Spotlight:
Jeremy Bentham's mourning rings
10 years before his death, Jeremy Bentham commissioned 26 mourning rings for his closest friends. Here we explore the history of the rings, their significance and the journey they've taken since Jeremy Bentham's death
Features | Portico Magazine | Autumn 2024
Jeremy Bentham, the spiritual founder of UCL, is renowned for pioneering the study of utilitarianism: a theory of morality that, in his words, argues for the “greatest happiness of the greatest number”. For most UCL alumni, however, he is remembered equally or more for his unusual request to have his head mummified and skeleton preserved as an “auto-icon”, which once resided in the cloisters and now greets entrants to the UCL Student Centre.
The “auto-icon” was not the only method Bentham used to preserve his legacy and retain a connection to his loved ones, however. At least a decade before his death in 1832, Bentham commissioned a set of 26 mourning rings to be gifted to his closest companions. The rings, according to historians, served not just as tokens of personal connection but as lasting symbols of Bentham’s influence on those who shared his vision for a more equal and just society.
Each of the mourning rings tells its own story, reflecting the relationship between Bentham and the recipient. Rings given to prominent figures like philosopher John Stuart Mill and Jean Sylvain van de Weyer, a Belgian politician and Ambassador to London, contain elaborate plaits of Bentham’s hair, while the ring presented to Bentham’s servant, William Stockwell, is simpler, featuring a single twist of hair without a portrait. These differences offer insight into the intimate nature of 19th-century mourning practices.
Jeremy Benthams's Auto-Icon. Image: Tony Slade
Jeremy Benthams's Auto-Icon. Image: Tony Slade
Image: Tony Slade
Image: Tony Slade
Rediscovering the rings
Over time, many of the rings have been lost and scattered across the world. But in recent decades UCL has managed to recover several of the mourning rings, largely through generous donations, with two new rings joining the collection in 2024.
Image: UCL Science Collections
Image: UCL Science Collections
UCL received one of its first of Bentham’s mourning rings and other Bentham-related memorabilia in 1999 from Mrs Eileen Wardle, the surviving sister of Mr Denis Roy Bentham, a collector and Jeremy Bentham aficionado, after his death in 1999. This ring had been presented to Jean Sylvain van de Weyer. The collection donated by Mrs Wardle would subsequently go on to form the Denis Roy Bentham Collection.
Ring presented to Jean Sylvain Van der Weyer. Image: John Moloney
Ring presented to Jean Sylvain Van der Weyer. Image: John Moloney
Shortly after, the ring gifted to William Stockwell, Bentham’s long-serving servant, was rediscovered through a collector in Middlesex.
One of the most significant acquisitions came in 2007 when UCL’s Bentham Project was donated the mourning ring belonging to John Stuart Mill. Symbolising the connection between two of utilitarianism’s greatest figures, this ring was purchased in New Orleans in 2004 by UCL alumnus and fellow Michael Phillips, who generously donated it to the university.
Ring presented to John Stuart Mill. Image: John Moloney
Ring presented to John Stuart Mill. Image: John Moloney
Earlier this year, Michael Phillips also supported UCL in acquiring the ring originally belonging to Neil Arnott, a doctor and close associate of Bentham’s.
Ring Presented to Dr Neil Arnott. Image: John Moloney
Ring Presented to Dr Neil Arnott. Image: John Moloney
More recently, Michael Phillips' daughter Liz Phillips, a jewellery designer with a personal interest in tracing the lost mourning rings, made an extraordinary discovery.
In 2023, she learned that a jeweller specialising in portrait miniatures had acquired another Bentham mourning ring. The ring had belonged to Henry Bickersteth, another close friend of Bentham’s whose correspondence with him was recently published in a volume covering Bentham’s life from 1828 until his death.
