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Commercial Laws
Wool, Cotton, Fibers and Fabrics

These Acts of Parliament cover yarns and fabrics, from the growth of the raw fibers (wool, cotton, flax, linen, etc.) and their refinement, to the production (weaving, dying, printing, etc), and the export and import of the final product. Products such as lace, sailcloth, silk and cambric are also included. To ease your search for specific topics, keywords in each act are highlighted in red. By simply scanning through the chronological list, you should easily be able to narrow in on desired items. Through the reign of George II, acts are listed by the year in which the Parliamentary session ends; from George III on they are by date of passage. Local and Personal Acts, and Private Acts are identified by "Cap." numbers in green.

The Acts are listed according to the reigns of the British Kings and Queens.
Select from below to view a particular era.

Reign of William & Mary
(Later William III)

• [Anno 9&10, p.663-71]. ... for the Explanation and better Execution of former Acts made against Transportation of Wooll, Fullers Earth and Scouring Clay. $30
• [Anno 9&10, 695-711]. ... for the better Incouragement of the Royal Lustring Company, and the more effectual Preventing the Fraudulent Importation of Lustrings and Alamodes. $35

• [Anno 10&11, p.227-44]. ... to prevent the Exportation of Wooll out of the Kingdoms of Ireland and England into Foreign parts; And for the Encouragement of the Woollen Manufactures ... $45

• [Anno 11&12, p.259-60]. ... to Repeal ... An Act for Rendring the Laws more Effectual for Preventing the Importation of Foreign Bone-Lace, Loom-Lace, Needle-Work, Point and Cut-Work, Three Months after the Prohibition of the Woollen Manufactures in Flanders shall be Taken off. $30
• [Anno 11&12, p.267-76]. ... for Continuing several Laws ... and for Explaining ... An Act to Prevent the Exportation of Wooll out of the Kingdoms of Ireland and England into Foreign Parts, and for the Encouragement of the Woollen Manufactures in ... England. $30
• [Anno 11&12, p.321-24]. ... for taking away the Duties upon the Woollen Manufactures, Corn, Grain, Bread Biscuit and Meal Exported. $25

Reign of Anne

• [Anno 1, p.365-68]. ... for Explanation of a Clause in One Act ... relating to Borelaps, and to take off the Additional Subsidy upon Irish Linen (lacks title page). $20
• [Anno 1, p.573-76]. ... for the more Effectual Preventing the Abuses and Frauds of Persons Imployed in the Working up the Woollen, Linen, Fustian, Cotton, and Iron Manufactures ... $25

• [Anno 2&3, p.233-36]. ... for Prolonging the Time ... for Importing Thrown Silk of the Growth of Sicily from Leghorn. $25

• [Anno 5, p.181-82]. ... to Repeal all the Laws Prohibiting the Importation of Foreign Lace made of Thread (lacks title page). $20

• [Anno 10, p.315-19]. ... to Prevent Abuses in Making Linen-Cloth ... and equal sorting of Yarn, for each Piece made in Scotland, and for Whitening ...$35

Reign of George I

• [Anno 4, p.127-30]. ... making more effectual ... An Act for Employing the Manufacturers, by Encouraging the Consumption of Raw Silk and Mohair Yarn. $20

• [Anno 9, p.415-19]. ... better Qualifying the Manufacturers of Stuffs and Yarn in ... Norwich ... to bear Offices of Magistracy ... $25

• [Anno 10, p.331-36]. ... to explain and amend ... An Act for ... preventing Frauds and Abuses in manufacturing Serges, Pladdings, and Fingrums; and for Regulating the Manufactures of Stockings ... $22

• [Anno 13, p.695-700]. ... for preventing Frauds and Abuses in the dying Trade. $22
• [Anno 13, p.703-04]. ... for the free Importation of Cochineal ... $20
• [Anno 13, p.707-24]. ... for better regulation of the Linen and Hempen Manufactures in ... Scotland. $20

Reign of George II

• [Anno 1, p.591-98]. ... repealing the present Duties on Wine Lees, and Lignum Vitæ, ... for prohibiting the Importation of Wine in Flasks, Bottles, or smallCasks; and for preventing Frauds in exporting Silk Manufacures, ... and for giving further Time to Clerks and Apprentices, to pay Duties ... $20

• [Anno 7, p.311- 12]. ... for the revival of ... An Act for the free Importation of Cochineal ... and also for the free Importation of Indico. $15

