Unlawful Oaths Act

Unlawful Oaths Act (with its variations) is a stock short title used for legislation in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland relating to unlawful oaths.

The Bill for an Act with this short title may have been known as an Unlawful Oaths Bill during its passage through Parliament.

Unlawful Oaths Acts may be a generic name either for legislation bearing that short title or for all legislation which relates to the unlawful oaths.

List
The Unlawful Oaths Acts 1797 and 1812
 * The Unlawful Oaths Act 1797 (37 Geo. 3. c. 123)
 * The Unlawful Oaths Act 1812 (52 Geo. 3. c. 104)

The Unlawful Oaths (Ireland) Acts
 * The Unlawful Oaths (Ireland) Act 1810 (50 Geo. 3. c. 102). Sometimes called the Unlawful Oaths Act 1810.
 * The Unlawful Oaths (Ireland) Act 1823 (4 Geo. 4. c. 87). Sometimes called the Unlawful Oaths Act 1823.
 * The Act 7 & 8 Vict. c. 78, sometimes called the Unlawful Oaths (Ireland) Act 1844, the Unlawful Oaths Continuance Act, or the Unlawful Oaths Act.
 * The Act 8 & 9 Vict. c. 55, sometimes called the Unlawful Oaths (Ireland) Act 1845, the Unlawful Oaths Amendment and Continuance Act, or the Unlawful Oaths Act.
 * The Act 14 & 15 Vict. c. 48, sometimes called the Unlawful Oaths (Ireland) Act 1851, or the Unlawful Oaths Continuance Act, or the Unlawful Oaths Act.
 * The Act 19 & 20 Vict. c. 78, sometimes called the Unlawful Oaths (Ireland) Act 1856, or the Unlawful Oaths Amendment Continuance Act.
 * The Act 25 & 26 Vict. c. 32, sometimes called the Unlawful Oaths (Ireland) Act 1862, the Unlawful Oaths (Ireland) Act Continuance Act, the Unlawful Oaths Continuance Act, or the Unlawful Oaths Act.

Unlawful Oaths Acts were also passed in 1839, 1848 and 1875.

Unlawful Oaths Act 1797
The Unlawful Oaths Act 1797 (37 Geo. 3. c. 123) was an act passed by the British Parliament. The act was passed in the aftermath of the Spithead and Nore mutinies and aimed at clandestine political associations and ad hoc agreements such as those which had bound several of the mutineers. The Act was repealed by the Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1981.

The act was used against the Tolpuddle Martyrs.

References and notes

 * Andrew Reed. The Peace Preservation (Ireland) Acts 1856-1875; the Protection of Life and Property in certain parts of Ireland Act, 1871; and the Unlawful Oaths (Ireland) Acts 1810-1848. Alexander Thom. Dublin. 1875. Reviewed at "Reviews" (1875) 9 Irish Law Times and Solicitors' Journal 590 (4 December 1875).