Nematology in England began when Henry Chariton Bastian described 100 new species belonging to 30 genera. Twenty three of these genera were new. His "Monograph of the Anguillulidae" (1866) marked the beginning of the science of nematology. In that monograph he presented for the first time a preview of the possibilities of intensive collecting in soil and plant tissues as well as in both fresh and salt water.

        The next and outstanding nematologist in history of Nematology in England was Tom Goodey. Tom Goodey published his first paper on nematodes in 1922, and from this beginning nematology prospered in that country under his enthusiastic leadership. During the early years of his career, he was located at the London School of Tropical Medicine Laboratory in St. Albans, but in 1946 he became associated with the Rothamsted Experiment Station at Harpenden. Although his first in-terest was in protozoans, he quickly made the transition to nematodes, especially those attacking plants. Numerous papers appeared in rapid succession, culminating in his book "Plant Parasitic Nematodes and the Diseases They Cause" (1933). In this very important work he assembled pertinent information on all the known plant parasitic nematodes, in-cluding illustrations of typical symptoms and fair diagnostic drawings of the species involved. This book constituted a most important step in the direction of educating plant pathologists, horticulturists, agronomists, and other agricultural workers in the role of plant parasitic nematodes in crop production.
        Following the publication of this book, Goodey began assembling a second, and in 1951 the book "Soil and Fresh Water Nematodes" appeared. This valuable volume included information on the genera of nematodes in these two groups, gave diagnoses and illustrations of the genotypes or a representative species, and listed the known species of each genus. Distribution, food habits, and ecological notes were included in most in-stances. Immediately following the completion of this book, he began developing plans for an international nematology course and symposia to be sponsored by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. This successful enterprise was held at the Rothamsted Station, September 3 to 14, 1951, with forty six persons in attendance. The majority of these were from nine European countries, with one each from Egypt, Indonesia, Israel, Uganda, South Africa, and the United States. (see photograph)
        A man of many interests, Tom Goodey found time to participate in the activities of the community in which he lived, to sing in grand opera, and to be a leader in the Friends Meeting, of which he was a member. It was after a meeting that he was suddenly stricken with a heart attack which closed his illustrious career. Honors which came to him included the Order of the British Empire and Fellow of the Royal Society of London.
 The book "Soil and Fresh Water Nematodes" was revised by J. B. Goodey in 1961. The history of nematology in England will not complete without the contribution of many other nematologists such as M. T Franklin, J. F. Southey, F. G. W. Jones, C. C. Doncaster....