Thomas Key was the son of a London physician and he studied medicine at Trinity College Cambridge. However, he was very interested in the sciences and political economy, and accepted the offer of the Chair of Mathematics at the University of Virginia. He was not happy in America and returned to England in 1827. He was appointed Professor of Latin at University College London in 1828. In addition he became in 1831 Headmaster, with Henry Malden, of University College School. In 1842 he resigned from the Chair of Latin, to become the sole Headmaster of the school and first Professor of Comparative Grammar. He held these posts until his death in 1875. Key published a 'Latin Grammar' in 1846 and a 'Latin Dictionary' posthumously in 1888. He was also one of the founders of a Society for Philological Inquiries, a member of the Committee of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, and one of the founders of the London Library.
From the guide to the Thomas Key Papers, c1840-1875, (University College London)
