★ Find a new page on our Untranscribed Manuscripts list.
To select a manuscript to transcribe, please use the options below.
In July 2018, we set a new challenge for our volunteers on the Transcribe Bentham blog.
Can you help us transcribe outstanding material from a selection of 7 boxes including writings on legal procedure, penal codes, burglary and turnpikes, as well as correspondence and some material written in French.
Find out more on the Bentham blog
Most users enjoy transcribing fresh pages that have not yet been worked on.
You can cross reference these Untranscribed Manuscripts with the categories below.
Bentham wrote on an enormous range of subjects, ranging from religion to colonisation, from sexual morality to political economy. Here are a list of some of the topics contained in the manuscripts uploaded to the Transcription Desk.
Bentham lived from 1748 to 1832 and wrote for much of his life. We have categorised his writings into the below time periods.
Generally speaking, Bentham's handwriting deteriorated as he got older. Thus, the earliest manuscripts are the most easy to read; the middle period is moderate; while the later period is the most challenging (and therefore the most rewarding!) By clicking Easy, Moderate or Difficult below you will be directed to the corresponding chronological categories.
Some people prefer to work on a partially-transcribed manuscript, rather than starting one from scratch. If you do come across a transcript which has been nearly completed by another volunteer and aren't sure whether you should change anything, you can drop the volunteer a message about it. Click 'History' in the grey toolbar at the top of page to find the usernames of all the volunteers who have worked on that transcript.
This category refers to the reference system used by UCL Special Collections and The British Library, where Bentham's papers are held. Each box contains a variety of manuscripts from different time periods and written on a range of subjects.
Each box of Bentham papers contains a range of individual manuscripts known as folios. Each folio has been assigned a unique number by UCL Special Collections or The British Library.