• [Anno 9, p.155-57]. ... to amend ... An Act to preserve and encourage the Woollen and Silk Manufactures ..., and for more effectual imploying the Poor, by prohibiting the Use and Wear of all printed, painted, stained or dyed Callicoes ... made of Linen Yarn, and Cotton Wooll ... $15
• [Anno 9, p.543-48]. ... encouraging and regulating the Manufacture of British Sail Cloth, and ... securing the Duties now payable on foreign ... $18

• [Anno 18, p. 595-99]. ... preventing the Exportation of Foreign Linens, under the Denomination of British or Irish Linens. $18
• [Anno 18, 603-10]. ... allowing certain additional Bounties on the Exportation of British and Irish Linens. $18
• [Anno 18, p.631-34]. ... preventing the Stealing of Linen, Fustian, and Cotton Goods and Wares, in ... Places used for Printing, Whitening, Bleaching or Drying ... $22
• [Anno 18, p.727-30]. ... prohibiting the Wearing and Importation of Cambricks and French Lawns. $15

• [Anno 19, p.455-62]. ... securing the Duties ... on Foreign-made Sail Cloth imported into this Kingdom; ... explaining a Doubt concerning Ships being obliged ... to be furnished with one complete Set of Sails made of British Sail Cloth. $20

• [Anno 20, p.943-54]. ... to continue several laws relating to the Manufacture of Sail-cloth and Silk; ... for the Indentures or Contracts of Clerks and Apprentices ...; and declaring that Prize Ships ... shall be deemed British built Ships; and for allowing Prize Goods to be landed and secured ... $20

• [Anno 22, p.571-90]. ... preventing Frauds and Abuses ... in the Manufacture of Hats, and in the Wollen, Linen, Fustian ... Leather, Furr ...and Silk Manufactures ... $20
• [Anno 22, p.759-62]. ... preventing the Importation and Wear of Foreign Embroidery and Brocade, and of Gold and Silver Thread, Lace, or ... Wire manufactured in Foreign Parts. $22
• [Anno 22, p.867-84]. ... granting to His Majesty the Sum of One Million out of the Sinking Fund, ... for defraying certain Charges and Allowances to the Officers ... of Horse Guards; and for continuing the Bounties on the Exportation of British and Irish Linens ... $18

• [Anno 23, p.247-48]. ... repealing the Duties now payable upon China Raw Silk ... $15
• [Anno 23, p.567-68]. ... certain Duties upon such Species of Sail Cloth ... which shall be imported from Ireland ... $15

• [Anno 24, p.823-32]. ... explaining, amending, and enforcing ... An Act for the better Regulation of the Linen and Hempen Manufactures in ... Scotland ... $20

• [Anno 26, p.243-44]. ... for permitting the Exportation of Wooll, and Woollen or Bay Yarn, from any Port in Ireland ... $18
• [Anno 26, p.315-27]. ... encouraging and improving the Manufactory of Linen in the Highlands of Scotland (lacks cover). $22

• [Anno 32, p.479-82]. ... for the more effectual preventing the fraudulent Importation of Cambricks and French Lawns. $18
• [Anno 32, p.499-507]. ... for the better preventing the Importation of the Woolen Manufactures of France into any of the Ports in the Levant Sea ...; and for the more effectual preventing the illegal Importation of Raw Silk and Mohair Yarn into this Kingdom. $20

• [Anno 33, p.339-40]. ... to continue ... An Act for the better Encouragement of the making of Sail Cloth ... $15

Reign of George III

• [Anno 3, Cap.21]. ... for explaining, amending and rendering more effectual, an Act ... intituled "Silk Works." $30

• [Anno 5, Cap.35]. ... for granting ... certain Duties on the Exportation of Coals; and of several East India Goods; and upon Policies of Allowance for retaining, upon Exportation of White Callicoes and Muslins, a further Part of the Duties paid on the Importation thereof; and for obviating a Doubt with respect to Stamp Duties imposed upon Deeds ... $20
• [Anno 5, Cap.43]. ... for the better securing, and further Improvement, of the Revenues of Customs, Excise, Inland and Salt Duties; and for encouraging the Linen Manufacture of the Isle of Man; and for allowing the Importation of several Goods the Produce and Manufacture of the said Island, under certain Restrictions and Regulations. (44 p.) $40
• [Anno 5, Cap.48]. ... for prohibiting the Importation of Foreign manufactured Silk Stockings, Silk Mitts, and Silk Gloves, into Great Britain and the British Dominions; and for rendering more effectual an Act ... for explaining, amending, and rendering more effectual, an Act ... intituled, Silk Works. $30

