The Statute Law Revision Act 1887 (50 & 51 Vict. c. 59) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that repealed for the United Kingdom enactments from 1275 to 1822 which had ceased to be in force or had become necessary. The act was intended, in particular, to facilitate the preparation of the new edition of the revised edition of the statutes, then in progress.
, the act remains partly in force in the United Kingdom.The Chronological Table of the Statutes, 1235 - 2010. The Stationery Office. 2011. . Part 1. Page 536, read with pages viii and x.
Background
In the United Kingdom, acts of Parliament remain in force until expressly repealed. Blackstone's Commentaries on the Laws of England, published in the late 18th-century, raised questions about the system and structure of the common law and the poor drafting and disorder of the existing statute book.
From 1810 to 1825, The Statutes of the Realm was published, providing the first authoritative collection of acts. The first statute law revision act was not passed until 1856 with the Repeal of Obsolete Statutes Act 1856 (19 & 20 Vict. c. 64). This approach—focusing on removing obsolete laws from the statute book followed by consolidation—was proposed by Peter Locke King MP, who had been highly critical of previous commissions' approaches, expenditures, and lack of results. +Previous statute law revision actsYear passedTitleCitationEffect1861Statute Law Revision Act 186124 & 25 Vict. c. 101Repealed or amended over 800 enactments1863Statute Law Revision Act 186326 & 27 Vict. c. 125Repealed or amended over 1,600 enactments for England and Wales1867Statute Law Revision Act 186730 & 31 Vict. c. 59Repealed or amended over 1,380 enactments1870Statute Law Revision Act 187033 & 34 Vict. c. 69Repealed or amended over 250 enactments1871Promissory Oaths Act 187134 & 35 Vict. c. 48Repealed or amended almost 200 enactments1871Statute Law Revision Act 187134 & 35 Vict. c. 116Repealed or amended over 1,060 enactments1872Statute Law Revision Act 187235 & 36 Vict. c. 63Repealed or amended almost 490 enactments1872Statute Law (Ireland) Revision Act 187235 & 36 Vict. c. 98Repealed or amended over 1,050 enactments1872Statute Law Revision Act 1872 (No. 2)35 & 36 Vict. c. 97Repealed or amended almost 260 enactments1873Statute Law Revision Act 187336 & 37 Vict. c. 91Repealed or amended 1,225 enactments1874Statute Law Revision Act 187437 & 38 Vict. c. 35Repealed or amended over 490 enactments1874Statute Law Revision Act 1874 (No. 2)37 & 38 Vict. c. 96Repealed or amended almost 470 enactments1875Statute Law Revision Act 187538 & 39 Vict. c. 66Repealed or amended over 1,400 enactments1876Statute Law Revision (Substituted Enactments) Act 187639 & 40 Vict. c. 20Updated references to repealed acts1878Statute Law Revision (Ireland) Act 187841 & 42 Vict. c. 57Repealed or amended over 460 enactments passed by the Parliament of Ireland1878Statute Law Revision Act 187841 & 42 Vict. c. 79Repealed or amended over 90 enactments.1879Statute Law Revision (Ireland) Act 187942 & 43 Vict. c. 24Repealed or amended over 460 enactments passed by the Parliament of Ireland1879Civil Procedure Acts Repeal Act 187942 & 43 Vict. c. 59Repealed or amended over 130 enactments1881Statute Law Revision and Civil Procedure Act 188144 & 45 Vict. c. 59Repealed or amended or amended almost 100 enactments relating to civil procedure.1883Statute Law Revision Act 188346 & 47 Vict. c. 39Repealed or amended over 475 enactments1883Statute Law Revision and Civil Procedure Act 188346 & 47 Vict. c. 49Repealed or amended over 475 enactments
Passage The Statute Law Revision Bill had its first reading in the House of Lords on 28 July 1887, introduced by the Lord Chancellor, Hardinge Giffard, 1st Baron Halsbury. The bill had its second reading in the House of Lords on 1 August 1887 and was committed to a committee of the whole house, which met on 2 August 1887 and reported on 4 August 1887, with amendments. The amended bill had its third reading in the House of Lords on 5 August 1887 and passed, with amendments.
The amended bill had its first reading in the House of Commons on 15 August 1887. The bill had its second reading in the House of Commons on 10 September 1887 and was committed to a committee of the whole house, which met on 10 September 1887 and 12 September 1887 and reported on 12 September 1887, with amendments. The amended bill had its third reading in the House of Commons on 12 September 1887 and passed, with amendments.
