UCL BENTHAM PROJECT

A Dressing Gown

In September 1999 the existence of a possible item of Bentham's clothing was brought to our notice—a dressing gown, made out of cotton with a delicate floral pattern in a Japanese style on a pale yellow background, which, according to a tradition within the family who now own it, once belonged to Jeremy Bentham. The garment certainly bears a striking resemblance to the one Bentham wears in the print by Robert Seymour entitled 'Kings College Versus London University', Catalogue entry No 22, pp.44–5.

The dressing gown is now being examined at the Textile Conservation Unit based at the University of Southampton, who have previously carried out conservation work on the Auto-Icon, and we hope to be able to publish a note of their findings when completed.