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I guess there must be many antiquated laws in the UK and elsewhere ? Just came across this one as an example "If you have plans to take a walk with a plank of wood sometime soon, forget about it. According to Section 54 of the Metropolitan Police District Act 1839, it's illegal in the UK"
"Sanity and happiness are an impossible combination" - Mark Twain
I can recall several when I joined and many were drafted by the Town and Police clauses act 1847. Its intention was to bring some order to the chaos of the time . Many classes have been repealed but some remain,like allowing chimney fires or facilitating cock fighting .ive not seen many fighting cocks but I’ve had a sheltered life .
Or impounding cattle and selling them or releasing them .
There was a medieval bye law that made it legal to shoot a Welshman with a bow and arrow in the boundaries of Hereford Cathedral . Obviously relating back to the Marcher cross border raids of the 13 th century . I don't think it was repealed though.
One strange "law" from the times of Henry 8th has just cost me over £50.
Apparently the house I'm in the process of buying is in a parish that Henry decided everyone who lived within it's boundaries had to pay to help repair the local church if it was damaged.
The mortgage company has insisted I have liability insurance in case it's ever enacted.
There was an attempt in the house of lords to revoke it a few years ago but it didn't make it through the process.