James Risdon Bennett

Sir James Risdon Bennett (29 September 1809 – 24 December 1891) was an English physician.

Life James Bennett was born in Romsey on 29 September 1809, the eldest son of James Bennett, a nonconformist minister. He received his education at Rotherham College, Yorkshire, of which his father became principal, and at the age of fifteen was apprenticed to Thomas Waterhouse of Sheffield. In 1830, he went to Paris, and then to Edinburgh, where he graduated M.D. in 1833.

In autumn 1833, Bennett accompanied Lord Beverley to Rome, and spent two or three summers in his company and that of Lord Aberdeen. On his return to England in 1837, he became physician to the Aldersgate Street dispensary, and lectured on medicine at the Charing Cross Hospital medical school, and also at Grainger's school of medicine. and from 1843 to its dissolution in 1867 acted as secretary to the Sydenham Society. In 1875, he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society.

Family Bennett married, in June 1841, Ellen Selfe, daughter of the Rev. Henry Page of Rose Hill, Worcester, by whom he had nine children, of whom six survived.