Scotsman Obituaries: Thomas Huxley, Deputy Director of Countryside Commission who championed Scottish conservation projects


Thomas Huxley was born in Greenwich in 1929. He was a great grandson of English biologist and anthropologist, Thomas Henry Huxley, and second child of Michael Heathorn Huxley and Ottilie de Lotbinière Mills.
Following Tom’s early schooling in England, the family moved to the United States and later to Canada, where he continued his education. He returned to the UK in 1945 and completed his schooling at Gordonstoun in Morayshire.
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Hide AdNational Service followed and after basic and officer training, Tom attained the rank of 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers. He was posted to Hanover with the British Army of the Rhine for the remainder of his service.
Tom read zoology at Balliol College, Oxford, graduating with first class honours. He stayed on at Oxford for a further period carrying out research. In his second summer vacation he was a member of the Oxford University Student Expedition to Kiunga, Kenya.
In 1956 Tom gained employment with the Nature Conservancy Council in Edinburgh as a Scientific Officer, initially as assistant to the Conservation Officer, Scotland, and then as the first Regional Officer, South Scotland, rising to Senior Scientific Officer grade. His work with the Nature Conservancy involved finding a permanent field centre for the Scottish Field Studies Association. The new centre, Kindrogan, was purchased from the Forestry Commission and Tom was subsequently appointed Chairman of the Association. During his time with the Nature Conservancy he was also Chairman of the Scottish Branch of what was then the Institute of Biology, now the Royal Society of Biology, of which he became a Fellow.
In 1968 he changed jobs to become one of the first Assistant Directors of the newly created Countryside Commission for Scotland, based in Perth. In 1973, he was promoted to Deputy Director.
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Hide AdDuring his time with the Commission he chaired the Pentland Hills Technical Group, leading to the creation of the Pentland Hills Regional Park, helped initiate the listing of historic gardens and chaired meetings of the Central Scotland Woodland Project and the GB Countryside Recreation Research Group.
Tom retired in 1987. Paying tribute, the Countryside Commission’s 20th Annual Report stated: “Because he served the Commission from its earliest days, we feel it proper to express our appreciation of the outstanding contribution made by our former Deputy Director. His enthusiasm and total commitment to the Commission and its work over a period of 18 years made possible much of what we have achieved. His innovative ideas, breadth of knowledge, imagination and colourful personality provided the foundation for a great many of the Commission's most lasting successes, and we owe him a great debt of gratitude.”
On retirement, Tom became one of the Vice Chairmen of the Scottish Wildlife Trust, chairing its finance committee, and for several years was a trustee of the Scottish Conservation Trust. He also carried out committee work related to the establishment of Loch Lomond Regional Park (now Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park). In 1988 he was made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland for his contribution to nature conservation.
During his years of retirement, Tom’s industry and enthusiasm for life continued undiminished. He initially focused on new projects which included making clocks and often complex automata in his own unique, quirky and often humorous style.
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Hide AdHe continued to make furniture, to paint and draw – including sketches from his travels abroad – and maintain a large garden.
Increasingly, however, Tom returned to his biological roots, first recording the distribution of molluscs in Scotland for Michael Kerney at the British Museum, and subsequently recording the distribution of aquatic Hemiptera (Heteroptera), the latter for about ten years. He became the first national organiser for this British recording scheme and authored a provisional atlas.
In recent decades he spent much time writing, especially about his family and the history of Pitcairngreen and its neighbouring landscapes. Tom and his wife Helen bought the Old Manse in Pitcairngreen in 1971 and remained there until 2016, when they moved into a smaller and considerably more manageable house built in the corner of the Old Manse garden.
Tom remained active and in good health until July 2023 when he suffered an accident. Following this, his health deteriorated, and he died peacefully at Perth Royal Infirmary on 14 June 2024.
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Hide AdTom leaves his wife Helen, twin sons Gervas and Philip, daughter Rebecca, six grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
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