Joseph Austin Benwell Bibliography and references

Select Bibliography and References

Cover of ‘Rays From The East, or Illustrations of the Holy Scriptures, derived principally from the Manners, Customs, Rites, and Antiquities of Eastern Nations’ 1871. Publisher: Religious Tract Society.

Example of a book containing engravings by J A Benwell

Cover of ‘True Tales about India, its Native Princes and British Rulers’ 1876, by S J Ballard. Publisher: Religious Tract Society.

Example of a book containing engravings by J A Benwell

Books and Journals containing illustrations and engravings by Joseph Austin Benwell

‘The Three Presidencies of India: a History of the Rise and Progress of the British Indian Possessions, from the Earliest Records to the Present Time’ by John Capper, 1853, with illustrations by J A Benwell. Publisher: Ingram, Cooke and Co., London

‘Our Indian Army: A Military History of the British Empire in the East’ by Captain Rafter, 1855, with illustrations by J A Benwell. Publisher: David Bryce, 48 Paternoster Row, London

‘The Leisure Hour, A Family Journal of Instruction and Recreation’ 1858, with illustrations by J A Benwell (The Indian Nabob and others). Also 1857, 1859, 1860, 1861, 1863, 1864 volumes. Publisher: Religious Tract Society, 56 Paternoster Row and 164 Piccadilly, London

‘Cornhill Magazine’ Vol 1 and Vol 2 1860, Publisher: Smith, Elder and Co, 65 Cornhill, London

‘The Folded Lamb; or Memorials of an Infant Son’ by Mrs Ellen M Rogers 1857 edition, Title page by Benwell -artist/illustrator, Watkins -engraver). Publisher: Wertheim & Macintosh, Paternoster Row, London ref: National Art Library at the V&A Museum

‘A Home in the Land of Snows; and other Sketches of Missionary Life’ 1870 by Miss Brightwell, with illustrations by J A Benwell, Publisher: Religious Tract Society, 56 Paternoster Row, 65 St Paul’s Churchyard and 164 Piccadilly, London

‘Narratives for Youth Vol 2’, with illustrations by J A Benwell, Publisher: John Stabb, 27 Red Lion Square, London WC, English Monthly Tract Society [186?], 14 Bartholomew Close, London

‘The Sunday at Home, a Family Magazine for Sabbath Reading’ Journals from 1850s/60s, including illustrations by J A Benwell, Publisher: Religious Tract Society, London

‘The Picture Scrap Book; or Happy Hours at Home’ Part 1) Bible Scenes/Scripture Prints etc (pp1-64), includes illustrations/engravings by J A Benwell, Publisher: Religious Tract Society, printed by William Clowes and Sons, 1859

‘The Picture Scrap Book; or Happy Hours at Home’ Part 2) Home Pictures (or Home and Country Pictures (pp71-136), includes an illustration/engraving by J A Benwell, Publisher: Religious Tract Society, printed by William Clowes and Sons, 1859

The Picture Scrap Book’ New Series 1) The Seasons &c - The Seasons, The Home Traveller, Child Life &c (pp1-68), includes an illustration/engraving by J A Benwell, Publisher: Religious Tract Society, printed by William Clowes and Sons, 1864

‘The Picture Scrap Book’ New Series 2) Bible Pictures &c -Scripture Prints, Scripture Illustrations, Bible Lands &c (pp69-136) includes illustrations/engravings by J A Benwell, Publisher: Religious Tract Society, printed by William Clowes and Sons, 1864

The Welcome Guest: a Magazine of Recreative Reading for All 1858-1861, Publisher: Houlston and Wright, London

‘Nurse Grand’s reminiscences at Home and Abroad’ 1871, by Cecilia Lucy Brightwell, Publisher: Religious Tract Society

‘The Picture Gallery of the Nations’ 187[2]. Publisher: Religious Tract Society, 56 Paternoster Row; 65 St Paul’s Churchyard and 164 Piccadilly. Printed by William Clowes and Sons

‘Hindoo Life -with Pictures of the men, women and children of India’ by Rev Edward Webb, 1866. Publisher: Philadelphia Presbyterian Publication Committee

‘The History of the Present War with Russia Giving Full Details of the Operations of the Allied Armies’ by Henry Tyrrell c1855-6
Engraving adj. pp 116-7 'Her Majesty Taking Leave of the Fusilier Guards previous to their Departure to the East ‘. Publisher: The London Printing and Publishing Company

'The Children of India written for the Children of England by one of their Friends' by Annie Westland Marston 1883, publisher Religious Tract Society, 56 Paternoster Row; 5 St Paul’s Churchyard and 164 Piccadilly (illustrations by Joseph Austin Benwell on pp 22, 24 62 and others)

'The Fountain Kloof: or, Missionary Life in South Africa' 18[--]. Publisher: Philadelphia Presbyterian Publication Committee (note- illustrations as in ‘Sunday at Home’ 1863, refer above, but original J A BENWELL signature overwritten or omitted)

