List of acts of the Parliament of Great Britain, 1740–1744 facts for kids

The Parliament of Great Britain was the main law-making body for Great Britain from 1707 to 1800. It was formed when the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland united to become the Kingdom of Great Britain. This list shows some of the important laws, called "Acts," that were passed by this Parliament between 1740 and 1744.

When a law is passed, it gets a special number. For example, "14 Geo. 2 c. 6" means it was the 6th law passed in the 14th year of King George II's reign. These laws helped manage the country, from collecting taxes to building roads and even protecting people from crime.

Before 1793, most laws were considered to start on the very first day of the Parliament session they were passed in, even if they were actually approved much later. This means some laws might seem to have started in the year before they were officially signed.

Laws of 1740 (14 Geo. 2)

The Parliament met from November 18, 1740, to April 25, 1741. Many laws were passed to help run the country.

Public Laws

• Land Tax Act 1740 (Chapter 1): This law set up a tax on land across Great Britain to help pay for government services in 1741.
• Taxation Act 1740 (Chapter 2): This law continued taxes on things like malt (used for beer), cider, and perry (a drink made from pears) in both England and Scotland. These taxes also helped fund the government.
• Exportation Act 1740 (Chapter 3): This law temporarily stopped the export of certain foods like corn, grain, flour, bread, and meat. This was likely done to make sure there was enough food for people in Great Britain during a time of need.
• Nether Knutsford Church Act 1740 (Chapter 5): This law made the chapelry of Nether Knutsford a separate parish and allowed a new church to be built there.
• Cattle Stealing Act 1740 (Chapter 6): This act aimed to make laws stronger to prevent the theft and killing of sheep and other farm animals.
• River Dee Navigation Act 1740 (Chapter 8): This law created a company to manage and improve the navigation of the River Dee, which was important for trade and transport.
• Mutiny Act 1740 (Chapter 9): This was an important law passed every year to make sure the army was disciplined and paid properly. It helped keep soldiers in line and prevent them from causing trouble.
• Small Debts (London) Act 1740 (Chapter 10): This law updated an older act from King James I's time. It helped people in London recover small amounts of money owed to them and provided some relief for poor people who owed money.
• Gloucester Water Supply Act 1740 (Chapter 11): This law allowed for a new system to bring fresh water to the city of Gloucester, improving public health.
• Roads Acts (Chapters 12, 13, 14, 16, 19, 23, 25, 28, 29, 31, 32): Many laws were passed to repair and improve roads across different parts of England, including Kent, Sussex, Hertfordshire, Ely, Wakefield, Yorkshire, and Doncaster. Better roads made travel and trade easier.
• Waterbeach Level, Northampton (Drainage) Act 1740 (Chapter 24): This law focused on draining and protecting the Waterbeach Level area in Cambridgeshire, which was important for farming.
• Saint Botolph, Aldgate Act 1740 (Chapter 27): This law allowed the people of Saint Botolph without Aldgate parish in London to rebuild their church.
• Bridges Act 1740 (Chapter 33): This law aimed to fix some problems in existing laws about repairing and rebuilding county bridges, and also about building and improving houses of correction (jails).
• Cloth Manufacture Act 1740 (Chapter 35): This law continued and improved an earlier act that regulated how cloth was made in the West Riding of Yorkshire, helping to maintain quality in the textile industry.
• Bubble Schemes (Colonies) Act 1740 (Chapter 37): This law was created to stop and prevent unfair or risky business plans and projects in the British colonies in America.
• Navy Act 1740 (Chapter 38): This act was designed to encourage more people to join the navy and to make it easier and faster to get enough sailors for the King's fleet.
• Longitude and Latitude Act 1740 (Chapter 39): This interesting law aimed to survey the main ports and headlands around Great Britain and Ireland, and their colonies, to help sailors figure out their exact position (longitude and latitude) more accurately. This was very important for safe navigation.
• Westminster Bridge Act 1740 (Chapter 40): This law allowed the people building the new bridge across the River Thames from Westminster to raise more money to finish the project.

