About the records

Administrative Information

This project was enabled through RSLP funding as part of the HOST project.

Scope and Content

The records of Thomas Henry Huxley held at Imperial College consist of three main collections. ‘The Huxley Papers [Dawson Catalogue] 1839 - 1931’, ‘Scientific Papers 1846’ and ‘Correspondence with Henrietta Heathorn 1847 - 1854’.

Papers of Thomas Henry Huxley, 1839-1931, comprising scientific and general correspondence, 1846-1911, notably from Alexander Emanuel Agassiz, 1874-1895; Matthew Arnold, [1870]-1880; William George Armstrong, 1874-1900; Charles Robert Darwin, [1851]-1882; Anton Dohrn, 1867-1900; John Fretchfield Dykes Donnelly, 1870-1897; Frederick Daniel Dyster, [1854-1892]; Michael Foster, 1865-1902; Edward Frankland, 1857-1895; Ernst Haeckel, 1862-[1907]; Albany Hancock, 1852-1870; Joseph Dalton Hooker, [1853]-[1900]; James Hunt, 1866-1868; Benjamin Jowett, [1870]-1893; Charles Kingsley, 1859-1871; James Thomas Knowles, 1871-1908; Edwin Ray Lankester, [1872]-[1907]; Joseph Norman Lockyer, [1863]-1894; Charles Lyell, 1853-1873; John Morley, 1867-1892; Herbert Spencer, 1852-1900; John Tyndall, 1851-1894; Edward Perceval Wright, 1860-1874; supplementary letters, 1842-1931, principally Huxley family letters, 1842-1886; letters to Mrs Huxley and Dr Leonard Huxley, 1868-1931; letters by T H Huxley, principally drafts or copies, 1850-1895; copies of correspondence of Joseph Dalton Hooker, 1856-1897; personal papers, 1839-1891, comprising miscellaneous papers, 1839-1911, including sketches and bills; diplomas and appointments, 1850-1893; papers relating to anthropology and ethnology, 1866-1890, including lecture course on ethnology; papers relating to biology, 1846-1900, including notes and drawings relating to published papers on marine invertebrates, zoological papers sent to the Royal and Linnean Societies from HMS RATTLESNAKE; papers relating to lectures and essays, Darwin's works; papers relating to education, 1861-1893, concerning scientific and technical education, reform of the University of London, press cuttings; papers of the Fisheries Commissions and Scottish Fishery Board, 1858-1864; reports, notes, drawings and lectures relating to geology and palaeontology, 1854-1891; papers relating to philosophy and ethics, 1871-[1893], including material for a history of philosophy and human thought; theology and biblical criticism, [1859-1895] principally notes and unfinished essays; papers relating to the British Museum, sociology and politics, spiritulism, [1858-1894]; notebooks,1846-1894, some containing drawings, relating to philosophy, lectures at the Royal Institution, London Institution, Royal College of Surgeons, biology, zoology, publications, religion; appointment diaries, 1857-1894; drawings, [1849-1872], mainly of landscapes and some specimens; caricatures and cartoons, [1852-1883]; photographs and engravings, [1846-1890], mainly of people and houses; posthumous papers, [1895-1925], including obituaries and reminiscences.

Scientific papers of T H Huxley, 1846-1898, comprising notebooks made whilst Assistant Surgeon to HMS RATTLESNAKE, 1846-1850, containing his observations, sketches of specimens, notably oceanic hydrozoa, mollusca and crustacea, related notes; scientific notebooks, papers and correspondence, [1855-1888], relating to botany and principally zoology, bound in volumes largely according to zoological classification, including invertebrata, crustacea, vertebrata, teleostei, amphibia, reptilia, aves, mammalia, carnivora, primates, anthropology, mycological, bacteria, hirudinea, mollusca, petromyzon, ganoidei, sturiones, dipnoi, teleostei, salmonidae, insectivora, rodentia, lepus, canidae, fossil fishes, dinosauria, ethnology, origins of biology, gentiana; correspondence concerning deep sea soundings, 1857; syllabus and notes for lectures, [1860-1886], for the Government (later Royal) School of Mines, Royal Institution, working men, London Institution, University of Edinburgh, notably on natural history, zoology, ethnology, elementary geography, physiography; correspondence, 1851-1894; notebooks, [1847-1884], concerning visits to Switzerland, Tenby, Italy, notes on anatomy and vertebrae; drawings, [1847-1895] many illustrating laboratory work, and relating to observations in his notebooks, relating to protozoa and botany; coelenterata, brachiostomata, echinodermata, mollusca; vermes and arthropoda with peripatus; pisces with tunicata and amphioxus; mammalia; anthropological photographs, [1868-1898].

Correspondence between Thomas Henry Huxley and Henrietta Anne Heathorn, 1847-1854, written during their engagement whilst Henrietta was living in Australia, and providing a detailed account of their relationship.