the footman. thomas arrives at downton early in 1910, after working as a hallboy and then a footman in some other grand house.
he quickly ascends the 'ranks' among the downstairs staff, making first footman by 1911, a position he continues to hold through to 1914.
for a time in 1912 he briefly acts as valet to lord grantham for a few months, although it is a temporary arrangement and is quickly demoted back to first footman when mr bates arrives to fill the vacant position.
thomas feels overlooked and cheated by this, and it begins a longstanding rivalry between him and bates.

# 1910-1914

# 1914-1918

the war. encompassing the entirety of wwi, and the immediate aftermath. covering thomas' life from when he first enlists in the army's medical corp, to when he gets sent to the front - his time at war, at the somme. after he get's himself shot in the hand, and is sent home downton, working in the village hospital and then, later still, when he gets promoted to sergeant and runs the soldier's makeshift convalescent home at downton abbey.when the war is over, thomas struggles to find legitimate work and tries his hand at becoming a blackmarket businessman.

the valet & underbutler. the best and worst years of thomas' life at downton. (cw / self-harm and su*cide)his brief stint as a blackmarket salesman fails and the family rehires him, this time as valet to lord grantham (he eventually makes it to the position of underbutler sometime in 1920).
here he meets jimmy kent, the new footman, and is instantly taken by him. jimmy rejects his advances but two eventually become close friends, though thomas longs for something more. he spends the next 4 years pining for jimmy while trying to hide his feelings.when jimmy leaves downton in 1924 it's the start of thomas' downward spiral. he has lost his only close friend, is on the verge of redundancy, he realises just how much he is disliked, and how lonely he is. he undergoes conversion therapy in an attempt to "be like other people" - an electro-shock treatment in london, followed by self-administered injections at home - which leaves him sick due to the unsteralised needles. the treatment stops, but the self-harm continues and, not seeing any hope for the future, in spring 1925 thomas tries to commit suicide by slashing his wrists in the bath tub but he is discovered.he is allowed to stay at downton until his mental health improves and he is able to secure a job elsewere.

# 1918-1925

# 1925-1928

the butler. late in 1925, thomas finds a job working as butler to sir mark styles and his wife, an elderly couple with a staff of only three. he hates the job - the family is fairly boring, and he's lonely with so few staff that he doesn't know.december, news years eve, 1925, he returns to downton abbey for lady edith and bertie's wedding and becomes aware that the current butler and his old boss - mr carson - is having difficulty pouring wine and performing his duties due to his recently acquired tremor in his hands. barrow offers his assistance, happy to help even though he is a guest.
this prompts the decision for carson to retire, though to remain 'overseeing' on the estate, and thomas to be rehired, this time as downton's butler.he remains in this position until 1928, when he hands in his notice to travel to america.

a new era. a chance at a new start in life, in america. thomas now resides in hancock park, los angeles, california, with famous film star guy dexter. living and working under the pretence of being his 'dresser', although the two start a secret relationship.how does barrow adjust to his new life? does his relationship with guy work out? what awaits for him in this new life across the pond.

# 1929+