The amended bill was considered and agreed to by the House of Lords on 13 September 1887.
The bill was granted royal assent on 16 September 1887.
Subsequent developments Several acts repealed by this act were already repealed by the Sheriffs Act 1887 (50 & 51 Vict. c. 55), which was passed simultaneously.
The act was intended, in particular, to facilitate the preparation of the new edition of the revised edition of the statutes.
The enactments which were repealed (whether for the whole or any part of the United Kingdom) by the act were repealed so far as they extended to the Isle of Man by section 1(1) of, and schedule 1 to, the Statute Law Revision (Isle of Man) Act 1991, which came into force on 25 July 1991.
The act was retained for the Republic of Ireland by section 2(2)(a) of, and part 4 of schedule 1 to, the Statute Law Revision Act 2007, which came into force on 8 May 2007.
The schedule to the act was repealed by section 1 of, and the schedule to, the Statute Law Revision Act 1908 (8 Edw. 7. c. 49)), which came into force on 21 December 1908.
Repealed enactments Section 1 of the act repealed 203 enactments, listed in the schedule to the act, across six categories:
Expired Spent Repealed in general terms Virtually repealed Superseded Obsolete
Section 1 of the act included several safeguards to ensure that the repeal does not negatively affect existing rights or ongoing legal matters. Specifically, any legal rights, privileges, or remedies already obtained under the repealed laws, as well as any legal proceedings or principles established by them, remain unaffected. Section 1 of the act also ensured that repealed enactments that have been incorporated into other laws would continue to have legal effect in those contexts. Moreover, the repeal would not revive any former rights, offices, or jurisdictions that had already been abolished. CitationShort titleTitleExtent of repeal3 Edw. 1. c. 6AmercementsAmerciaments shall be reasonable.The words "city, borough, nor town nor any."3 Edw. 1. c. 31Tolls in markets and murageExcessive Toll in Market towns.From "Touching citizens" to "the King."3 Edw. 1. c. 34Slanderous reportsOf slanderous reports.The whole act.12 Edw. 1. c. 1—14Statuta WallieStatuta Wallie (the Statuta of Wales).The whole act.13 Edw. 1. (Stat. West. Sec.) c. 1Statute of Westminster 1285Several sorts of gifts of lands, now void.From "And forsomuch as" to "Chancery."25 Edw. 1. (Magna Carta) c. 32Restraint on alienation of landAlienation.The whole act.25 Edw. 1. (Confirmatio Chartarum) c. 3N/AThe charters shall be read in the Cathedrals.The whole act.25 Edw. 1. (Confirmatio Chartarum) c. 4N/AThe breakers of the charters shall be excommunicated.The whole act.25 Edw. 1. (Stat. de Tallag.) c. 5N/APardon granted to certain offenders.The whole act.25 Edw. 1. (Stat. de Tallag.) c. 6N/AExcommunication shall be pronounced against the breakers of this charter.The whole act.27 Edw. 1 (Ordin. de Lib. Perq.)Ordinatio de Libertatibus perquirendisAn Ordinance of purchasing Liberties.The whole act.Stat. temp. incert. (St. de Consp.)Statutum de ConspiratoribusStatute concerning Conspirators.From "Our Lord the King" to end of statute.Stat. temp. incert. (Modus fac. hom. et fid.)Modus faciendi Homagium et FidelitatemThe manner of doing homage and fealty.The whole act.Stat. temp. incert. Juramentum Majorum et Ballivorum.Juramentum Majorum et BallivorumThe oath of Mayors and Bailiffs.The whole act.5 Edw. 3. c. 8Custody by Marshals of King's Bench Act 1331Of the custody of prisoners by Marshalls of King's Bench and Bail.The penalty for letting prisoners go at large, or escape.18 Edw. 3. Stat. 2Taxation Act 1344Grant to the King of two-fifteenths and two-tenths, by the Commons.From the beginning of the statute to "defence of the North."18 Edw. 3. Stat. 3. c. 1Exemption of Prelates from Secular Jurisdiction Act 1344Grant to the King by the Clergy.From the beginning of the chapter to "Saint John Baptist."25 Edw. 3. Stat. 6. c. 9An Ordinance for the Clergy