Strange English Laws

[Newt]

All of these were law at one time. Many still are.

 

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Under the reign of Elizabeth I, any person found guilty of "harboring a Catholic priest" would be tortured or even hanged. Any priest of the Catholic faith that was caught would be hanged, drawn, and quartered.

 

With the exception of carrots, most goods may not be sold on Sunday.

 

All English males over the age 14 are to carry out 2 or so hours of longbow practice a week supervised by the local clergy.

 

London Hackney Carriages (taxis/cabs) must carry a bale of hay and a sack of oats. (Repealed 1976)

 

The severest Penaltys will be suffered by any commoner who doth permit his animal to have carnal knowledge of a pet of the Royal House (enacted by George I)

 

It is illegal to be drunk on Licensed Premises (in a pub or bar).

 

It is illegal for two adult men to have sex in the same house as a third person.

 

Any person found breaking a boiled egg at the sharp end will be sentenced to 24 hours in the village stocks (enacted by Edward VI).

 

It is illegal to stand within one hundred yards of the reigning monarch when not wearing socks (enacted by Edward VI)

 

Chelsea Pensioners may not be impersonated.

 

A bed may not be hung out of a window.

 

It is illegal for a lady to eat chocolates on a public conveyance.

 

Mince pies can not be eaten on Christmas day.

 

Any boy under the age of 10 may not see a naked manequin.

 

It is illegal to leave baggage unattended.

 

Picking up abandoned baggage is an act of terrorism.

 

Those wishing to use a television must buy a license.

Why does this law exist?

 

It is illegal for a Member of Parliament to enter the House of Commons wearing a full suit of armour.

 

Destroying or defacing money is illegal.

 

If a steam locomotive is driven on roads, a man must walk in front of the vehicle with a red flag during the day and a red lantern at night to warn passersby.

 

All steam locomotives are limited to 4mph on roads.

 

Anal sex is prohibited.

 

You may not make out in public.

 

It is legal for a male to urinate in public, as long it is on the rear wheel of his motor vehicle and his right hand is on the vehicle.

 

Committing suicide is classified as a capital crime.

 

Interfering with the mail or sleeping with the consort of the Queen is classed as treason, and as such, carries a maximum penalty of death.

 

Placing a postage stamp that bears the Queen (or King) upside down is considered treason.

 

A license is required to keep a lunatic.

 

Damaging the grass is illegal.

 

Jesuits, Seminary Priests and other suchlike disobedient Persons must be banished.

 

Chester

You can only shoot a Welsh person with a bow and arrow inside the city walls and after midnight.

 

Hereford

You may not shoot a Welsh person on Sunday with a longbow in the Cathedral Close.

 

Liverpool

It is illegal for a woman to be topless in public except as a clerk in a tropical fish store.

 

London

Companies may vote in local elections.

 

York

Excluding Sundays, it is perfectly legal to shoot a Scotsman with a bow and arrow.

 

Isle of Man

Crossbows are banned

[chesters1]

quote:

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Those wishing to use a television must buy a license.

Why does this law exist?

---

because it does

the bbc is supposed to be independant from the other "rabble" tv companies and supposedly cannot carry advertising as a form of income .the money also is supposed to fund the bbc radio .

all in all its an unfare tax forced on us to pay more taxes , there are no get out clauses if you have a method of recieving the bbc then you pay (this includes video,sattelite, and pc`s with internet or tv cards) the latter though is very hard to detect using current detector vans so can be used.

yes newt DETECTOR vans if your address is listed as NOT having a license you will get enquiries from strange leather coated gentlemen if you tell them you HAVENT a tv then either a tv detector van or hand held detector will be used in the shadows of a dark night to MAKE SURE you havent a tv and large fines doled out to those found to have an unlicensed tv .

:mad: :mad: :mad:

i did hear that the US has its fare share of strange laws like kissing goldfish is illegal in parts of california

quote:

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Anal sex is prohibited.

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another hard to enforce one

its illegal for married couples :confused: but not if your unmarried (its called soddamy)

 

[ 31. May 2003, 07:22 AM: Message edited by: chesters1 ]

[Ed Matysiak]

quote:

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Hereford

You may not shoot a Welsh person on Sunday with a longbow in the Cathedral Close

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I live in Hereford and everybody locally knows this!

There is another that says a police officer must let a pregnant woman wee in his helmet is she need to go!

[Vagabond]

chesters1:

kissing goldfish is illegal in parts of california

What about Kissing Gouramis ?

 

(That's one for our tropical fish-keeping friends)

[Newt]

OK as long as they don't use tongue.

 

[chip]

I got my liquor licence a couple of years back and was asked to name 4 types of people you are not allowed to serve alcohol to :

 

1. A person who is already drunk

2. An on duty policeman

3. A working prostitute

[chip]

And 4 . A man in charge of a horse

[Ed Matysiak]

Vagabond:

Vagabond:

kissing goldfish is illegal in parts of california

What about Kissing Gouramis ?

 

(That's one for our tropical fish-keeping friends)

[corydoras]

I believe that theoretically you can still be sentenced to death in Scotland for stealing a sheep!