William Malcolm Bent’s Autograph Book

William Malcolm Bent’s Autograph Book

The Victorians loved autograph books and these books are a trove of information about the people who owned them.

This book was given to a young man named William Malcolm Bent when he was just 13 years old. Known as “Mack”, he lived at the head of Paradise Lane in the house built by his father, Ambrose Bent, until, sadly, he died young – just one month or so short of his 23rd birthday.

In these articles, we’ll look at each person who signed his book. Each of their stories tells us much about Paradise in its time of greatest prosperity.