Miscellaneous Acts
Cornwall Family History Society
This timeline showcases significant legislative and social reforms in Britain, from the Acts of Union to advancements in education, public welfare, and voting rights.
| 1706 | The monarch had worn the crowns of England and Scotland since 1603 when James VI of Scotland also became James I of England. The countries had maintained separate parliaments and commercial systems, with England having been incorporated with Wales since the time of Henry VIII. Each country had its own Act of Union: England in 1706 and Scotland in 1707 which put into effect the treaty of union. |
| 1737 | The 1737 Theatre Licensing Act restricted the use of dialogue in performance to two theatres, Covent Garden and Drury Lane. |
| 1807 | Abolition of the Slave Trade Act. |
| 1811 | The Regency Act was finally passed on 5th February 1811. It was rushed through to give time for the prince regent to approve finance bills that were necessary for military expenditure. |
| 1830 | The Beer House Act was passed, loosening regulations around the production and sale of beer. |
| 1832 | The 1832 Registration of the People Act (better known as the Reform Act) was introduced as a system of voter registration in England and Wales. The separate 1832 Scottish Reform Act and 1832 Presentation of the People (Ireland) Act introduced similar legislation in those countries. |
| 1833 | Slavery Abolition Act. |
| 1839 | The County Policy Act of August 1839 enabled Justice of the peace in England and Wales to found county police forces. |
| 1843 | The 1843 Theatre Regulation Act abolished its 1737 counterpart removing the monopoly and the Harlequinades were given linguistic freedom. |
| 1845 | From 1808 local authorities in England and Wales were encouraged to build county Lunatic Asylums for pauper patients. The 1845 Lunatic Asylums and Pauper Lunatics Act made these asylums compulsory. |
| 1857 | Under the 1857 Lunacy (Scotland) Act new asylums were run as part of the poor law and were thus built and administered by parishes. |
| 1859 | The half-century-old Volunteer Act, which was originally used to increase the number of soldiers available during the Napoleonic wars, was used to create a Volunteer Force. |
| 1870 | Forster’s Elementary Education Act (1870) marked the beginning of state funding for schools with the creation of local school boards. |
| 1871 | The 1871 Bank Holiday Act gave many workers more leisure time. |
| 1878 | A single register is permitted (and later made mandatory) for each constituency with those women recorded entitled to vote at municipal but not parliamentary elections. |
| 1905 | Parliament passed the Aliens Act of 1905 to calm the populace’s fears, and the 1911 census was the first to ask the nationality of respondents. |
