Guide to the Papers of Jeremy Bentham (as filmed by the AJCP), 1790-1820

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Summary

Collection number:

M1684

Creator:

Bentham, Jeremy

Extent:

5 items

Language:

English

Preferred citation:

Acknowledgement of use of this material should refer to the location of the original material and to the Australian Joint Copying Project.

Items from this collection should include references to the location of the original material and to the AJCP nla.obj number, which serves as the online identifier for the digital copy.

Example: M Series: Journal of Capt. James Cook, 18 February 1770, British Library Add. MS 27885 (AJCP ref: http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1234)

Availability:

Available

Access conditions:

Available for reference.

Background

Content Summary:

Selections from papers mainly relating to Bentham's interest in penal reform, his opposition to the transportation of convicts to Botany Bay, and his unsuccessful attempts over many years to persuade the Government to adopt his scheme of penitentiary houses (panopticons).

Correspondents include Sir John Parnell, Sir Charles Bunbury, Capt. J. Hunter, Spencer Perceval, Sir Frederick Eden and David Collins.

Biographical / Historical:

Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832). Educated at Westminster School, Queen's. College, Oxford, and Lincoln's Inn. In 1776 began to write on jurisprudence and government and for the rest of his life he was a prolific writer of books, pamphlets and articles on jurisprudence, criminal law, political theory, ethics and economics. Originally a Tory, he became a democrat, an advicate of parliamentary reform, and one of the founders of the radical Westminster Review in 1823. In 1785-1789 Bentham lived in Russia with his brother and while there he developed his interest in the 'Panopticon' or inspection-house, which he considered would be of great value for prison discipline. His book Panopticon was published in 1791. In 1794 an Act was passed to enable the Government to acquire sites for penitentiary houses, and land at Millbank was conveyed to Bentham as trustee. But the scheme met with opposition, eventually the contract was broken off, and Bentham was awarded compensation in 1813.

Sir Samuel Bentham (1757-1831), brother of Jeremy Bentham. Shipwright's apprentice at Woolwich Dockyard. From 1780 to 1791 he lived in Russia, managing the construction of a shipyard at Kritchev and commanding a Russian flotilla against the Turks at Liman in 1788, for which he was rewarded with the rank of brigadier-general. From 1795 to 1812 he worked for the Admiralty and achieved many reforms in the organization of the dockyards and the equipping of ships. Bentham moved to France in 1814 and remained there until 1827.

Access and use

Conditions Governing Access:: Available for Access.
Conditions Governing Use:: Readers wishing to publish or reproduce documents should seek permission, in the first instance, from the British Library. For more information visit: How I use the images I order?-The British Library [https://www.bl.uk/help/how-can-i-use-the-images-i-order].