Plaque

Jeremy Bentham

Inscription

Jeremy Bentham
Known for many years as the 'Lord Wellington' it is still frequently referred to as the 'Welly Bar' by many of the academics and local residents. renamed in October 1982 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the death of Jeremy Bentham who is recognised as the spiritual founder of University College London. The myth that he was the founder is sustained in a bizarre manner by the college.
His 'Auto Icon' as he called it, is in fact his skeleton, dressed in his own clothes and topped with a wax model of his head.
His actual head is mummified and kept in the college vaults. It is brought out for meetings of the college council and he is recorded as being present but not voting. Above the bar can be seen a copy of the wax head made by students at the college. In renaming the pub after him we are reminded of his greatest ideal, 'the greatest happiness of the greatest numbers.'
'A great man has gone from among us, full of years of good works and of deserved honours in the highest departments in which the human intellect can exert itself, he has not left his equal or his second behind him.'

Site: Jeremy Bentham (1 memorial)

WC1, University Street, The Jeremy Bentham, 31

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Jeremy Bentham

Subjects commemorated i

Jeremy Bentham

Born Spitalfields. A child prodigy, Bentham went to Oxford University aged 12...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Lilian Lindsay - WC1

Lilian Lindsay - WC1

WC1, Russell Square, 23

This plaque was first erected on Lindsay's childhood home in Holloway, but when that was illegally demolished another home (Lindsay's and...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Edward Whymper

Edward Whymper

TW11, Waldegrave Road, 82

Plaque unveiled by Mick Fowler, president of the Alpine Club.

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
Braeside - war hospital

Braeside - war hospital

IG10, Connaught Avenue, 1, Godiva House

2023: the building seems to be used by the Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery and also by the Godiva Printing Shop.

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Bruce Kenrick

Bruce Kenrick

W11, Blenheim Crescent, 115

Bruce Kenrick, 1920 - 2007, founder of Notting Hill Housing Trust and Shelter, lived and worked here from 1962 - 1982.

3 subjects commemorated
Walter Greaves

Walter Greaves

SW10, Cheyne Walk, 104

Greater London Council Walter Greaves, 1846-1930, artist, lived here 1855-1897.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator

Previously viewed

Bombs 7/7/05 - Circle line - EC3

Bombs 7/7/05 - Circle line - EC3

EC3, Aldgate High Street, Aldgate Tube Station

The Queen visited to view the plaque on 24 February 2010. It is very well-presented; on each of our two visits the plants were fresh and...

9 subjects commemorated