London Repeal Proposals (2)

Current project status

In our consultation we have identified some 94 obsolete Acts relating to London.  These Acts reflect London’s social and economic history from Tudor times through to the early 20th century.  Most of the Acts were passed to raise money to pay for particular projects such as building churches or making town improvements like street-lighting.  Once the money was raised and the project works were completed, the Acts became obsolete.  Other Acts have become obsolete because they have gradually been superseded by changes in central and local government finance.

The Acts span the period 1536 to 1907.  They include:

• a 1696 Act to raise money to re-build St Paul’s Cathedral after the Great Fire of 1666
• a 1710 Act to raise coal duty to pay for the building of 50 new churches in London
• a 1776 Act to support sick and elderly performers at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden (now the Royal Opera House)
• a 1799 Act to fund regular lectures at the Church of St Mary-le-Bow in the City of London
• four 19th century Acts relating to the London Gaslight Company

These repeal proposals concern only Acts relating to London and the surrounding areas.