, ▁was ▁an ▁officer ▁in ▁the ▁Her ▁Majesty ' s ▁Custom s ▁and ▁Ex c ise ; ▁his ▁mother , ▁Ele an or ▁K itchen , ▁came ▁from ▁a ▁family ▁of ▁ye omen ▁resident ▁at ▁U pton ▁for ▁more ▁than ▁two ▁centuries . ▁His ▁parents ▁later ▁moved ▁to ▁Derby , ▁and ▁T enn ant ▁attended ▁a ▁school ▁in ▁Mans field , ▁Not ting ham shire . ▁ ▁In ▁October ▁ 1 8 2 4 , ▁T enn ant ▁was ▁app r entic ed ▁to ▁John ▁Ma we , ▁a ▁deal er ▁in ▁min er als ▁at ▁ 1 4 9 ▁Str and ▁in ▁London . ▁ ▁After ▁Ma we ' s ▁ ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 9 , ▁T enn ant ▁managed ▁the ▁business ▁with ▁Ma we ' s ▁wid ow , ▁Sarah ▁Ma we , ▁who ▁became ▁known ▁as ▁" M iner alog ist ▁to ▁Her ▁Majesty ". ▁He ▁purchased ▁Sarah ' s ▁share ▁of ▁the ▁business ▁on ▁her ▁ret irement ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 0 . ▁ ▁T enn ant ▁attended ▁classes ▁at ▁a ▁mechan ics ' ▁inst itute ▁and ▁the ▁lect ures ▁of ▁Michael ▁Far ad ay ▁at ▁the ▁Royal ▁Institution ▁in ▁London . ▁In ▁ 1 8 3 8 , ▁on ▁Far ad ay ' s ▁recommendation , ▁T enn ant ▁was ▁appointed ▁teacher ▁of ▁ge ological ▁min eral ogy ▁at ▁King ' s ▁College ▁London , ▁later ▁a ▁professor . ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 3 ▁the ▁professor ship ▁of ▁ge ology ▁was ▁added ,