List of acts of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1767 facts for kids

This article is about the laws passed by the Parliament of Great Britain in the year 1767. The Parliament of Great Britain was the main law-making body for England, Scotland, and Wales from 1707 to 1800. These laws, called "Acts of Parliament," helped manage the country and its people. Each act has a special number, like a unique ID, which helps people find and refer to it. For example, "7 Geo. 3 c. 56" means it was the 56th law passed in the 7th year of King George III's reign.

Before 1793, a law was considered to have started on the very first day of the Parliament session it was passed in, even if it was actually approved later in the year. This means some dates you see might be from the year before the law was officially signed.

Laws Passed in 1767

The laws passed in 1767 covered many different areas, from how companies operated to improving roads and rivers. These laws were important for daily life in Great Britain and its colonies.

Important Public Laws

Public acts were laws that affected everyone. Here are some key examples from 1767:

• Public Companies Act 1767 (c. 48): This law helped control how certain large companies, especially those dealing with shared investments, announced their profits and how their members voted.
• East India Company Act 1767 (c. 49 & c. 57): These acts regulated the powerful East India Company, which traded with India. One act set rules for their general meetings, and another made an agreement for the company to pay the government £400,000 each year because of the lands and income they gained in India.
• Post Office Offences and Isle of Man Postage Act 1767 (c. 50): This act updated laws about the Post Office and set new postage rates for sending letters between Great Britain and the Isle of Man.
• River Lee Navigation Act 1767 (c. 51): This law aimed to make the River Lea easier for boats to travel on, from Hertford all the way to the River Thames.
• Saint Ives Harbour Act 1767 (c. 52): This act allowed for the building of a better pier at the port of St Ives, Cornwall, to help protect ships.
• Bedford Level and Swaffham Drainage Act 1767 (c. 53): This law was about draining and protecting low-lying fen lands in the Bedford Level area of Cambridgeshire, to make the land more useful.
• Tea Act 1767 (c. 56): Also known as the Indemnity Act, this law removed a tax on tea sold in Great Britain and offered a refund on tea exported to Ireland and the American colonies. This was an attempt to help the East India Company sell more tea.
• Rebellion in America Act 1767 (c. 59): This act, also called the New York Restraining Act, was passed to stop the New York assembly from making any new laws until they agreed to provide supplies for British soldiers stationed there. This was a significant point of tension with the American colonies.
• Addenbrooke's Hospital Act 1767 (c. 99): This important law officially established and set rules for a new general hospital in Cambridge, called Addenbrooke's Hospital, to help people who were sick or injured.

Laws for Roads and Improvements

Many laws in 1767 focused on improving transportation and local areas. These were often called "Turnpike Acts" because they allowed for tolls (money paid to use the road) to fund repairs.

• Brecon Roads Act 1766 (c. 60): For repairing and widening roads in Breconshire.
• Bucks Roads Act 1766 (c. 61): Extended previous laws for roads from Cranford Bridge to Maidenhead Bridge and other areas in Buckinghamshire.
• Devon Roads Act 1766 (c. 62): Continued improvements on roads leading from Tiverton, Devon.
• Eynsham Bridge Act 1766 (c. 63): Allowed for building a bridge over the River Thames connecting Swynford (Berkshire) and Eynsham (Oxfordshire).
• Southwark Roads Act 1766 (c. 64): Extended powers for a new road in Southwark, London, and for repairing nearby roads.
• Worcester Roads Act 1766 (c. 65): Continued and updated laws for roads leading into the city of Worcester.
• St. Martin's Church, Worcester Act 1766 (c. 69): This act allowed for the rebuilding of St. Martin's Church, Worcester.
• Queenborough (Poor Relief) Act 1766 (c. 72): Aimed to improve how the poor were cared for in the town and parish of Queenborough, Kent.
• Stonehouse Bridge Act 1766 (c. 73): Allowed for building a bridge over Stonehouse Creek, connecting Stonehouse to Plymouth Dock in Devon.
• St. Botolph, Aldgate (Improvements) Act 1766 (c. 85): This law focused on paving, cleaning, lighting, and watching streets in parts of Aldgate, London, and preventing problems there.

Private Acts

Private acts were laws that affected specific people, families, or small local areas, rather than the whole country. They often dealt with land, estates, or personal matters.

• Inclosure Acts: Many private acts were "Inclosure Acts." These laws allowed for the division and fencing off of common lands, which had previously been used by everyone in a village. Examples include:

* Bibury (Gloucestershire) Inclosure Act 1767 (c. 29) * Cosgrove (Northamptonshire) Inclosure Act 1767 (c. 30) * Nun Monkton (Yorkshire, West Riding) Inclosure Act 1767 (c. 31) * Skipton (Yorkshire, West Riding) Inclosure Act 1767 (c. 45): This act was special because the money raised from enclosing the land was used to help the poor in Skipton.

• Estate Acts: These acts helped families manage their property, often allowing parts of estates to be sold or exchanged for various reasons, like paying debts or making improvements.

* Pierce Starkie's Estate Act 1767 (c. 26): Allowed for selling timber and leasing mines on his estates to raise money. * Earl of Abingdon's Estate Act 1767 (c. 55): Allowed for exchanging parts of his estates. * Duke of St. Albans' Estate Act 1767 (c. 116): Allowed for selling parts of his estates to pay debts.

• Name Change Acts: Some acts were passed to allow individuals to legally change their surname, often to inherit property or follow a will.

* Richard Bennet's Name Act 1767 (c. 41): Enabled Richard Bennett to take the surname Coffin. * Thomas Swettenham's Name Act 1767 (c. 42): Enabled Thomas Swettenham to take the surname Willis.

• Naturalization Acts: These acts granted British citizenship to foreign individuals.

* Naturalization of Leonard Meyer and Lewis Giles Act 1767 (c. 43) * Naturalization of Henry Heyman Act 1767 (c. 115)

See also

• List of acts of the Parliament of Great Britain