Thefts upon the Thames Act 1762 facts for kids
| Act of Parliament | |
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| Long title | An act to prevent the committing of thefts and frauds by persons navigating bum boats, and other boats, upon the river Thames. |
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| Citation | 2 Geo. 3. c. 28 |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 2 June 1762 |
| Repealed | 17 August 1839 |
| Other legislation | |
| Amended by | Depredations on the Thames Act 1800 |
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Status: Repealed
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| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
The Thefts upon the Thames Act 1762 was a special law passed in Great Britain. It became official on June 2, 1762. This law aimed to stop people from stealing things like cargo and ship parts from boats on the River Thames. People often called it the 'Bumboat Act'. This was because it made all small boats, called "bumboats," register with Trinity House. These small boats were used to move goods from big ships to the docks. They also met new ships to give them supplies or empty their dirty water.
Contents
Stopping Theft on the River Thames
This law was created to deal with a big problem: theft on the River Thames. The Thames was a very busy river, full of ships carrying valuable goods. Thieves would often target these ships, stealing items from their cargo or even parts of the ships themselves. This caused big losses for merchants and ship owners.
What Was the Bumboat Act?
The Bumboat Act had several important rules. First, it said that all "bumboats" had to be officially registered. This meant they were recorded by Trinity House, a group that looked after shipping. This helped keep track of who was operating these boats.
The law also gave permission for suspicious boats to be stopped and searched. If officers found anything they thought was stolen, they could take it. The Act also set out punishments for people caught stealing. It also punished anyone who helped with these thefts.
Did the Act Work?
Even with these rules, the Thefts upon the Thames Act 1762 did not work very well. The problem of theft on the river continued. Because of this, new ways were needed to keep the river safe.
In 1798, a new group was formed called the Marine Police Force. This police force was created specifically to patrol the River Thames. Later, in 1800, another law was passed. This was the Depredations on the Thames Act 1800. This new law made the Marine Police Force a state-funded group. It also changed some parts of the 1762 Act to make it stronger.
The End of the Act
The Thefts upon the Thames Act 1762 was eventually replaced. It was officially cancelled by a new law in 1839. This new law was called the Metropolitan Police Act 1839. This meant the old "Bumboat Act" was no longer in effect.
