Thomas Hughes - Childhood and education

Childhood and education

Thomas Hughes was born in Uffington on 20th October, 1822, where his grandfather (Rev. Dr. Hughes) was the Vicar. His grandmother, Mary Ann (nee) Watts, lived in Uffington Rectory before they had married as her father, grandfather and great-grandfather had all held the living of Uffington.

Thomas was the second of the eight children born to John and Margaret Hughes. His (non-clerical) father was an essayist and storyteller, and figures as the squire in 'Tom Brown's School Days'. We learn from the book that he dealt out justice and mercy in a rough way and begat sons and daughters, and hunted the fox, and grumbled at the badness of the roads and the times. And his wife dealt out stockings, and calico shirts, and smock frocks, and comforting drinks to the old folks with the "rheumatiz", together with good council to all. The family lived in the Manor House which was on the site of the present primary school.

Thomas spent a carefree childhood in Uffington. He was encouraged to mix and play with other village children, he enjoyed rambles on the Downs, bird's nesting and stickleback fishing in Rosy Brook and the old Canal with his elderly friend Benjy. It was from Benjy that Tom learnt about the history of the village, the backswording and wrestling and about the 'veast day'. During winter months, he enjoyed tobogganing down the Manger and White Horse Hill.

Thomas Hughes never admitted that Tom Brown was, in fact, himself, saying that the character was based on at least twenty boys. But from the opening chapters we can recognise many details regarding the houses of Uffington and the lives of their occupants.

Schooling

Happy childhood days were interrupted at the age of eight when Hughes was sent to a private school at Twyford, near Winchester. When he reached eleven years old he followed his brother George to Rugby. Their father's choice of a public school had been much influenced by his admiration for Dr. Arnold, whom he had known at Oxford and for whose character and qualities as schoolmaster he had unshakeable faith - even if he had some misgivings of his political outlook. It was his time at Rugby that would inspire Thomas Hughes to write "Tom Brown's School Days", possibly the best school book ever written.

Under Dr. Arnold's leadership Rugby School underwent many changes. Hughes's early years there left a lasting impression on him. Later in life he said "What a power Rugby has been in my life. The years from ten to eighteen are the most important in a boy's life and I passed all those years under the spell of this place and Arnold, and have never ceased to thank God for it'. When the time came for Hughes to leave Rugby, much of Arnold's work had taken effect and the school was by then quite democratic in its outlook.

At Oxford

Thomas Hughes' education continued at Oriel College, Oxford, where he studied law. He made his name as a first-class cricketer and boxer and he rowed for his college. Apart from his sporting activities, the first year at Oxford was, he said, 'utterly wasted'. He fell into idle ways and made a fool of himself. He formed an association with a number of rich aristocrats who taught him the vices so much a part of that class of society at that time: swearing, gambling and the keeping of late hours. However, after his engagement to Fanny Ford he began to take a more serious view of Oxford and he took his final examinations in 1845. Thomas and Fanny were married in 1847 and Hughes was called to the Bar in 1848.