1825-1842.

[In the year 1825 Ealing was as quiet a country village as could be
found within a dozen miles of Hyde Park Corner. Here stood a large
semi-public school, which had risen to the front rank in numbers and
reputation under Dr. Nicholas, of Wadham College, Oxford, who in 1791
became the son-in-law and successor of the previous master.

The senior assistant-master in this school was George Huxley, a tall,
dark, rather full-faced man, quick tempered, and distinguished, in his
son's words, by "that glorious firmness which one's enemies called
obstinacy." In the year 1810 he had married Rachel Withers; she bore
five sons and three daughters, of whom one son and one daughter died in
infancy; the seventh and youngest surviving child was Thomas Henry.

George Huxley, the master at Ealing, was the second son of Thomas Huxley
and Margaret James, who were married at St. Michael's, Coventry, on
September 8, 1773. This Thomas Huxley continued to live at Coventry
until his death in January 1796, when he left behind him a large family
and no very great wealth. The most notable item in the latter is the
"capital Messuage, by me lately purchased of Mrs. Ann Thomas," which he
directs to be sold to pay his debts--an inn, apparently, for the
testator is described as a victualler. Family tradition tells that he
came to Coventry from Lichfield, and if so, he and his sons after him
exemplify the tendency to move south, which is to be observed in those
of the same name who migrated from their original home in Cheshire. This
home is represented to-day by a farm in the Wirral, about eight miles
from Chester, called Huxley Hall. From this centre Huxleys spread to the
neighbouring villages, such as Overton and Eccleston, Clotton and
Duddon, Tattenhall and Wettenhall; others to Chester and Brindley near