Bentley, Richard (1794-1871)

Bentley, Richard

PUBLISHER (ENGLAND)

BORN 24 Oct 1794, London - DIED 10 Sep 1871, Ramsgate, Kent
GRAVE LOCATION London: West Norwood Cemetery, Norwood High Street, Norwood (Square 61)

Richard Bentley was born into a family of publishers. In 1819 he started his own publishing house together with his brother. In 1823 he married Charlotte Botten (1800-1871). In 1829 he teamed up with Henry Colburn. Although they were successful, they did not get along and ended their cooperation a few years later.

In the 1830 he started his own business, publishing Disraeli's "The Young Duke" in 1831. In 1831 he started his Standard Novels series, and he published the first cheap edition of Jane Austen's novels.

From 1837 to 1869 he published "Bentley's Miscellany". Charles Dickens became its editor in 1837 and it was an instant success. But Dickens was unhappy with the financial terms, and he quit. Ainsworth succeeded him but under his editorship the circulation decreased. By 1843 book sales fell sharply in England and Bentley found it hard to keep his business going. By 1855 the financial problems were huge, but the company recovered around 1860. By that time, his son George had joined his father's business.

In 1867 he fell from the platform of a railway station and broke his leg. George took over the business and Richard died in 1871. He was buried at West Norwood Cemetery.

In 1844 his portrait was painted by Charles Baugniet. It is now in the National Portrait Gallery in London.

Related persons
• published work by Austen, Jane
• cooperated with Collins, Wilkie
• cooperated with Dickens, Charles
• published work by Gore, Catherine
• published work by Le Fanu, Joseph Sheridan

Events

Images
The grave of Richard Bentley at West Norwood Cemetery, London. Picture by Androom (28 May 2014)	The grave of Richard Bentley at West Norwood Cemetery, London. Picture by Androom (28 May 2014)