Born Spitalfields. A child prodigy, Bentham went to Oxford University aged 12. He chose not to practice law but to comment on it, institutions and society in general. He is associated with the doctrine of Utilitarianism and the principle of 'the greatest happiness of the greatest number'. He is considered the spiritual father of UCL (University College London) and it is there that his voluminous manuscripts are stored and where one can view his 'auto-icon'. This curious object (pictured) and the stories associated with it are well covered at the web site given as the picture source.
2020: the auto-icon has moved (well, it didn't get up and walk there on its own) to a new location at UCL. have the details and photos.
Our colleague, Andrew Behan, has researched this man. Starting with his there were two dates of birth shown, 15 February 1748 and 4 February 1747. seems to give just the 4 February 1747 date and as he was baptised on 14 February 1747 at the church of St Botolph without Aldgate, London, we have gone with the 1747 date. The baptismal register show his parents as Jeremiah and Alicia Bentham living at Church Lane.
2025: The gives his birthplace as "Church Lane, Houndsditch" which no longer exists. But , describing the Portsoken Ward has “Houndsditch is now built into Houses; and besides the Street … here are a great many Courts and Alleys: … beginning at Still Alley … Church Lane very large and open, the North Side fronting St. Botolph's Church, and Churchyard, hath a Row of good Buildings, of which two are large …”. Bentham’s father was an attorney so perhaps the family lived in one of these large houses.
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