Jeremy Bentham and His Mourning Rings

Jeremy Bentham

What do you think of when I say the word: mummy? Perhaps you think of Tutenkamun’s funerary mask, and last-minute toilet roll Halloween costumes, or maybe (like me) you think of Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz. I doubt, however, that you think of 19th-century philosophers. Jeremy Bentham wanted to change that.

Immortalised in the corridors of UCL, sits the mummified body of Jeremy Bentham. Now a local celebrity among the students, Bentham was once known for more than just his corpse. During his lifetime he was a somewhat controversial but hugely influential philosopher, jurist, and social reformer.

Upon his death, he commissioned 26 mourning rings to be made. Our upcoming Fine Jewellery auction will feature one of these rings, dedicated to Dr Neil Arnott. This ring has been with the Arnott family since it was made, making this the first time that it has been open to the public to view and to bid. The hunt to collect these 26 rings has been ongoing for several years, we are delighted to have uncovered another!

Life and Work

Jeremy Bentham lived from 1748 to 1832 and is best known for his development of utilitarianism, a consequentialist ethical theory that judges actions by their outcomes in terms of pleasure and pain. Bentham’s early life was marked by precocious intellectual talent, evident in his enrollment at Oxford University at the age of just 12. He later pursued legal studies and was called to the bar, but his true passion lay in philosophy and social reform.

In addition to his renowned philosophy of utilitarianism, he played a key role in founding University College London (UCL). Bentham’s vision for UCL emphasized practical, secular education accessible to all, regardless of social or religious background. He championed critical thinking and the application of knowledge to societal issues. Though he didn’t live to see its founding, Bentham’s influence shaped UCL’s ethos as a pioneering institution committed to intellectual freedom and social progress.

Utilitarianism and Beliefs

Utilitarianism, Bentham’s most significant contribution, posits that the morally right action is the one that maximises overall happiness or pleasure and minimises suffering or pain for the greatest number of people. However, Bentham’s work extended beyond philosophy. He was notable in fields such as economics, politics, and law. He advocated for legal and penal reform, arguing for the reduction of unnecessary suffering in prisons and the justice system. His ideas influenced many subsequent thinkers, including John Stuart Mill, who refined and popularized utilitarianism in the 19th century.

Bentham was a staunch advocate for individual freedoms and civil liberties, arguing for the protection of rights such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to participate in democratic governance. He believed that a just society was one in which individuals were free to pursue their interests as long as they did not infringe upon the rights of others. He was also one of the earliest people to speak out in favour of women’s rights, animal rights, and the decriminalisation of homosexuality.

Jeremy Bentham: Death and Auto-Icon

Bentham seemed to have a preoccupation with his mortality and eventual death. He wrote his first will and testament when he was just 21. Consistent with his utilitarianism beliefs, Bentham had a pragmatic approach to end-of-life.

He passed away on June 6, 1832, at the age of 84. Upon his death, Bentham left specific instructions for the preservation of his body through a process called auto-iconisation. Following his wishes, his body was dissected, embalmed, and dressed in his usual attire. His preserved skeleton was then encased within a wooden frame, topped with a wax head sculpted to resemble him. This auto-icon, as Bentham termed it, was intended to serve as a visual reminder of his ideas and principles.

Bentham’s auto-icon was initially kept in a wooden cabinet, but it now resides in a specially designed glass case at UCL. Visitors can view the auto-icon and contemplate the legacy of one of history’s most influential philosophers.

Originally, Bentham had requested that his mummified head sit atop his body. Unfortunately, the preservation process was unsuccessfully resulting in a rather scary sight. It was therefore decided by University administration, to keep his head in their archives – although they sometimes bring it out for special exhibitions!

The Mourning Rings

Among his slightly odd requests for his death, he also commissioned 26 mourning rings. They featured his silhouette and a lock of his hair. These rings have now been scattered around the world, with people hunting to find them! The 26 recipients of these rings were:

Dr Neil Arnott

Sarah Austin

Henry Bickersteth

Felix Bodin

John Bowring

Samuel Cartwright

Edwin Chadwick

Mary Louise de Chesnel

Richard Doane

Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilber du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette

Albany Fonblanque

James Harfield

John Stuart Mill

General William Miller

Joseph Parkes

Francis Place

Jean-Baptiste Say

Thomas Southwood Smith

William Stockwell

William Tait

Thomas Perronet Thompson

John Tyrrell

José Cecilio del Valle

Jean-Sylvain de Weyer

Mary Watson

George Wheatley

We are delighted that our upcoming Fine Jewellery auction will feature one of these rings, once belonging to Dr Neil Arnott.

Jeremy Bentham’s Mourning Ring

This ring had been in Dr Neil Arnott’s family since it was first bequeathed to him in Bentham’s will. It came to Fellows by direct descent, meaning that this is the first time that this ring has been publically identified and has been open to the public to view and to bid. We are thrilled to offer to auction another one of these 26 historic rings. Similar rings have portraits of Bentham attributed to John Field.

Fine Jewellery | Thursday 21st March 2024

Viewing times (ID required):

London

Tuesday 12th March 12:00-19:00

Wednesday 13th March 10:00-16:00

Birmingham

Tuesday 19th March 10:00-16:00

Wednesday 20th March 10:00-16:00

Thursday 21st March 8:30-10:00

Virtual viewings are available by request. Virtual viewings are the ultimate personal shopping experience. Using Zoom, you can ask us whatever you need to know in order to buy with confidence. Find out more here.

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