Private Laws

Private acts were special laws that affected only specific people, families, or small groups, not the whole country. Many of these laws dealt with family estates, allowing land to be sold or inherited in a specific way, or changing people's names.

• Naturalization Acts (Chapters 1, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 33): These laws granted British citizenship to individuals from other countries, like John De Pesters and Francis D'Abbadie.
• Estate Acts (Chapters 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 18, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32): These laws dealt with the property and money of specific families or individuals, often to help pay debts, manage inheritances, or make special arrangements for land.
• Inclosure Acts (Chapters 11, 12, 13, 14): These laws allowed for the division and fencing off of common lands in specific villages or areas, changing how land was used for farming.
• Name Change Acts (Chapters 15, 16, 17): These laws allowed individuals to legally change their surnames, often to inherit property or follow the wishes of a will.

Laws of 1741 (15 Geo. 2)

The Parliament session for 1741 ran from December 1, 1741, to July 15, 1742.

Public Laws

• Taxation Act 1741 (Chapter 1): This law continued the taxes on malt, mum, cider, and perry for the year 1742, helping to fund the government.
• Highways Act 1741 (Chapter 2): This law changed a previous act about public roads, making it easier for people not traveling for hire to use certain types of wagons.
• Mutiny Act 1741 (Chapter 4): Another annual law to ensure the discipline and payment of the army.
• Roads Acts (Chapters 5, 6, 7, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17): More laws were passed to extend and improve terms for repairing roads in Buckinghamshire, Worcester, Warwick, Middlesex, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Cambridgeshire, and Herefordshire.
• Kirkcaldy Beer Duties Act 1741 (Chapter 8): This law placed a small tax on beer and ale sold in the town of Kirkcaldy, Scotland, likely to fund local improvements.
• Hull (Poor Relief) Act 1741 (Chapter 10): This law improved earlier acts related to workhouses and houses of correction in Kingston upon Hull, which were used to employ and support the poor.
• Land Tax Act 1741 (Chapter 11): This law granted a land tax for Great Britain for the year 1742.
• Saint Catherine Coleman Act 1741 (Chapter 12): This law helped the parishioners of Saint Catherine Coleman in London rebuild their church.
• Bank of England Act 1741 (Chapter 13): This important law established an agreement with the Bank of England to provide a large sum of money (1.6 million Pounds) to the government for the year 1742.
• Colchester (Poor Law Authority) Act 1741 (Chapter 18): This law made earlier acts more effective for setting up hospitals and workhouses in Colchester, Essex, to help the poor.
• Gold and Silver Thread Act 1741 (Chapter 20): This law aimed to prevent fake gold and silver lace and set standards for the amount of fine silver and silk in gold and silver thread.
• House of Commons Disqualification Act 1741 (Chapter 22): Also known as the "Place Act 1742," this law prevented certain government officers from being members of the House of Commons, aiming to reduce conflicts of interest.
• Byron's Shorthand Act 1741 (Chapter 23): This unique law protected the rights of John Byron, a Master of Arts, to be the only person to publish his new method of shorthand writing for a certain number of years.
• Justices Commitment Act 1741 (Chapter 24): This law allowed Justices of the Peace in towns or cities to send offenders to the county's house of correction.
• Westminster Bridge Act 1741 (Chapter 26): This law provided more support for the commissioners building Westminster Bridge, helping them to finish it.
• Thefts of Cloth, etc. Act 1741 (Chapter 27): This law aimed to prevent the theft of cloth, woollen goods, and yarn left out to dry at night.
• Counterfeiting Coin Act 1741 (Chapter 28): This law made it more difficult to create fake money and to use or pass on counterfeit coins.
• Starr and Bent Act 1741 (Chapter 33): This law helped protect sand dunes by making it illegal to cut or break down "star" or "bent" plants, which held the sand in place.
• Making of Sail Cloth, etc. Act 1741 (Chapter 35): This law continued earlier laws that encouraged the making of sailcloth in Great Britain and supported the silk manufacturing industry.

