Hughes, Thomas (1822-1896), was an English author. He is best known for his novel Tom Brown’s School Days (1857), the earliest story about life in a British public school. He based the book on his experiences at Rugby School (see Rugby School). His next novel, Tom Brown at Oxford (1861), was less successful. He then devoted himself to religious and political writing. Hughes was active in the Christian Socialist movement and worked to improve conditions among the poor. He sponsored a short-lived settlement for poor English boys in Rugby, Tennessee. Hughes was born on Oct. 20, 1822, in Berkshire. He died on March 22, 1896.
