Papers of the Publishing House of Bentley

Papers of three generations of the publishing house of Bentley, consisting of:

• Cash-book of Richard Bentley the elder, 1829-48
• Collections of extracts in several hands, including printed pieces and engravings, ca. 1832-1858
• 'Diary vol. III' of Richard Bentley the younger, 1873-4
• Journal by Anne Bentley of a visit to Spain, 1884-5
• 'Note Book vol. vi', containing extracts by George Bentley from his reading, up to ca. 1874
• Inventory of the property of George Bentley, June 1895
• Inventory of the property of Anne Bentley, November 1898
• Letters of condolence to Lucy Bentley, on the death of her husband, Richard Bentley the younger, 1936
• Stock certificates of members of the Bentley family, 1855-77

Richard Bentley & Son was a publisher and bookseller based in London. The members of the Bentley family represented in the collection are Richard the elder (1794-1871), his son George (1828-1895), daughter-in-law Anne, and grandson Richard the younger (1854-1936).

Entry to read in the Library is permitted only on presentation of a valid reader's card (for admissions procedures see http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/specialcollections).

The papers were bought from Phillips, Son & Neale in 1974.

Collection level description created by Emily Tarrant, Department of Special Collections and Western Manuscripts.

M. Clapinson and T.D. Rogers, Summary Catalogue of Post-Medieval Western Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library Oxford. Acquisitions 1916-1975. (Oxford, 1991), vol. I, nos. 45597-605.

See also Papers of Richard Bentley (MSS. Don. b. 12-13, c. 86-7, d. 132-4) and Letters to Richard and George Bentley, Publishers (MSS. Eng. lett. d. 90, d. 100, e. 25).