‘True Tales about India, its Native Princes and British Rulers’ 1876, by S J Ballard (of Mangalore). Publisher: Religious Tract Society, 56 Paternoster Row; 65 St Paul’s Churchyard; and 164 Piccadilly

‘Rays From The East, or Illustrations of the Holy Scriptures, derived principally from the Manners, Customs, Rites, and Antiquities of Eastern Nations’ 1871. Publisher: Religious Tract Society, 56 Paternoster Row; 65 St Paul’s Churchyard; and 164 Piccadilly

‘Madagascar and its People. Notes of a Four Years' Residence. With a Sketch of the History, Position, and Prospects of Mission Work amongst the Malagasy’ by James Sibree, 1870. Publisher: Religious Tract Society, 56 Paternoster Row; 65 St Paul’s Churchyard; and 164 Piccadilly

‘Our Oriental Kingdom; or, Tales about India’ by Peter Parley (pseud.), by William Martin (1801-67), 1857. Publisher: Darton and Co, Holborn Hill, London. Printers: W Lewis and Son, 21 Finch Lane, Cornhill

‘The S.P.G. Picture Book, showing the origin, and scenes in the work of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts’ 1896, edited by C E Bunyon, Publisher: Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, 19 Delahay Street, Westminster

‘Vanguard of the Christian Army; or, Sketches of Missionary Life’ 1882, by Anon -by the Author of ‘Great Voyagers: their Adventures and Discoveries etc. ‘ published by the Religious Tract Society, 56 Paternoster Row; 65 St Paul’s Churchyard; and 164 Piccadilly

‘Grace Ogilvie; The Story of a Child's Life in India during the Mutiny’ 1872, published by the Religious Tract Society, 56 Paternoster Row; 65 St Paul’s Churchyard; and 164 Piccadilly (see below)

‘Indian gems for the Master’s Crown’ 1892, by Miss Droese of Landour, India, published by the Religious Tract Society, 56 Paternoster Row; 65 St Paul’s Churchyard; and 164 Piccadilly

'The Oriental Picture Gallery; or, Illustrations from India, China and Japan' with explanatory remarks and Missionary information, edited by The Rev. John Liggins, 1866. Publisher: Hurd and Houghton, New York

Various Issues of the ‘Illustrated London News’ (ILN) 1857- 1864

Several of Joseph Austin Benwell’s engravings for the ILN depict scenes from the Indian Mutiny of 1857-58, for example: 'Hindostanee dhoolie, used by hospitals and in the field' 1857; 'Elephant Battery on the March ( (front cover, 8 May 1858); 'Camel Jingalls' 1858 (small cannons mounted on camels); ‘Elephant-washing’ and ‘Elephant Camp, Raneegunge’ 1858. Others include: 'Watering the Streets of Calcutta' 1858; 'Dawk Walas (Postmen) of Bengal' 1858; ‘Perils of Dawk travelling in India- Appearance of a tiger and flight of the Palkee-bearers and The traveller in his palanquin beset by wolves, hyenas and jackals’ 1858; 'The Keranchie, or Kidrapore, Omnibus' 1859; 'The Hindoo Money-Changer' 1859; 'Mehtahs, or Street-Sweepers in Calcutta' 1860; 'Cingalese Boat' 1860; 'Easter Pastimes in Syria'-‘Peasant girls dancing in a Circle'and 'The Shebab' (1860); 'Calisthenic exercises in India' 1860; ‘Fellah Marriage Procession in Latakia’ 1860; 'Methods of conveying cotton in India to Ports of Shipment' 1861; 'Weighing cotton at Bombay for the English Market' 1862; ‘Diving for sponges on the Coast of Syria’ 1862; ‘Modes of Travelling in India’ 1863; 'An Elephant taking care of children' 1863; 'Guebers of India worshipping the setting sun' 1863; 'A Stampede of jackals through the environs of Calcutta' 1864; 'A Squad of elephants saluting the Commandant at Dinapore, India' 1864; 'Milkwomen in the Camp' 1864; 'Performing Goat' 1864; 'Ganges Pilgrims passing a Ghaut' 1864; 'Hindoo bathers in the river Jumna surprised by a snake' 1864; 'Shoeing a Bullock in India' 1864; 'Indians of Peru and Bolivia, South America' 1864; 'An Indian Harlequin playing the Tiger' 1864; 'Cattle-looting on the frontier of Scinde' 1864, 'Tunis water-carriers' 1864.

Various Issues of ‘L’Univers Illustre’ (early-mid 1860s)

References to Joseph Austin Benwell - Select Bibliography

‘Victorian Painters: The Text’, Christopher Wood, Antique Collectors' Club 1995/2008

'Who Was Who in British India', John F Riddick, Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1998
'Dictionary of Indian Biography', Charles Edward Buckland, publ. S Sonnenschein, London, 1906 (page 36)

‘Modern English Biography’, Frederic Boase, Frank Cass & Co Ltd. 1892, 1908, 1965. Vol iv (c. 373)

‘Les Orientalistes de l'École Britannique’, G M Ackerman, Paris, 1991 (page 315)

‘The Orientalists - Painter-Travellers 1828-1908’ Lynne Thornton, ACR Edition Internationale, Paris, 1983 (page 256 and back cover (illus.)