Private Laws

• Naturalization Acts (Chapters 2, 11, 12, 20, 46): These laws granted British citizenship to various individuals.
• Estate Acts (Chapters 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 43, 44): These laws continued to manage the estates and properties of specific families and individuals, often involving sales, purchases, or special arrangements for inheritance.
• Name Change Acts (Chapters 1, 7, 8, 9, 10, 17, 18, 41, 45): These laws allowed people to change their names, often to follow the wishes of a will or to inherit property.
• Inclosure Acts (Chapters 39, 40, 42): These laws allowed for the enclosure of common lands in places like Wotton Underwood and Aston Cantlow, changing land use.

Laws of 1742 (16 Geo. 2)

The Parliament met from November 16, 1742, to April 21, 1743.

Public Laws

• Land Tax Act 1742 (Chapter 1): This law set the land tax for Great Britain for the year 1743.
• Taxation Act 1742 (Chapter 2): This law continued the duties on malt, mum, cider, and perry for 1743.
• Roads Acts (Chapters 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23): More laws were passed to repair and improve roads in Westmorland, Bedford, Buckingham, Warminster, Yorkshire, Wiltshire, Hertfordshire, Epping, Ongar, Warwick, and Gloucester.
• Charterhouse Square (Rates) Act 1742 (Chapter 6): This law allowed residents of Charterhouse Square in London to collect money to pave, clean, and improve the square.
• Spirits Act 1742 (Chapter 8): This law changed the taxes on spirits and licenses for selling them, setting new duties.
• Saint Botolph, Aldgate (Poor Relief) Act 1742 (Chapter 9): This law allowed the parish of Saint Botolph without Aldgate in London to raise money to pay debts related to helping the poor.
• Parliamentary Elections Act 1742 (Chapter 11): This law aimed to make elections for members of Parliament in Scotland fairer and to regulate how election officials behaved.
• Mutiny Act 1742 (Chapter 14): The annual law for military discipline and payment.
• Return of Offenders from Transportation Act 1742 (Chapter 15): This law made it easier to convict people who had been ordered to be sent away (transported) but were found back in Great Britain.
• Insolvent Debtors Relief Act 1742 (Chapter 17): This law offered relief to people who were unable to pay their debts.
• Justices Jurisdiction Act 1742 (Chapter 18): This law allowed Justices of the Peace to act in cases related to parishes where they themselves paid rates or taxes, preventing conflicts of interest.
• Bethnal Green Parish Act 1742 (Chapter 28): This law made the Hamlet of Bethnal Green a separate parish and allowed a new church to be built there.
• Highways Act 1742 (Chapter 29): This law allowed carts to be drawn with four horses, which could help with transporting goods.
• Prison (Escape) Act 1742 (Chapter 31): This law set out further punishments for people who helped prisoners try to escape from legal custody.
• Papists Act 1742 (Chapter 32): This law allowed more time for people who were Catholic ("Papists") to register their deeds and wills, and it provided relief for Protestant buyers of their estates.

Private Laws

• Naturalization Acts (Chapters 1, 26, 27, 28): These laws granted British citizenship to various individuals.
• Estate Acts (Chapters 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 29, 30, 31): These laws continued to manage the estates and properties of specific families and individuals, including sales, exchanges, and settlements.
• Name Change Acts (Chapters 22, 23, 24): These laws allowed individuals to change their surnames, often to follow the wishes of a will.
• Inclosure Acts (Chapters 14, 15, 16, 17, 18): These laws allowed for the enclosure and division of common fields in places like Great Brington, Aston Tirrold, Dummer, Earley, and Elvington Moor.

Laws of 1743 (17 Geo. 2)

The Parliament met from December 1, 1743, to May 12, 1744.