• [Anno 10, Cap.38]. ... for continung the Bounties on British and Irish Linens exported; for further discontinuing the Duties on the Importation of Foreign Raw Linen Yarns made of Flax; and for granting a Bounty on the Exportation of British checqued and striped Linens, and upon British and Irish Diapers, Huckabacks, Sheeting, and other Linen of above a certain Breadth. $20
• [Anno 10, Cap.40]. ... for appropriating a Fund, established by ... An Act for granting ... additional Duties on certain Foreign Linens imported ..., and for establishing a Fund for the encouraging of the Raising and Dressing of Hemp and Flax. $15

• [Anno 14, Cap.73]. ... extend so much of an Act ... as relates to Distillers of Makers of Low Wines and Spirits from Corn, to every kind of Distiller; and for the more effectual securing of the Revenue of Excise ...; and for ascertaining the Allowance ... to the Manufacturers of Wool and Linen, in respect of the Duties on Soap imported and used in the Woollen and Linen Manufactures. $25

• [Anno 22, Cap.78]. ... to permit Drugs, the Product of Hungary or Germany, to be imported from the Austrian Netherlands, or any Part of Germany, upon Payment of the Single Duty; to allow the Importation of Hungary or German Wines, and organzed Thrown Silk ..., and of Timber ... from any Part of Europe, in Ships ... under the same Sovereign as the Country of which the Goods are the Growth, Produce, or Manufacture. $18

• [Anno 42, Cap.75]. ... for the better Regulation of the Linen Manufacture in Ireland. $15

• [Anno 43, Cap.136]. ... to suspend ... Proceedings in Actions, Prosecutions, and Proceedings, under certain Acts relating to the Woollen Manufacture ... $15

• [Anno 44, Cap.57]. ... to exempt from Duties on Exports all Linens ... $12

• [Anno 44, Cap.64]. to continue ... an Act ... to suspend ... Proceedings in Actions, Prosecutions, and Proceedings, under certain Acts relating to the Woollen Manufacture ... $12

• [Anno 46, Cap.18]. to continue ... an Act ... to suspend ... Proceedings in Actions, Prosecutions, and Proceedings, under certain Acts relating to the Woollen Manufacture ... $12

• [Anno 47, Sess.2, Cap.43]. ... to revive ... an Act ... for suspending Proceedings in Actions ... relating to the Woollen Manufacture. $12

• [Anno 48, Cap.131]. ... further continuing ... an Act ... suspending Proceedings in Actions ... relating to Woollen Manufacture. $12

• [Anno 49, Cap.109]. ... to repeal several Acts respecting the Woollen Manufactures, and to amend other Acts ...; and for allowing Persons employed in any Branch of the Woollen Manufacture to set up Trade in any Place ... $20

• [Anno 54, Cap 78]. ... to repeal so much of an Act ... as respects the Removal of Wool, within a certain Distance of the Sea. $12

• [Anno 55, Cap 142]. ... to reduce the Duties on all Sheep Wool ... which shall be sold by Auction for the Growers or first Purchasers. $15

• [Anno 55, Cap 178]. ... for the more effectual Encouragement of the Manufacture of Flax and Cotton in Great Britain. $15
• [Anno 55, Cap 180]. ... for granting an additional Bounty on the Exportation of the Silk Manufactures of Great Britain. $12

• [Anno 56, Cap 2]. ...to revive ... an act ... for the free Importation of Cochineal and Indigo. $12

Reign of George IV

• [Anno 3, Cap.32]. ... for repealing the Duties on plain Silk Net or Tulle, and for granting new Duties in lieu thereof. $12

• [Anno 9, Cap.41*]. ... for removing the present Cattle Market now held in Saint Thomas Street in ... Bristol, for providing a better and more convenient Market instead thereof, and for rebuilding and enlarging the Wool Hall in Saint Thomas Street. (50 pp.) $15
  * Local and Personal Act

• [Anno 10, Cap.23]. ... to impose Duties on the Importation on Silk and Silk Goods ... $20

• [Anno 10, Cap.52]. ... for enlarging the Powers of Justices in determining complaints between Masters and Servants, to Persons engaged in the Manufacture of Silk. $15

Reign of Victoria

• [Anno 17&18, Cap.46]. ... to continue certain Acts relating to Linen, Hempen, and other Manufactures in Ireland. $8

• [Anno 27&28, Cap.98]. ... extending the Provisions of "The Bleaching and Dyeing Works Act, 1860." $12

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