'Montpelier Square Area: Other Streets' Survey of London: volume 45: Knightsbridge (2000), pp. 116-24. (Montpelier Street - Former residents of the street include the artist Joseph Austin Benwell, a specialist in pictures of India, who was living at No. 44 in 1871)
'The Royal Academy of Arts - A Complete Dictionary of Contributors and their work from its Foundation in 1769 to 1904', Algernon Graves FSA, 1905 (page 183)
‘A Dictionary of Artists who have Exhibited Works in the Principal London Exhibitions of oil paintings from 1760 to 1880’, Algernon Graves, George Bell & Sons, York Street, Covent Garden, London, 1884 (page 23)

'Art Prices- Current. 1907-1908'. A Record of Sale Prices at Christies’ during the Season. With an Index to Artists’ and Engravers’ names. Offices of the Fine Art Trade Journal, Maxwell House, Arundel Street, Strand, WC (pages 15, 61, 157, 246)

'Under Egypt's Spell: the influence of Egypt on writers in English from the Eighteenth Century', Mursi Saad El Din and John Cromer, Bellew 1991 (page 231)

'Painting the Holy Land in the Nineteenth Century' Yehoshua Ben-Arieh, 1997 (page 202)

'Descriptive Catalogue of Pictures &C in the Art Gallery of the International Exhibition Sydney, 1879-80'(pages 17,20)

'Dictionnaire critique et documentaire des peintres, sculpteurs, dessinateurs & graveurs de tous les temps et de tous les pays' Vol 1, Bénézit, E. (Emmanuel), publ. Éditions Gründ, Paris, 1924 (page 510)

‘Benezit Dictionary of Artists’ Vol 2, Paris, Librairie Gründ, 2006

‘The Dictionary of British Book Illustrators and Caricaturists 1800-1914’, Simon Houfe, Woodbridge, Antique Collectors' Club, 1981

‘The Dictionary of British Watercolour Artists up to 1920', Vol 1, H L Mallalieu, Woodbridge, Antique Collectors' Club, 1976

‘Dictionary of Victorian Wood Engravers’, Rodney K Engen, Cambridge, Teaneck N J, 1985

‘The Ultimate Spectacle: A Visual History of the Crimean War’, Ulrich Keller, Gordon and Breach 2001, Routledge, 2002

‘Works Exhibited at the Royal Society of British Artists, 1824-1893 and the New English Art Club 1888-1917’, Jane Johnson, Antique Collectors' Club, 1975

‘Auction prices of 19th Century Artists’ 1970-1980 edited by Richard Hislop, Weybridge, Surrey. Art Sales Index, 1982

'The Dictionary of British Artists 1880-1940' Antique Collectors' research project, J Johnson & A Greutzner, 1976

Grace Ogilvie; the Story of a Child's Life in India during the Mutiny 1872

Ernest Salter Wills and Violet E Wills of Bristol November 1877. Grace Ogilvie, India

This 1872 copy of 'Grace Ogilvie; the Story of a Child's Life in India during the Mutiny' has the previous owner's inscription on the front endpaper. I enjoy researching who previous owners were, as it adds to the character and history of the book. After all this book has been around for 150 years and probably has some stories to tell of its own! The previous owner of this book was Ernest Salter Wills, given by Violet E Wills (his sister) November 1877, probably for his 8th birthday. E S Wills born on 30 November 1869 at Westbury-on-Tyrm, Bristol- the well-known Bristol Wills tobacco manufacturers and philanthropists. Ernest later became baronet, Sir Ernest Wills, Lord Lt of Wiltshire 1930-42. The book contains several engravings by Benwell, mostly taken from 'Sunday at Home' publications in the 1850s.

Extract (left) from 'Modern English Biography, containing many thousand concise memoirs of persons who have died between the years 1851-1900'' Frederic Boase. Vol iv, 1908

Extract (right) from the 'Dictionary of Victorian Wood Engravers' by Rodney K Engen, Chadwyck-Healey Inc, Teaneck, NJ, 1985

At the time this dictionary was compiled Benwell's biographical dates were not known. Also he contributed to the Illustrated London News between at least 1857 and 1864 (rather than just 1863-64 as quoted), covering the period of the Indian Mutiny. The entry does not mention the extensive collection of engravings Benwell completed for many Religious Tract Society (RTS) journals such as The Sunday at Home and The Leisure Hour, and various other RTS books and publications.

All images on this website are either scanned or photographed from the author’s own resources, or are in the public domain in digital format via websites such as HathiTrust, Openlibrary.org, the Internet Archive (archive.org) or Google Books.