List of acts of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1791 facts for kids

The Parliament of Great Britain was like the main law-making group for Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales) before the United Kingdom was formed in 1801. In 1791, this Parliament passed many laws, also known as "Acts." These laws covered all sorts of things, from how much tax people paid to building new roads and canals.

Laws from this time are often named after the year of the king's reign. For example, "31 Geo. 3" means the 31st year of King George III's rule. Many of these old laws have since been "repealed," which means they are no longer in effect.

Laws Passed in 1791

The laws passed in 1791 were part of the first session of the 17th Parliament of Great Britain. This session ran from August 10, 1790, to August 16, 1791.

Public Laws

Public laws affect everyone. In 1791, Parliament passed many public laws dealing with taxes, trade, and even how people were treated.

Money and Taxes

Several laws in 1791 were about money and taxes. For example:

• The Duties on Worts, Spirits, etc. Act 1791 (chapter 1) was about new taxes on drinks like spirits.
• The Malt Duties Act 1791 (chapter 2) and Malt Duties (No. 2) Act 1791 (chapter 7) added taxes on malt, which is used to make beer.
• The Land Tax Act 1791 (chapter 6) set a tax on land across Great Britain.
• The Stamps Act 1791 (chapter 25) changed the taxes on things like bills, notes, and receipts.
• The Lottery Act 1791 (chapter 53) allowed the government to raise money through a lottery.

Trade and Shipping

Laws were also made to control trade and shipping:

• The Importation and Exportation Act 1791 (chapter 4) and Importation and Exportation (No. 2) Act 1791 (chapter 30) dealt with bringing goods into and sending goods out of the country, especially corn and grain.
• The Trade with America Act 1791 (chapter 12) continued laws about trade with the new United States of America.
• The Merchant Shipping Act 1791 (chapter 39) aimed to better regulate and manage sailors working in the coastal trade.

Social Changes and Rights

Some laws brought important social changes:

• The Roman Catholic Relief Act 1791 (chapter 32) was a very important law. It offered some relief to Roman Catholics, removing certain penalties and restrictions they faced by law. This meant they had more rights and could practice their religion more freely.
• The Slave Trade Act 1791 (chapter 54) continued and updated laws that regulated the shipping and carrying of enslaved people in British ships from Africa. While this act regulated the trade, it was still part of a time when the slave trade was legal, though efforts to abolish it were growing.
• The Sierra Leone Company Act 1791 (chapter 55) established a company to trade with Africa and allowed them to hold land in Sierra Leone. This company was involved in setting up a colony for freed slaves.

Government and Justice

Laws also covered how the government and justice system worked:

• The Mutiny Act 1791 (chapter 13) and Marine Mutiny Act 1791 (chapter 9) set rules for the army and marine forces, including how they were paid and disciplined.
• The Courts, Newfoundland Act 1791 (chapter 29) set up a civil court system in Newfoundland, a British colony.
• The Gaols Act 1791 (chapter 46) aimed to improve the regulation of prisons and other places where people were held.

Local Improvements

Many laws focused on improving specific towns and areas:

• Improvement Acts helped towns become better places to live. For example, the Deritend and Bordesley, Warwick Improvement Act 1791 (chapter 17) and Saint Pancras Improvement Act 1791 (chapter 18) were about cleaning, lighting, and watching streets, and preventing nuisances. Similar acts were passed for Maidstone (chapter 62), Chichester (chapter 63), Deal (chapter 64), Stourbridge (chapter 70), Dudley (chapter 79), and Lincoln (chapter 80).
• Poor Relief Acts aimed to help people in poverty. The Bermondsey Poor Relief Act 1791 (chapter 19) and Oswestry Poor Relief Act 1791 (chapter 24) are examples of laws to better support and employ the poor in specific parishes.
• Canal and River Navigation Acts were important for trade and transport. The Worcester and Birmingham Canal Act 1791 (chapter 59) and Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal Act 1791 (chapter 68) allowed for the building of new canals. The River Rother Navigation Act 1791 (chapter 66) and Lower Ouse Navigation Act 1791 (chapter 76) improved rivers for boats.
• Road Acts were passed to repair and widen roads across the country, making travel easier. Many acts, like the Kent Roads Act 1791 (chapter 94) and Ayr Roads Act 1791 (chapter 95), focused on specific routes.
• Inclosure Acts changed how land was used, often dividing common lands into private fields. The Cottingham, Yorkshire Inclosure Act 1791 (chapter 20) is one example.
• Church Acts helped with building or repairing churches, like the All Saints Church, Southampton Act 1791 (chapter 71) and Wakefield Church Act 1791 (chapter 74).

Private and Personal Laws

Private and personal acts were special laws that only affected specific people, families, or small groups, rather than the whole country. These often dealt with things like:

• Estate Acts: These laws helped manage or sell land belonging to certain families or individuals, especially when there were complicated wills or debts. For example, the Elizabeth Byng's Estate Act 1791 (chapter 4) allowed for the sale of her estates.
• Inclosure Acts: Similar to public inclosure acts, these private acts divided common land in specific small areas, like the Beal or Beaghall and Kellingley (Yorkshire, West Riding) Inclosures Act 1791 (chapter 1).
• Name Change Acts: Some acts allowed people to legally change their surname, often to inherit property or follow a will. The Dame Jane Trafford: change of name to Southwell Act 1791 (chapter 39) is an example.
• Naturalization Acts: These laws granted British citizenship to foreign individuals. For example, the Naturalization of Christian Noordingh Act 1791 (chapter 3) made Christian Noordingh a British citizen.

These private laws show how Parliament also handled very specific requests from individuals and local communities.

See also

• List of acts of the Parliament of Great Britain