Hosiery Act 1843

1843 CHAPTER 40

An Act to amend the Laws for the Prevention of Frauds and Abuses by Persons employed in the Woollen, Worsted, Linen, Cotton, Flax, Mohair, and Silk Hosiery Manufactures ; and for the further securing the Property of the Manufacturers and the Wages of the Workmen engaged therein.

[1st August 1843]

WHEREAS an [8 & 9 W. 3. c. 36.] Act was passed in the Session of Parliament held in the Eighth and Ninth Years of King William the Third, intituled An Act for the further Encouragement of the Manufacture of Lustrings and Alamodes within this Realm, and for the better preventing the Importation of the same, whereby (amongst other Matters therein contained) certain Penalties, Forfeitures, and Punishments therein referred to were imposed upon Persons embezzling or otherwise unlawfully selling or receiving, as therein is mentioned, Silk delivered by the Silk Manufacturers to be worked up: And whereas an [1 Anne, s. 2. c. 18.] Act was passed in the First Year of the Reign of Her late Majesty Queen Anne, intituled An Act for the more effectual preventing the Abuses and Frauds of Persons employed in working up the Woollen, Linen, Fustian, Cotton, and Iron Manufactures of this Kingdom : And whereas the said Act was made perpetual by an [9 Anne, c. 30.] Act passed in the Ninth Year of the Reign of Her said late Majesty Queen Anne, intituled An Act for reviving and continuing an Act made in the First Year of Her Majesty's Reign, for the more effectual preventing Abuses and Frauds of Persons employed in the working up the Woollen, Linen, Fustian, Cotton, and Iron Manufactures of this Kingdom : And whereas an [12 G. 1. c. 34.] Act was passed in the Twelfth Year of the Reign of His late Majesty King George the First, intituled An Act to prevent unlawful Combination of Workmen employed in the Woollen Manufactures, and for better Payment of their Wages : And whereas an [13 G. 2. c. 8.] Act was passed in the Thirteenth "Year of His late Majesty King George the Second, intituled An Act to explain and amend an Act made in the First Year of the Reign of Her late Majesty Queen Anne, intituled ' An Act for the more ' effectual preventing the Abuses and Frauds of Persons employed ' in the working up the Woollen, Linen, Fustian, Cotton, and Iron Manufactures of this Kingdom ; and also for extending the said Act to the Manufacture of Leather : And whereas an [22 G. 2. c. 27.] Act was passed in the Twenty-second Year of the Reign of His late Majesty King George the Second, intituled An Act for the more effectual preventing of Frauds and Abuses committed by Persons employed in the Manufacture of Hats, and in the Woollen, Linen, Fustian, Cotton, Iron, Leather, Fur, Hemp, Flax, Mohair, and Silk Manufactures; and for preventing unlawful Combinations of Journeymen Dyers and Journeymen Hotpressers, and of all Persons employed in the said several Manufactures, and for the better Payment of their Wages : And whereas another [17 G. 3. c. 56.] Act was passed in the Seventeenth Year of the Reign of His late Majesty King George the Third, intituled An Act for amending and rendering more effectual the several Laws now in being, for the more effectual preventing of Frauds and Abuses by Persons employed in the Manufacture of Hats, and in the Woollen, Linen, Fustian, Cotton, Iron, Leather, Fur, Hemp, Flax, Mohair, and Silk Manufactures ; and also for making Provisions to prevent Frauds by Journeymen Dyers : And whereas an [32 G. 3. c. 44.] Act was passed in the Thirty-second Year of His late Majesty King George the Third, intituled An Act for extending the Provisions of an Act made in the Thirteenth Year of the Reign of His present Majesty, intituled ' An Act to empower the Magistrates therein mentioned to settle and ' regulate the Wages of Persons employed in the Silk Manufactures ' within their respective Jurisdictions,' to Manufactures of Silk mixed with other Materials; and for the more effectual Punishment of Buyers and Receivers of Silk purloined and embezzled by Persons employed in the Manufacture thereof : And whereas the Provisions of the said Acts have not been effectual to prevent Frauds, Embezzlements, and Abuses by Persons employed in the Woollen, Linen, Cotton, Flax, Mohair, and Silk Hosiery Manufactures ; and it is expedient to repeal so much of the said recited Acts as relates to the said Manufactures, and to make further Provisions in lieu thereof, as well for the Benefit and Encouragement of Trade and Manufactures as for the Security of the Property of Manufacturers and the Wages of the Workmen engaged in the said Manufactures :

Be it therefore enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same,