Today we visited the auto-icon of Jeremy Bentham in University College, London, a very curious experience indeed. At the end of the South Cloisters of the main building stands a wooden cabinet which contains Bentham’s preserved skeleton dressed in his own clothes, sitting in his favourite chair and surmounted by a wax head. Bentham requested that his body be preserved in this way in his will made shortly before his death on 6 June 1832. He called it an Auto-Icon (‘man in his own image’), whereby a man’s actual corpse replaced the traditional memorial statue.Now, this was no ghoulish indulgence on my part, Bentham has been a hero of mine for some time. He was a visionary and a great humanitarian, with ideas far in advance of his time. He believed in universal sufferage, the legalisation of homosexuality and utilitarianism, a doctrine which aims to promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people.
He left his organs to medical research and so the skeleton is there but the body beneath the clothes is simply stuffed with straw. Nevertheless, there is a presence and people are plainly taken-aback no matter what they are expecting or how well informed they are. They tend to descend into deferential whispers in front of the cabinet. In fact, their reactions on first seeing the Auto-Icon are recorded by a hidden camera.
Originally, Bentham’s head was to form part of the exhibit. It was to be preserved by a Maori practice of desiccation and for ten years before his death, Bentham, allegedly, carried the glass eyes that were to adorn it in his pocket. Unfortunately, the head deteriorated rapidly into such a gruesome condition that it had to be replaced with a wax likeness.
Rumours persist that the Auto-Icon attends meetings of the College Council. Its presence is recorded in the minutes with the words ‘Jeremy Bentham – present but not voting’.
dandowlingblog 
Hi Dan,
I smiled when I read your last blog as Jeremy’ auto-icon is situated within 100 yards of where I worked for 7 years. I was employed by the University College London’s Engineering Department. I was in the Bioengineering sub division and whilst I was mainly based at St Mary’s University Teaching Hospital at Roehampton.
Enjoying our last few hours in St Peter’s Port. We fly back to Manchester later this afternoon. Tomorrow I will be joining my walking group who are scheduled ton undertake a 8 mile walk in the valleys north of Manchester.
Should be in Belfast in the near future as my niece Mary has been diagnosed with a brain tumour and it is not looking good so we want to see her when she is still able to see visitors. I will give you a shout when I am over there.
Cheers
Joe
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Cheers Joe,
Talk soon. I’m impressed that you are acquainted with Jeremy. He must have been some guy. Dan
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