Public Laws

• Land Tax Act 1743 (Chapter 1): This law set the land tax for Great Britain for the year 1744.
• Taxation Act 1743 (Chapter 2): This law continued the duties on malt, mum, cider, and perry for 1744.
• Poor Rate Act 1743 (Chapter 3): This law required overseers of the poor to publicly announce the rates they set for helping the poor and to show these rates to the public. This helped make the system more transparent.
• Justices Commitment Act 1743 (Chapter 5): This law improved and made more effective the laws about "rogues, vagabonds, and other idle and disorderly persons," and also about houses of correction.
• Habeas Corpus Suspension Act 1743 (Chapter 6): This was a temporary law that allowed the King to arrest and hold people he suspected of plotting against his government. This was usually done during times of national emergency.
• Affidavits in County of Lancaster Act 1743 (Chapter 7): This law made it easier to take and swear affidavits (official written statements) for use in courts in the County Palatine of Lancaster.
• New Malton, Yorkshire (Searching, Sealing, etc., of Butter) Act 1743 (Chapter 8): This law aimed to prevent dishonest practices in weighing and packing butter in New Malton, Yorkshire, ensuring fair trade.
• Roads Acts (Chapters 4, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 41, 42, 43): Many laws were passed to continue and enlarge the terms for repairing roads in Kent, Essex, Hertfordshire, Oxford, Gloucester, Warwick, Worcester, Middlesex, Derby, Yorkshire, Wiltshire, and Buckingham.
• Church of Scotland, etc. Act 1743 (Chapter 11): This law created a fund to provide for the widows and children of ministers of the Church of Scotland and leaders of Scottish universities.
• Recruiting Act 1743 (Chapter 15) and Recruiting (No. 2) Act 1743 (Chapter 26): These laws were about quickly and effectively getting new soldiers and marines for the King's forces in 1744.
• Mutiny Act 1743 (Chapter 16): The annual law for military discipline.
• River Dee Navigation Act 1743 (Chapter 28): This law further explained and amended earlier acts about managing the River Dee for navigation, changing some fees and improving the system.
• London Street Lighting Act 1743 (Chapter 29): This law aimed to make the lighting of streets in the City of London more effective, improving safety at night.
• Linen (Trade Marks) Act 1743 (Chapter 30): This law was designed to prevent fake stamps from being put on foreign or other linens, ensuring quality and fair trade.
• Naval Prize Act 1743 (Chapter 34): This law aimed to encourage seamen in the King's service and privateers (private ships authorized to attack enemy ships) by offering rewards for capturing enemy ships.
• Land Drainage (Rating) Act 1743 (Chapter 37): This law helped prevent disagreements about which parish or place should tax newly improved lands, like drained marshlands.
• Poor Relief Act 1743 (Chapter 38): This law aimed to fix some problems in a very old act (from Queen Elizabeth I's time) about helping the poor.
• Treason Act 1743 (Chapter 39): This serious law made it high treason to communicate with the sons of the "Pretender" (someone claiming to be the rightful king) and declared them guilty of high treason if they tried to land in Great Britain.
• Universities (Wine Licences) Act 1743 (Chapter 40): This law included a clause to prevent the sale of wine without a license within the universities of England.

Private Laws

• Naturalization Acts (Chapters 1, 9, 10, 11, 12, 38, 39): These laws granted British citizenship to various individuals.
• Divorce of Henry Duke of Beaufort Act 1743 (Chapter 2): This was a private act to dissolve a marriage and allow one of the parties to remarry.
• Estate Acts (Chapters 3, 4, 13, 19, 20, 21, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35): These laws continued to manage the estates and properties of specific families and individuals, including sales, purchases, and settlements.
• Name Change Acts (Chapters 6, 7, 8, 22): These laws allowed individuals to change their surnames.
• Inclosure Acts (Chapters 5, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 36, 37): These laws allowed for the enclosure and division of common lands in places like Westonbirt, Shipton, Bassledon Heath, Flecknoe, East Langton, West Langton, Church Langton, Thorpe Langton, Mareham le Fenn, and North Stoneham Common.

Laws of 1744 (18 Geo. 2)

The Parliament met from November 27, 1744, to May 2, 1745.

