Origin
Mr. Smugg is a teacher at the English Public school known as The Red Circle due to it’s buildings all being made from red sandstone and arranged in a circle around the center quad facing each others. (Just what the official name of the school is however is never revealed.)
Called Smuggy behind his back by the students, he was quick tempered and the least popular of all the lecturers at the Red Circle, as well as the most feared House Master, Mr. Smugg was thought arrogant, harsh, cruel, unfair and sneaky.
This assessment is not far off the mark as of all the teachers, Mr. Smugg is noted not only for his ready use of the cane as punishment, but his having his suit under his teacher’s gown tailored so he can have both hands free and still have ready access to his favorite implement of retribution.
As such it is Mr. Smugg who is the butt of many of the japes, escapades, and pranks played by the boys of Home, Yank and Conk House.
Mr. Smugg was one of the regular characters in a long running series of text stories found in the pages of the original Hotspur that ran for more than 40 year, and while the Red Circle has not been seen since 1979 Mr. Smugg at least did make a one panel appearence in the latest League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.