The Roman Catholic Relief Act 1926 (16 & 17 Geo. 5. c. 55) was an Act of Parliament that removed almost all the remaining legal disabilities affecting Roman Catholics in Great Britain. It was sponsored by the Conservative MPs Francis Blundell and Dennis Herbert.[2]
| Act of Parliament | |
.svg) | |
| Long title | An Act to provide for the further relief of His Majesty's Roman Catholic subjects[1] |
|---|---|
| Citation | 16 & 17 Geo. 5. c. 55 |
| Introduced by | Francis Blundell and Dennis Herbert[2] (Commons) |
| Territorial extent | [a] |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 15 December 1926[3] |
| Commencement | 15 December 1926[b] |
| Repealed | 16 November 1989 |
| Other legislation | |
| Amends | |
| Repeals/revokes | |
| Repealed by | Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1989[4] |
| Relates to | |
Status: Repealed | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
One of the triggers of the bill had been the successful blocking of a Corpus Christi procession on public roads in Carfin by the local MP and Orangeman Hugh Ferguson.[5]
The Private Members Bill was opposed by Thomas Inskip the Solicitor General.[2] The Bill was successfully amended to exclude Northern Ireland[2] but an amendment to remove Scotland failed with the opposition led partly by Fergusson's successor James Barr.[2]
It repealed bans such as admitting new members to Catholic religious orders. public Catholic processions[6] and most remaining disabilities of Catholics.[5] It also repealed the Putting away of Books and Images Act 1549 (3 & 4 Edw. 6. c. 10) and Crown Lands (Forfeited Estates) Act 1715 (1 Geo. 1. St. 2. c. 50).
Notes
edit- 1 2 Section 4.
- ↑ The Acts of Parliament (Commencement) Act 1793.
References
edit- ↑ "Roman Catholic Relief Act 1926". Legislation.gov.uk. Office of Public Sector Information. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "PASS CATHOLIC BILL ENDING BRITISH BANS: M.P.'s Give It Third Reading After It Is Attacked as Papal or Anglo-Catholic Plot. SOLICITOR GENERAL RAPS IT Measure Removing Old Disabilities Will Not Apply to Ulster -- It Will Go to Lords Now". New York Times. 4 December 1926. p. 12. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
- ↑ "Royal Assent". Hansard (UK Parliament). 15 December 1926. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
- ↑ "Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1989, Schedule 1, Part VIII, Religious Disabilities". Legislation.gov.uk. Office of Public Sector Information. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
- 1 2 Rosie 2001, p. 177.
- ↑ Debates, Roman Catholic Relief Act 1926 from Hansard, retrieved 28 January 2018
Sources
edit- Rosie, Michael John (2001). Religion and Sectarianism in Modern Scotland (Doctor of Philosophy thesis). University of Edinburgh.
External links
edit- Text of the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1926 as originally enacted or made within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.
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