Public Laws

• Land Tax Act 1744 (Chapter 1): This law set the land tax for Great Britain for the year 1745.
• Taxation Act 1744 (Chapter 2): This law continued the duties on malt, mum, cider, and perry for 1745.
• Saint Margaret's Church, King's Lynn Act 1744 (Chapter 3): This law allowed the people of Saint Margaret's Parish in King's Lynn to raise money to finish their church.
• Roads Acts (Chapters 4, 6, 8, 12, 14, 16, 19, 23, 32, 33): More laws were passed to repair and widen roads in Kingston-upon-Hull, Yorkshire, Boroughbridge, Darlington, Newbury, Marlborough, Wiltshire, Tadcaster, Warwick, Huntingdonshire, and Cambridgeshire. One law (Chapter 33) also allowed carts in London to be drawn with three horses and aimed to prevent bad behavior by cart drivers.
• Salt Duties Act 1744 (Chapter 5): This law continued the taxes on salt and red and white herrings for another six years.
• Mutiny Act 1744 (Chapter 7): The annual law for military discipline.
• Recruiting Act 1744 (Chapter 10): This law focused on quickly getting new soldiers for the King's regiments serving in places like Flanders, Minorca, Gibraltar, and the American colonies.
• Beverly Improvement Act 1744 (Chapter 13): This law aimed to clean, deepen, and improve Beverley Beck, a creek, and to repair roads and clean the streets in the town of Beverley.
• London Barbers and Surgeons Act 1744 (Chapter 15): This important law separated the Surgeons of London and the Barbers of London into two distinct professional groups. Before this, they were part of the same company.
• Discovery of North-West Passage Act 1744 (Chapter 17): This law offered a public reward to any British subject who could discover a North-West Passage through Hudson's Straits to the Pacific Ocean. This was a major goal for trade and exploration.
• Parliamentary Elections Act 1744 (Chapter 18): This law aimed to explain and improve the laws about electing Knights of the Shire (representatives for counties) to serve in Parliament in England.
• Justices Qualification Act 1744 (Chapter 20): This law made an earlier act more effective, which set out the qualifications for people to serve as Justices of the Peace.
• Linen (Trade Marks) Act 1744 (Chapter 24): This law aimed to prevent foreign linens from being falsely sold as British or Irish linens, protecting local industries.
• Inland Duties, etc. Act 1744 (Chapter 26): This law changed the inland tax on tea sold in Great Britain and aimed to better secure duties on tea and other goods.
• Stealing from Bleaching Grounds Act 1744 (Chapter 27): This law aimed to prevent the theft of linen, fustian, and cotton goods from places where they were being printed, whitened, bleached, or dried.
• Westminster Bridge Act 1744 (Chapter 29): This law granted more powers to the commissioners building Westminster Bridge to help them finish the project.
• Piracy Act 1744 (Chapter 30): This law amended an earlier act to make the suppression of piracy more effective.
• Gaming Act 1744 (Chapter 34): This law aimed to explain and improve existing laws to prevent excessive and dishonest gambling. It also tried to control the number of horse races.
• Navy Act 1744 (Chapter 35): This law further regulated and improved the government of the King's navies, warships, and sea forces, and how courts-martial (military trials) were conducted at sea.
• Cambrics Act 1744 (Chapter 36): This law prohibited the wearing and importation of cambrics and French lawns, likely to protect British textile industries.
• Bristol Hospitals Act 1744 (Chapter 38): This law made earlier acts more effective for setting up hospitals and workhouses in Bristol to employ and support the poor.

Private Laws

• Naturalization Acts (Chapters 1, 2, 7, 11, 12, 29): These laws granted British citizenship to various individuals.
• Estate Acts (Chapters 5, 6, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26): These laws continued to manage the estates and properties of specific families and individuals, including sales, purchases, and settlements.
• Name Change Acts (Chapters 3, 4, 8): These laws allowed individuals to change their surnames.
• Inclosure Acts (Chapters 27): This law allowed for the enclosure and division of common fields in Faxton, Northamptonshire.
• Divorce of Daniel Mathew Act 1744 (Chapter 28): This was a private act to dissolve a marriage and allow one of the parties to remarry.

See also

• List of acts of the Parliament of Great Britain

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