planet-wide scale. Then they will go back into outer space and drift for so many years until they find another suitable planet.
7: Bert
Story: It’s a Dog’s Life!
Creators: Phil Townsend (artist); Alison Christie (writer)
There aren’t many boy villains in girls’ comics, but this one is a worthy rarity for the villains list. The animal cruelty Bert (no last name given) is capable of is so sickening and brutal he goes straight into the Top 10 list.
Bert is being paid to mind a dog, Riley, as his owner is away so much. Now, you’d think that one look at this thuggish-looking boy should alert Riley’s owner as to what sort of carer Bert is and he would be wiser to take Riley to the kennels, but no. Bert’s list of cruelties against Riley include starving him, constantly kicking him like a football, putting him on a chain that is too short, no proper shelter, and having him pull a shopping trolley that is way too heavy for him. It’s a wonder Riley hasn’t died under Bert’s charge. It would not be at all surprising if Bert is also the worst bully in the school and notorious for beating up other children.
6: The Rotts
Story: Olympia Jones
Creators: Eduardo Feito (artist); Anne Digby (writer)
Much of why Olympia Jones is such a well-remembered Tammy classic is due to its two villains: Mr Rott and his daughter Linda. In fact, it’s their scheming that gives the story far more excitement and thrills than Olympia’s quest to win an Olympic gold. Rott sacked Olympia for cruelty (brutal whippings) to one of his circus horses, Prince, when he knows very well his daughter Linda was the one responsible. He did it to cover up for Linda and worm his way out of trouble with animal welfare officer, Horace Phipps. The Rotts don’t mind when Olympia runs off with Prince afterwards because they have gotten a good exchange out of it.
But some time later the Rotts discover Olympia has turned Prince into an Olympic prospect, which makes him worth an even bigger fortune. Seeing their chance, the Rotts take advantage of Phipps, his animal welfare society, and then the police to get Prince back for them. They trick these poor mugs into laying false charges of horse theft and animal cruelty against Olympia, and she ends up in court. Poor Olympia looks done for because she has absolutely no case to offer against what the Rotts have concocted to destroy her. And Prince looks set to face the same cruelty yet again at the hands of the Rotts…
5: Miss Bigger
Story: Wee Sue
Creators: various artists and writers
Bully teachers and old dragons cropped up regularly in school stories as teachers/headmistresses that readers just loved to hate. The best remembered and longest running of them all is Miss Bigger, the nemesis of Wee Sue. Miss Bigger is a real tartar of a teacher who specialises in “whacking great helping[s] of homework”. And the girls dread the moment when Miss Bigger is in a foul mood, for she will take it out on them. Miss Bigger is also vain, conniving, and forever trying to ingratiate herself with the higher levels in society and taking undeserved credit. She often ropes the girls into doing the donkey work in one of her grand schemes, of which she plans to profit from.
Miss Bigger’s biggest dislike is the smallest girl in her class, Sue Strong. Sue is always coming up with schemes to get the girls out of Miss Bigger’s monstrous amounts of homework or whatever she has lined up for them, and Miss Bigger finds it most infuriating that the midget’s brains are too mighty for her. Still, Miss Bigger is allowed to win now and then, and there are times when she and Sue both lose. There are also plenty of occasions when Miss Bigger finds herself in desperate need of Sue Strong when she is in a jam, or even outright danger. In fact, there are some stories where Miss Bigger and Sue are almost friends. It is a curious love-hate relationship between Miss Bigger and Sue, which is played for light relief and to delight the readers.
Continued next page…
A Resource on Jinty: Artists, Writers, Stories 
Interesting trilogy of lists. I personally would have maybe put Ma Thatcher at #1 or 2 but good stuff.
Thank you for the feedback. It was either the Barlows or Pickering at number one as Tammy’s longest-running and best-known villains. It was a tough choice, and the loser had to be runner-up at number two. Which left Ma Thatcher at number 3.