This philosopher wanted his mummified body on display – then his head disappeared

What happens to your body when you die? 

Well, if you’re a mildly eccentric 19th century philosopher and social reformer who cares deeply about his friends, you have it ‘stuffed’ so they can visit you after your soul has departed.

That might sound more than a tad grim, but is exactly what happened in the case of Jeremy Bentham.

Born in Spitalfields, London, on February 15, 1748, Bentham was a child prodigy, learning...