Ring presented to Henry Bickersteth. Image: John Moloney
Ring presented to Henry Bickersteth. Image: John Moloney
Upon confirming its authenticity, the Phillips family purchased the ring and gifted it to UCL. In a statement explaining their reasons for supporting the discovery of the rings, Michael and Liz Phillips said, "We believe these mourning rings are not just historical artefacts, but symbols of Bentham’s enduring influence on philosophy and society. By helping recover them, we hope to preserve a tangible connection to his legacy and remind future generations of the values he championed. For us, discovering these rings is about bringing the past into the present, and ensuring that Bentham’s impact continues to resonate within UCL’s future.''
Rediscovering the rings
Over time, many of the rings have been lost and scattered across the world. But in recent decades UCL has managed to recover several of the mourning rings, largely through generous donations, with two new rings joining the collection in 2024.
Image: UCL Science Collections
Image: UCL Science Collections
UCL received one of its first of Bentham’s mourning rings and other Bentham-related memorabilia in 1999 from Mrs Eileen Wardle, the surviving sister of Mr Denis Roy Bentham, a collector and Jeremy Bentham aficionado, after his death in 1999. This ring had been presented to Jean Sylvain van de Weyer. The collection donated by Mrs Wardle would subsequently go on to form the Denis Roy Bentham Collection.
Ring presented to Jean Sylvain Van der Weyer. Image: John Moloney
Ring presented to Jean Sylvain Van der Weyer. Image: John Moloney
Shortly after, the ring gifted to William Stockwell, Bentham’s long-serving servant, was rediscovered through a collector in Middlesex.
One of the most significant acquisitions came in 2007 when UCL’s Bentham Project was donated the mourning ring belonging to John Stuart Mill. Symbolising the connection between two of utilitarianism’s greatest figures, this ring was purchased in New Orleans in 2004 by UCL alumnus and fellow Michael Phillips, who generously donated it to the university.
Ring presented to John Stuart Mill. Image: John Moloney
Ring presented to John Stuart Mill. Image: John Moloney
Earlier this year, Michael Phillips also supported UCL in acquiring the ring originally belonging to Neil Arnott, a doctor and close associate of Bentham’s.
Ring Presented to Dr Neil Arnott. Image: John Moloney
Ring Presented to Dr Neil Arnott. Image: John Moloney
More recently, Michael Phillips' daughter Liz Phillips, a jewellery designer with a personal interest in tracing the lost mourning rings, made an extraordinary discovery.
In 2023, she learned that a jeweller specialising in portrait miniatures had acquired another Bentham mourning ring. The ring had belonged to Henry Bickersteth, another close friend of Bentham’s whose correspondence with him was recently published in a volume covering Bentham’s life from 1828 until his death.
Ring presented to Henry Bickersteth. Image: John Moloney
Ring presented to Henry Bickersteth. Image: John Moloney
Upon confirming its authenticity, the Phillips family purchased the ring and gifted it to UCL. In a statement explaining their reasons for supporting the discovery of the rings, Michael and Liz Phillips said, "We believe these mourning rings are not just historical artefacts, but symbols of Bentham’s enduring influence on philosophy and society. By helping recover them, we hope to preserve a tangible connection to his legacy and remind future generations of the values he championed. For us, discovering these rings is about bringing the past into the present, and ensuring that Bentham’s impact continues to resonate within UCL’s future.''
While UCL has managed to recover six of Bentham’s mourning rings, the location of the remaining rings remains a mystery. The university continues to hope that descendants of the original recipients might come forward with information. Each new discovery adds another layer to the university’s rich history and Bentham’s eccentric legacy, connecting past and present. They enrich ongoing research, with the Bentham Project and museum collection, ensuring that Bentham’s legacy continues to shape UCL’s future as its bicentennial approaches.
If you have any information regarding the missing mourning rings, UCL would love to hear from you, as the institution remains dedicated to preserving and expanding this unique collection for future generations.
Learn more about UCL's Science Collections
Ring presented to an unknown person. Image: John Moloney
Ring presented to an unknown person. Image: John Moloney
Ring presented to William Tait. Image: John Moloney
Ring presented to William Tait. Image: John Moloney
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Editor: Lauren Cain
Editorial team: Ray Antwi, Laili Kwok, Harry Latter, Bryony Merritt, Lucy Morrish, Alex Norton
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