Stamp Duties Act 1783 facts for kids
| Act of Parliament | |
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| Long title | An Act for granting to His Majesty a Stamp Duty on the Registry of Burials, Marriages, Births, and Christenings. |
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| Citation | 23 Geo. 3. c. 67 |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 7 July 1783 |
| Other legislation | |
| Repealed by | Stamps Act 1794 34 Geo. 3 c. 11 |
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Status: Repealed
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| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
The Stamp Duties Act 1783 was a law passed in Great Britain. Its main goal was to collect money for the government. This money was needed to help pay for the American War of Independence. This law put a special tax on important life events like baptisms, marriages, and burials.
Contents
What Was the Stamp Duties Act 1783?
This law, officially known as 23 Geo. 3. c. 67, was created by the House of Commons of Great Britain. It was designed to raise funds for the ongoing war in America. The Act made people pay a small tax for each record of a baptism, marriage, or burial. These records were kept in special books called parish registers.
How the Tax Worked
The tax was set at three old pence (3d) for each entry. This means every time a baby was baptized, a couple got married, or someone was buried, a tax had to be paid. Church ministers were in charge of collecting this money. They were allowed to keep 10% of the tax they collected. This 10% was their payment for doing the extra work. If someone refused to pay the tax, they could be fined five pounds.
Why People Disliked This Tax
This tax was very unpopular with ordinary people. Many church ministers felt sorry for the people in their communities. They knew it was hard for some families to pay this extra fee. People who were very poor, known as paupers, did not have to pay the tax.
Because of this rule, family history researchers often find something interesting. During the years this law was active, many more people were recorded as "poor" in parish registers. This happened so families could avoid paying the tax. These entries are often marked with a "P." or "Pauper." If a family could not claim to be poor, they sometimes just waited. This led to many adults being baptized much later in life, after the tax was gone.
When the Tax Ended
The Stamp Duties Act 1783 did not last forever. It was eventually cancelled by a new law in 1794. This new law was called the Act 34 Geo. 3 c. 11.
